National Meeting in Brasília Strengthens Brazil's Women's Health Policy on its 20th Anniversary
A national meeting in Brasília marked 20 years of Brazil’s comprehensive women's health policy, emphasizing key health issues and complementing efforts to combat gender political violence.
- • 20th anniversary of Brazil's National Policy for Comprehensive Women's Health Care (PNAISM) commemorated in Brasília.
- • Conference addressed violence against women, sexual/reproductive rights, menopause, menstrual dignity, and prenatal care quality.
- • Manaus delegation presented four health projects including obstetric nurse integration and cervical cancer screening.
- • National Justice Council signed protocol to combat political violence against women involving six institutions.
- • Protocol includes measures to enhance judicial response and promote awareness to increase female political participation.
Key details
Representatives from across Brazil, including a delegation from Manaus, gathered in Brasília from March 25 to 27 for the Meeting of State and Capital Technical References for Women's Health and Primary Health Care (APS), commemorating the 20th anniversary of the National Policy for Comprehensive Women's Health Care (PNAISM).
The event, organized by the Ministry of Health, focused on critical themes such as combating violence against women, promoting health during menopause, ensuring menstrual dignity, improving prenatal care quality, safeguarding sexual and reproductive rights, and broadening access to contraceptive methods within Brazil's Unified Health System (SUS).
Key attendees included Sonja Farias, director of Primary Care at Manaus' Municipal Health Secretariat, and Lúcia Freitas, head of the Women's Health Division. Freitas emphasized the need for ongoing efforts to strengthen women's health agendas, particularly to fight gender violence and femicide. Farias highlighted the importance of addressing the specific health needs of Manaus in national policy planning.
The conference also featured a National Showcase celebrating PNAISM’s two decades, with four projects from Manaus on display. These works address integrating obstetric nurses during childbirth, reproductive planning for rural populations, expanding access to subdermal contraceptive implants, and advances in cervical cancer screening.
In a related development underscoring the intersection of gender and political rights, the National Justice Council (CNJ) signed a Protocol for Combating Political Violence Against Women on March 25 at the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture. This protocol, backed by six major institutions including the Ministry of Women and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, aims to counteract the violence and intimidation hindering women's political participation.
CNJ Auxiliary Judge Susana Massako de Oliveira explained that the coordinated approach goes beyond reactive measures by enhancing judicial sensitivity to gender-based political violence. The protocol also initiates awareness campaigns, seminars, and training to prevent and address such violence. Minister of Women Márcia Lopes noted that these efforts uphold Law 14.192/21 and protect not only politicians but also activists and community leaders who face gendered violence.
Together, these initiatives reflect Brazil’s commitment to both improving comprehensive women's health services and safeguarding women's political rights through sustained, multi-institutional action.
This article was translated and synthesized from Brazilian sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
