The Minister of Women, Cida Gonçalves, announced this Friday (2) that the federal government will launch the National Articulation for Zero Femicide this month. Purple August is marked by awareness-raising activities for the end of violence against women.
The initiative aims to mobilize various sectors of society to put an end to violence against women through several fronts of action, such as signing a manifesto, holding events and lectures on the topic, and disseminating graphic and audiovisual materials for the campaign, to be launched next Wednesday (7).
“If we can reach December 31, 2026 with the majority of society saying that violence against women is a crime, with people once again becoming outraged about it, I think we have fulfilled a strategic and fundamental role. [no Ministério das Mulheres]”, said the minister, during breakfast with female journalists.
According to the 18th Brazilian Public Security Yearbook of the Brazilian Public Security Forum (FBSP), Brazil is the fifth country that kills the most women in the world. The document indicates that every six hours, a woman is a victim of femicide in the country; three out of ten Brazilian women have been victims of domestic violence; every six minutes, a girl or woman suffers sexual violence in Brazil and every 24 hours, 75 cases of sexual harassment are reported.
The National Articulation for Zero Feminicide will reinforce the free telephone service channels aimed at helping women, such as Ligue 180, the Women’s Assistance Center; Disque Direitos Humanos (Dial 100) or emergency centers, such as 190, from the Military Police, to be activated in cases of rapid assistance.
The movement plans to engage business entities, such as Sebrae, the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (Fiesp), the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Firjan), the National Confederation of Industry (CNI); public companies, as well as public figures, social movements, sports, cultural and religious institutions.
Evangelical leaders
Minister Cida Gonçalves reported that a partnership with evangelical pastors has been initiated to combat femicide. The guidelines will be drawn up in September together with the evangelical leaders.
“The idea is not to polarize zero femicide as a partisan or governmental issue. This is the perspective we want to build, which we are gradually reaching. By the end of the year, I want to visit churches, pastors, and bishops and make a move to bring these people into this debate. We need to create material that speaks the language of these people,” explained the minister. “We will also build a strategy to work with evangelical women on the issue and bring evangelical churches to adhere to zero femicide,” she added.
Football clubs
The minister added that another action is to involve Brazilian football clubs. Research carried out by the Public Security Forum in partnership with the Avon Institute in 2022 reveals that on football match days, intentional bodily harm against women is 23.7% higher than on days when there are no matches. And when the team’s game takes place in the host city itself, the estimated increase in cases of bodily injury is 25.9%.
So far, leaders of the Corinthians, Flamengo, Vasco and Bahia clubs have already joined the mobilization. “The issue we are going to address is not temporary, it is permanent. There are actions that will take place when there is a game, which are the most media-friendly actions. Now, the other things will happen within the team, such as the workshops. […] Starting in September, the team designated by the team must put together the strategic action plan”, stated Cida Gonçalves.
When asked about a statement by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva regarding the survey in which he condemned the increase in violence against women after football matches, but said that if the “guy is a Corinthians fan, that’s fine”, the minister responded: “Not even a joke from the President of the Republic. You can’t accept a joke about anything, or anyone.” […] As women, we have to start again by not accepting jokes, whether about black people, fat people, immigrants, women or homophobic jokes. We can’t. It’s not possible. The idea of building a movement for zero feminicide has to start there. Prevention starts there,” she said.
Budget
Over the budget freeze of the R$179.7 million portfolio, made by the federal government on Tuesday (30) to meet the zero deficit fiscal target, Minister Cida Gonçalves defended more of her own resources to carry out public policies, in addition to those existing with other ministries, such as Health and Justice and Public Security.
Proportionally, the department had the largest suspension of funds in the Esplanada, representing 17% of the budget.
According to the minister, the cuts will be made in the administrative area, such as reducing travel, so that resources allocated to actions for women are preserved. “I don’t see this as a loss of prestige. [contingenciamento]. This is a challenge that we have to face”, he explained.
In reviewing the ministry’s activities, Cida Gonçalves highlighted the expansion of the capillarity of policies in municipalities, states and the Federal District through the creation, structuring and strengthening of secretariats focused on women.
Cida Gonçalves estimates that the number of specific secretariats for women does not reach 700 in the entire country. The federal government’s goal is to have at least 2,000 municipal and state secretariats.
“We have less than 700 secretariats and some are superintendencies, directorates, advisory offices, they are not secretariats for women. This adds another burden. I need capillarity. They can invest billions [de reais] at the Ministry of Women, but we have no way of executing it if there is no Women’s Secretariat in the municipality. Who am I going to pass the funds on to? Who is going to coordinate it? Who is going to set the political line?” demanded the minister.
