Region:Asia Pacific
Current UN Women Plan Period Afghanisthan:2018-2022
World Bank Income Classification:Low Income
The World Bank classifies economies for analytical purposes into four income groups: low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high income. For this purpose it uses gross national income (GNI) per capita data in U.S. dollars, converted from local currency using the World Bank Atlas method, which is applied to smooth exchange rate fluctuations.
Least Developed Country:Yes
Since 1971, the United Nations has recognized LDCs as a category of States that are deemed highly disadvantaged in their development process, for structural, historical and also geographical reasons. Three criteria are used: per capita income, human assets, and economic vulnerability.
Gender Inequality Index:0.575
GII is a composite metric of gender inequality using three dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment and the labour market. A low GII value indicates low inequality between women and men, and vice-versa.
Gender Development Index:0.723
GDI measures gender inequalities in achievement in three basic dimensions of human development: health, education, and command over economic resources.
Population:209,497,025
Source of population data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2022). World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision
Male:19,976,265 (9.5%)
Female:189,520,760 (90.5%)
outcome XM-DAC-41146-BRA_D_1.1
Women, particularly those facing multiple forms of discrimination, increasingly participate in decision-making processes; and influence formulation, implementation and monitoring of national and subnational laws, policies, plans and budgets.
In 2023, women continued to face significant barriers to participating in decision-making processes and influencing legislative, policy, and budgetary frameworks. Despite these challenges to increase participation, notable advancements were observed. The government progressed in mainstreaming gender in policies and budgets, as well as in designing policy frameworks to address violence against women in politics (VAWP), while activists exerted influence on policymaking at state and municipal levels. Additionally, indigenous women's movements effectively advocated for their rights, elevating them on national and international agendas. The Pluriannual Plan (PPA) 2024-2027 incorporates gender and race equality as well as the elimination of all forms of discrimination within its vision and directives. Three dedicated programmes focus on women's rights, emphasizing economic autonomy, equitable decision-making, power distribution, and the eradication of violence against women. "Women" constitutes one of the five cross-cutting agendas of the PPA, comprising 45 programmes, 85 specific objectives, 191 deliverables and 75 normative and institutional measures. Two indicators adopted by the PPA measure aspects of gender inequality: sex-disaggregated homicide rates and income. In contrast, the previous PPA (2020-2023) did not mention gender equality or women's rights, nor did it integrate gender-responsive indicators. The federal government made significant strides towards formulating a national policy aimed at preventing and ending VAWP with the establishment of an Inter-ministerial Working Group . UN Women, Legislative agencies and Judiciary bodies integrate the group as consultive and technical advice partners. Through integrated policy advice, data and evidence analysis, and advocacy, UN Women has played a pivotal role in shaping the discourse and catalysing action on this critical issue in the past years. Local governments The state of Pará inaugurated three Secretaries focusing on women, indigenous affairs, and racial equality, marking a significant step towards state-level governance for marginalized groups. As reported by the former head of the state women’s machinery, the collaboration between the state government and UN Women, coupled with the creation of government bodies at the federal level, contributed to generating commitments related to gender equality at the highest level of the government, prompting the governor to create the State Secretariat on Women. Moreover, UN Women's advocacy efforts and initial dialogue with the Deputy Governor of Pará in 2022 resulted in the establishment in 2023 of a Chamber of Policies for Women, led by the state women’s machinery. This chamber serves as a platform for coordinating gender equality initiatives and driving policy reforms in the state. In addition, the state Secretary of Environment and Sustainability included for the first time an indicator of gender-mainstreaming among the criteria to assess the institutional performance, demonstrating a commitment to addressing intersectional challenges and promoting sustainable development in the region. In Penalva (a municipality in the state of Maranhão), the Executive Branch passed a law project to restructure the Municipal Council for Women's Rights, enhancing the municipal women's rights policy, and establish the Municipal Fund for Women's Rights. UN Women's integrated policy advice was instrumental in shaping these policies, including the reinstallation of the women’s machinery, fostering a more conducive environment for gender-responsive governance. Women’s groups In Mocajuba (Pará), quilombola women launched a Baixo Tocantins region-focused women’s network dedicated to advocating for human rights and demanding participation in decision-making related to development projects affecting their territories. For the first time, women engaged with decision-makers in the Executive and Legislative Branches to voice their claims and concerns. Technical support, which included workshops and advisory on advocacy, and financial support provided by UN Women to Malungo - Coordenação das Associações das Comunidades Remanescentes de Quilombos do Pará were key to achieving these results. In Penalva (Maranhão), quilombola women effectively raised awareness, forged alliances, and engaged with authorities to establish, for the first time, a quilombola women network spanning eight regions in the municipality. UN Women, in partnership with Associação das Comunidades Negras Rurais Quilombolas do Maranhão - ACONERUQ supported quilombola women in advocacy and social mobilisation efforts to participate in the formulation, implementation, and monitoring of policies and plans. Also as a result of the collaboration, the grassroots groups in Grajaú and Santa Luzia do Pará secured additional financial resources to support women’s mobilization. Indigenous women from Grajaú secured resources from the Coordenadoria Ecumência de Serviço - CESE to participate in the Third Indigenous March in Brasilia, while quilombola women from Mocajuba received support from Fundo Elas for the sustainability of their network.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-BRA_D_2.1
Policies and strategies of public and private companies and institutions to strengthen women’s economic rights and opportunities are adopted, implemented and monitored.
In 2023, Brazil showed progress in the adoption and implementation of policies and strategies to strengthen women’s economic rights, as a result of public and private companies and institutions enhanced capacities with UN Women’s technical support. The reporting year was marked by great advancements in the development of care policies and strategies in the country. In November 2023, the MERCOSUR countries created the Technical Commission on Care, the first ever intergovernmental fora to discuss and propose care strategies. The commission was created during the 42nd Meeting of Social Development of Mercosur (RMADS), and Brazil had a very protagonist role, while holding the Pro-tempore presidency of the group. It was announced in an international seminar organized in partnership with UN Women Brazil Country Office and aim s to fo ster the commitment of Member St ates to design, implement and monitor care policies in Mercosur. Moreover, the municipal government of Belém is also developing a municipal care system. In 2023, the city started implementing a more gender and care-sensitive approach in their public policies, due to the municipal government increased capacities following participation in UN Women trainings. For example, in December 2023, the government included in their professional training programme the first course to train paid care workers to care for children and elderly people. Furthermore, civil society organizations of Belém are building advocacy strategies to strengthen women’s rights and opportunities. In the reporting year, 16 organizations created the Network of Care Activists of Belém, as a result of their increased capacities on advocacy and care policies. In this context, the development of a municipal care system in Belém with UN Women support was perceived by the Federal Government as a pioneer experience in the country, which created new opportunities for exchanges and collaboration between national and local authorities, such as the development of a collaborative workplan to foster technical exchanges between the two experiences. In addition to the advancements in the care agenda, with the aim of minimizing historical salary inequality, in 2023 the Brazilian Government approved Law No. 14,611/2023, focused on promoting salary equality and establishing remuneration criteria for men and women, a result to which UN Women contributed through its advocacy efforts s. over the past years for equal pay for work of equal value and the reduction of the gender pay gap. This law reinforced the impossibility of distinguishing wages between women and men (which was previously guaranteed by the Consolidation of Labor Laws) and brought new developments in relation to measures that, until then, were not provided for in legislation (such as the establishment of mechanisms for salary transparency and the provision of specific channels for reporting salary discrimination). To ensure the implementation of the law, the government also created an Interministerial Working Group (IWG) to design a National Plan for Equal Pay and Labour Equality for Women and Men, which counts with UN Women technical support. It is expected that the Plan is launched in 2024. In addition to the public sector, the private sector plays a crucial role in implementing strategies to strengthen women's economic rights and empowering all women and girls, especially those who face multiple forms of discrimination, such as refugee and migrant women. In the reporting period, 20 companies implemented action plans for the economic empowerment of refugees and migrants as a result of their enhanced capacities on employability and integration of refugee and migrant women in the workplace with the support of UN Women in partnership with UNHCR and UNFPA, in the scope of the Moverse Joint Programme. These companies have committed to at least one of the following fronts: employability and integration of refugee and migrant women in the workplace, supply chain adapted to integrate refugee and migrant women, corporate social responsibility in support of communities and communication that does not reinforce stereotypes and empowers refugee and migrant women. Also in 2023, three companies adapted their corporate purchasing policies to integrate refugee and migrant women, after consultations with six entrepreneurs. As a result, nine women accessed opportunities to sell their products and services to such companies after the modifications, earning over 31,500 USD. Besides the companies, eleven civil society organizations involved in the Brazilian Government's response to the Venezuelan migration flow implemented action plans for mainstream gender in their programs and initiatives, with special attention to the socioeconomic integration of refugee and migrant women, as a result of their enhanced capacities on gender and economic empowerment. In these organizations there was an average increase of 46 per cent in the number of initiatives aimed at the economic empowerment of refugee and migrant women. Three of these CSOs are refugee and migrant women-led organizations that went through the formalization process in 2023 with the support of UN Women. As a result of the formalization, they were able to receive resources from different sources, including by United Nations agencies involved in the response to the Venezuelan migratory flow in Brazil. Also in the reporting year, the Brazilian Government launched the Second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (Stage 1) at the Security Council annual open debate on Women, Peace and Security, during Brazil’ presidency of the Security Council, as a result of its enhanced capacities following their participation in UN Women capacity building activities, as well as UN Women advocacy efforts and technical support to the drafting of the document. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs created and coordinated an Interministerial Working Group (IWG) to develop the Plan, also as a result of its increased access to information provided by UN Women through technical meetings, presentations and workshops. The IWG incorporated into the Plan contributions presented by civil society on the women's needs and priorities on this agenda, as a result of their increased knowledge of their demands following their participation in a consultation session held by UN Women Country Office with the support of the UN Women Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-BRA_D_3.1
An enabling legislation, policy and social environment is in place to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.
In 2023, UN Women contributed to an enabling legislative, policy and social environment to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls (VAWG). In terms of an enabling legislative environment, the Ministry of Women developed the National Pact for the Prevention of Feminicides with UN Women technical support to develop a mapping and evaluation of policies as well as through the facilitation of policy articulations. The pact is an intergovernmental management strategy guiding the planning and execution of coordination actions among various sectors of the Executive at the federal, state, municipal, the Justice System, the Legislature, and civil society, to prevent and reduce feminicides. The Pact operates on the premise that feminicides result from a continuum of violence against women driven by gender inequality and its intersections. Inequality constitutes the structural cause of violence against women, and, for this reason, feminicides are considered preventable crimes. To eliminate them, the Pact understands that law enforcement measures alone are insufficient, recognizing the need for primary prevention measures (transforming gender social norms), secondary prevention (immediate or early intervention in cases of gender-based violence against women), and tertiary prevention (repair measures to interrupt the harm of violence in the lives of women and their families). The Pact represents tangible advancement towards an enabling legislative and policy environment that protects women from various forms of GBV. In terms of an enabling policy environment, the Ministry of Women resumed the implementation of “Casa da Mulher Brasileira”, a relevant public policy to respond to VAWG, partially as a result of its enhanced capacities due to UN Women technical support. This support was directed to develop and revise its norms and standards, to enhance the essential services for women survivors, to train its teams and staff, to develop an internal service flow, coordination between specialized service networks, and the creation of internal regulations for the management committee of the Brazilian Women's House, with the aim of ensuring integration, coordination, and humanization of services. In addition to this, the Federal Government 2024-2027 Multi-Year Plan defined as one of its strategic objectives in the social development and guarantee of rights axis to “strengthen protection and care policies for women, seeking equality of rights, financial autonomy, equal pay and strengthening the network to prevent and combat violence”. To this end, programmes, indicators and goals are planned to expand the service network for women survivors, promoting humanized care and access to specialized services in the areas of health, public safety, justice and the social assistance network; promotion of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention actions to protect women, in their diversity and plurality, against all forms of violence; promotion of actions to ensure equal opportunities and treatment in organizations' work environments by requiring compliance with legal measures to prevent discrimination, harassment and violence at work. In terms of an enabling social environment, three organizations of women human rights defenders improved methodologies for producing data on rights violations experienced by women in all their diversity. Kunangue Aty Guasu, Women's Collective of CONAQ and Coturno de Vênus produced technical documents with systematized data based on innovative methodologies. This development was possible through financial support through the Small Grants policy and technical support for systematization and conceptual approaches provided by UN Women. These methodologies were disseminated to other WHRDs organizations and to public institutions, availing expertise to produce data on violence against WHRDs to build better public policies and a more positive social environment for WHRDs.Showing 1 - 3 of 3
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The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).
References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).
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