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.