BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH SDG 5

Brazil presents a complex picture of progress and persistent inequalities in the implementation of SDG 5. The country has a well-established legal framework supporting gender equality, and policies have addressed women’s political participation, economic inclusion, reproductive rights, and protection from violence. Brazil has also played an important role in international discussions on women’s rights and gender equality.

Women have achieved significant progress in education and labour-market participation, while public policies have expanded protection against gender-based violence. The Maria da Penha Law and the 2015 Femicide Law represent important steps in strengthening the legal response to violence against women.

At the same time, social and economic inequalities continue to affect women’s opportunities. Women, particularly Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous women, can face additional disadvantages linked to race, income, and geographical location. Political representation remains limited, while domestic violence, unequal care responsibilities, and economic disparities continue to pose challenges to the achievement of SDG 5.

CURRENT CHALLENGES AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Violence against women is one of the most significant issues in Brazil. Domestic violence and femicide remain serious concerns, while differences in access to protection and justice can affect women differently across regions and socio-economic groups. The effectiveness of existing legislation and support services is therefore an important area for discussion.

Political and economic participation also deserve attention. Women remain underrepresented in elected and senior decision-making positions, and gender inequalities persist in income, employment opportunities, and access to leadership roles. These challenges are often more pronounced for women facing multiple forms of discrimination.

The distribution of unpaid care work is another important dimension of gender inequality. Women continue to undertake a larger share of childcare and household responsibilities, which can limit their participation in the labour market and affect their economic independence. Access to childcare and family-support policies therefore remains relevant to gender equality.

LIST OF REFERENCES

Government of Brazil. (n.d.). Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender equality. https://www.gov.br/sri/pt-br/backup-secretaria-de-governo/articulacao-social/agenda-brasil-mais-sustentavel/goals/goal/sdg-5

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (n.d.). Brazil. United Nations Human Rights Office. https://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/brazil

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (n.d.). Brazil. OECD. https://www.oecd.org/en/countries/brazil.html

Sustainable Development Solutions Network. (2025). Brazil: Sustainable Development Report 2025. https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/profiles/brazil/

United Nations. (n.d.). Goal 5: Gender equality. United Nations in Brazil. https://brasil.un.org/pt-br/sdgs/5

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (n.d.). SDG indicators: Brazil country profile. United Nations. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/dataportal/countryprofiles/bra

United Nations Development Programme. (n.d.). Brazil: Human Development Report data. https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/specific-country-data#/countries/BRA

UNESCO. (n.d.). Gender equality. UNESCO Brasilia. https://www.unesco.org/en/fieldoffice/brasilia/expertise/gender-equality

UN Women. (2020). Brazil: National review for the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/CSW/64/National-reviews/Brazil.pdf

UN Women. (n.d.). Brazil country data. UN Women Data Hub. https://data.unwomen.org/country/brazil

USEFUL LINKS

• Country report/Voluntary National Reviews

  • https://www.gov.br/sri/pt-br/backup-secretaria-de-governo/articulacao-social/agenda-brasil-mais-sustentavel/goals/goal/sdg-5 

  • https://www.scielo.br/j/seq/a/Bd4yKNWZJD6TX4xP3Bmbwzd/?lang=en 

• Bibliography and UN pages about this country:

  • UN: https://brasil.un.org/pt-br/sdgs/5 

  • UNESCO: https://www.unesco.org/en/fieldoffice/brasilia/expertise/gender-equality 

  • UNPD:https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/specific-country-data?utm_source=chatgpt.com#/countries/BRA 

  • OECD: https://www.oecd.org/en/countries/brazil.html 

  • UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs: https://data.unwomen.org/country/ethiopia 

  • UN human rights: https://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/brazil 

  • Index: https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/profiles/brazil/ 

  • UN WOMEN count: https://data.unwomen.org/country/brazil 

  • UN women: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/CSW/64/National-reviews/Brazil.pdf