Puzzles of women's rights in Brazil

Social Research, Fall, 2002 by Mala Htun

Notes

(1) See the Genderstats site at the World Bank. Available online at <http://genderstats.worldbank.org/SummaryGender.asp? WhichRpt=country&Ctry=BRA,Brazily.>

(2) This discussion borrows from chapter five of Htun (forthcoming, 2003).

(3) For a more detailed discussion of the progress of women's rights legislation in the Brazilian Congress, see the monthly newsletter Femea, published by CFEMEA and available online at <www.cfemea.org.br>.

(4) This discussion borrows from Htun (2001).

(5) In contrast to the conventional wisdom about the undisciplined nature of Brazilian parties, recent studies show that during the Cardoso administration, parties in Congress were quite disciplined. Legislators voted overwhelmingly along party lines, behavior attributable to the president's legislative powers and the centralization of power in congressional leadership (Figueiredo and Limongi, 2000). Yet the fact that parties in Congress may, at the time of the vote, behave like disciplined parties does not mean that they cease to be clientelistic, undisciplined parties at other stages of the political process (such as candidate nominations).

(6) Interview with Rio de Janeiro Mayor Cesar Maia, organizer of Sarney's presidential pre-campaign, Rio de Janeiro, June 14, 2002.

(7) Interview with PSDB secretary general Marcio Fortes, Brasilia, June 19, 2002.

(8) Folha de Sao Paulo, July 28, 2002.

(9) This information is from Htun (2002).

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Htun, Mala. "Women's Leadership in Latin America: Trends and Challenges." Politics Matters: A Dialogue of Women Political Leaders. Washington, D.C.: Inter-American Dialogue, 2001.

--."Women's Influence in Foreign Policy and International Affairs." Inter-American Development Bank Annual Board of Governors Meeting, Fortaleza, Brazil. March 10-13, 2002.

--. Sex and the State: Abortion, Divorce, and the Family under Latin American Dictatorships and Democracies. New York: Cambridge University Press, forthcoming 2003.

--. "Women and Political Power in Latin America." Women in Parliament. Beyond Numbers. Latin America ed. Stockholm: International IDEA, forthcoming.