Women turn out for Brazil protest to demand respect, equality

Record ID: 401373

  • Title: Women turn out for Brazil protest to demand respect, equality
  • Date: 8th March 2017
  • Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (MARCH 08, 2017) (REUTERS) WOMEN GATHERED IN DOWNTOWN RIO DE JANEIRO PLACARD THAT READS "LESS FLOWERS MORE RESPECT" VARIOUS OF WOMEN GATHERED WOMAN TAKING SELFIE AT PROTEST VARIOUS OF WOMEN AT PROTEST (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) LOCAL WOMAN, MICHELE, SAYING: "Setbacks for (female) workers, setbacks in regards with everything to do with retirement are ju
  • Embargoed: 22nd March 2017 22:22
  • Keywords: International Women's Day Brazil Sao Paulo Rio de Janeiro protest
  • Location: RIO DE JANEIRO, SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
  • City: RIO DE JANEIRO, SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA001673OA4N
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Scores of Brazilian women took to the streets of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo on Wednesday (March 08) to condemn discrimination and call for equality in the Latin American country amidst fears that the conservative government is stripping back the rights of women.
    The protest on International Women's Day is calling attention to measures affecting women under the conservative government of President Michel Temer. After taking power, Temer stripped the Women's Ministry of its status in the government and authorities have cracked down on underground abortion clinics in the country, with the practice illegal in the conservative Catholic country.
    Rio de Janeiro protester, Michele, told Reuters the setbacks faced by women is Brazil is tantamount to non-physical violence.
    "Setbacks for (female) workers, setbacks in regards with everything to do with retirement are just some of the setbacks people are facing. It isn't physical violence against us or aggression. It's this form of violence that is increasing and which is not visible," she said.
    Official statistics from the 2015 Forum for Public Security claimed that a woman is killed every two hours in the country, with rapes occurring every 11 minutes.
    "I think it (Women's Day) should be every day. We need to continue fighting today, tomorrow because it is an arduous fight, it is every day. We need to always be out chanting, always protesting," said protester, Marta Acebedo.
    Last year, Brazil introduced a landmark domestic violence legislation which toughened sentences for offenders and set up specialised courts.
    But activists say the country's macho culture is still rife and a cultural shift must take place.
    "Today in Brazil there is a wave of setbacks in women's rights. This is why today on March 08 we reaffirm (them), women are out on the streets to fight and to once more write another page in the history of this battle and resistance in our country," said activist, Maria das Neves.
    Women's rights activists are especially critical of cuts to social programmes in Brazil under President Temer as part of an austerity drive. According to statistics, some 93% of beneficiaries of the programmes were women.
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