National Action Plan: Brazil

The Government of Brazil launched its first National Action Plan (NAP) in March 2017 for a period of two years (2017-2019). The NAP was developed by Brazil’s Working Group, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense including the three Armed Forces and the Ministries of Justice and Public Security, Human Rights and Justice and Citizenship. This NAP incorporates the main principles of Security Council Resolution 1325, 1820, 1888, 1889, 1960, 2106, 2122, and 2242. The Ministries of Defense, Justice and Public Security, and Human Rights are in charge of the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the NAP.

 

Brazil has no recent history of armed conflict and does not face any external threats. The impeachment of Dilma Rousseff in 2016, ended 13 years of rule by the Workers’ Party in Brazil and brought to power President Michel Temer for the remaining two years of Rousseff’s term.  Temer eliminated the ministry of women, racial equality, and human rights, which he rolled into the ministry of justice, that is in charge of the NAP implementation. Even though the Brazilian Constitution guarantees women the same rights as men, women lag behind men in both political and economic status throughout the country. As of 2016, it is reported that every two minutes in Brazil, five women are beaten, while 13 Brazilian women are murdered every day.  

 

By adopting the NAP, the Brazilian Government reaffirms its commitment to the promotion of international peace and security, as well as to the defense of gender equity and the empowerment of all women and girls. However, Brazilian NAP clearly showcases the intention of the Government to re-frame women’s role in society and position them as key participants in the country’s defense sector.

At the 23 April 2019 high-level WPS Commitments event, Brazil committed to creating a new NAP in advance of October 2020.

Document PDF: 

National Action Plan: Brazil

Brazil_NAP in Portugese (1).pdf
WILPF

WILPF International does not have a country section in Brazil and therefore was not involved in the development process of Brazil’s NAP.

Civil Society Actors

NAP Process

Civil society members Instituto Igarapé supported the development of Brazil’s NAP and contributed the development of support for the NAP by organising consultations with government institutions, civil society organisations and experts from academia.

NAP Implementation

Civil society will support the NAP’s implementation, educate and expand their cooperation with the ministries that implement the NAP.

NAP Monitoring and Evaluation

Civil society does not have an important role in monitoring and evaluation. According to the NAP, civil society and other actors will be used to spread the “knowledge and engagement about the National Action Plan in Brazil.”

Government Actors

NAP Development

Prior the official launch of the NAP, Brazil has undertook several attempts to broaden women’s participation  in decision-making, security and peacekeeping. These initiatives include the Multi-Year Plan (2012-2015) and the National Plan of policies for Women.

Since August 2015, the preparation of the Plan was carried out by the Working Group, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of the Ministry of Defense including the three Armed Forces, and the Ministries of Justice and Public Security and Human Rights and the Ministry of Justice and Citizenship, with participation of Instituto Igarapé and Pandiá Calógeras.

NAP Implementation

The Brazilian NAP will be implemented by government officials, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defense and the Brazilian Government.  

NAP Monitoring and Evaluation

The actors for monitoring and evaluating are the Ministries of Defense, Foreign Relations, Justice and Public Security, and Human Rights. Their roles are to monitor mechanisms of the NAP’s implementation by creating reports on the measures taken to meet the objectives and activities, the progress made, and the challenges identified.

Objectives

Brazil’s National Action Plan is organised by four Pillars as follows:

  • Pillar 1: To increase the effective participation of Brazilian women in international peace and security activities, including in leadership positions and promote the effective participation of local women;
  • Pillar 2: To expand and improve Brazil’s contribution to tackle gender-based violence and to protect the human rights of all women and girls in conflict situations, pre and post-conflict;
  • Pillar 3: To strengthen the gender perspective in Brazil's role in  the development and execution of consolidation of peace and humanitarian activities of cooperation;
  • Pillar 4: To expand awareness of the WPS Agenda in Brazilian society.
Action/Activities

Each pillar has different actions assigned. For example, Pillar 1 “to increase the effective participation of Brazilian women in international peace and security activities, including in leadership positions and promote the effective participation of local women” includes the following actions:

  • Increase the sense of security of the local population and extends the range of peace operations skills;
  • Facilitate the inclusion of ex-combatant women during the process of demobilisation and reintegration into society;
  • Expand information of collection networks;
  • Contribute to interviews with survivors of gender-based violence;
  • Promote a better interaction with women in local societies and serve as a model for local women;
  • Have women contribute as instructors at military academies.
Timeframe

The implementation period for the Brazilian National Plan of Action is two years starting in March 2017.

Budget

Brazil does not include an allocated or estimated budget. No actions are included that formulate strategies for sourcing increased funding, detail what level of funding is required for which specific activities, or what accountability mechanisms will ensure funding is raised and used in implementing the NAP.

Monitoring & Evaluation

The reporting and review processes are follow-up tasks of NAP compliance from Gender Commissions and/or specific committees’ contributions. At the end of 2018, the Working Group will reconvene in order to assess the Plan’s implementation and make any necessary adjustments. Any desire to make a new NAP during the implementation period will be discussed by the Working Group, which will present its recommendations to the institutions and bodies involved. 

Disarmament

The National Action Plan does not address disarmament issues or connect the proliferation of weapons with women’s insecurity. Instead, Brazilian NAP showcases the intention of the Government to re-frame women’s role in society so that women see themselves as key participants in the country’s defense sector, rather than addressing intransigent obstacles to women’s participation and rights.