achieving reproductive rights in brazil

Achieving Reproductive Rights in Brazil

Magaly MarquesPacific Institute for Women’s Health

February 2003 Pacific Institute for Women's Health

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Background

• Political Scenario

• Demographic Trend

• Social/Economic Situation

• Civil Society Mobilization


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Political Scenario 1970s and 1980s• Dictatorship & military regime

• Development goals with no policies

• Top-down population programs

• Women excluded from decision

making

• Mobilization for democracy


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Demographics in the 1970s and 1980s

• Programs with excessive focus on fertility reduction• High maternal mortality rates - 240 per 100,000• FP policies (or lack of) led to - sterilization and

C-Section abuse, limited contraceptive options, scarce access to services

• High abortion rates /severe legal restrictions on abortion

• Decline of fertility rates - demographic transition completed in the 1980s, a trend that continued into the 1990s


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Social/Economic Situationvis-à-vis population in the 1970s/1980s• International funding for FP from

USAID, World Bank was attached to development policies and population control agreements

• Foundations and European agencies funding small women’s groups


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Civil Society Mobilization

• Activism, organized left, women’s

groups

• Women leaders detach from left

parties to re-define priorities

• Women’s movement organize around

violence, abortion, and discrimination


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Goal:• Political will

• Democratic environment

• Public recognition of health problems

• Policies directed at accepted problems

• Mechanisms to ensure policy enforcement

• Civil society surveillance systems

• Government accountability


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The Reproductive Health Movement in the 1980s

• Women’s Groups organize as NGOs• Women’s Health Advocates launch

national initiative for Women’s Comprehensive Health (PAISM)

• The new Constitution calls for attention to reproductive health matters

• International support make possible for local NGOs to develop


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From Activism to Public Policy Change - the 1990s’ events

• Feminists in Women’s Health Movement join in government agencies

• National advocacy efforts increase public interest and awareness

• Women in parliament become aware of reproductive rights issues

• National Feminist Reproductive Health Network is founded


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“As opposed to the dictatorship years, the

recent Henrique Cardoso administration

produced economic, political and institutional

stability. The development of sound national

policies, development of mechanisms to

ensure enforcement of these policies, and the

constant dialogue and collaboration with civil

society allowed for an increased sense of

accountability and recognition of human

rights as universal.” Sonia Correia


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“The 2000 survey tells us that the national

fertility rates are 2.3 children per woman.

But in São Paulo, Rio and the South fertility

is already below replacement level. This is

not surprising as women have expanded

their participation in the labor market, they

are investing in their own education and

professional lives and they have decided to

provide good care to just one or two

children. This trend is here to stay”.

Elza Berquo, PhD


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Institutionalizing Women’s Rights

• Aftermath of U.N. Conferences enhanced creation of mechanisms to monitor policy implementation locally

• PAISM re-defined in 1997 (compromise and focus)

• Maternal Mortality Committees to monitor city level implementation of PAISM

• ICPD/Cairo language incorporated at all levels (from FP to RH)


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U.N. ConferencesAbsorbing the International Process

• 1993 Human Rights Conference led to National Human Rights Program in 1995, re-defined in 2002 as state policy including gender, racial, sexual, and HIV/AIDS related discrimination/violence; access to abortion.

• 1994 ICPD led to National Commission on Population and Development in 1995

• 2000 Beijing+5 led to National Secretary for Women's Rights; ratification of the CEDAW Protocol (Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination

against Women)


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Achievements

• 1985 - National Council on Women’s Rights

• 1988 Constitution spells out a national FP legislation

• Creation of 387 city-level maternal mortality committees

• Reduction in hospital-based mortality from

34 to 24 in 100.000 women


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• Policy enforcement for epidemiological investigation of all maternal deaths

• Increased coverage of pre-natal care from 5.4 million women in 1997 to 10.1 million in 2001

• Approval of health system protocol mandating and establishing guidelines for services to be offered to women who undergo sexual violence (1998)


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• Protocol mandating routine registration into the health system of all cases of gender-based violence attended

• Increase from none to 165 health services providing legal, safe abortions in case of rape


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Lessons Learned• Combination of activism and negotiation

• Alliances, partnerships were needed

• Networking of various types of organizations

(grassroots, research, advocacy)

• International liaising and local focus


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Unfinished Tasks, and Challenges Ahead

• Full access to legal abortion• Increased understanding about the links

among health, development and human rights issues.

• Paradigm shift in the way sexuality is conceived and promoted at all levels.

• Full incorporation of women as leaders and decision makers into the democratic process

achieving reproductive rights in brazil

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