Only education and social awareness can rescue the principle, provided for in the Brazilian Constitution, of equality between men and women, concluded yesterday, July 14, Minister Carmen Lúcia, of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), the retired federal judge of the TRF1 , Neuza Alves da Silva, the judge of the TJRJ and president of the Association of Brazilian Magistrates (AMB), Renata Gil, and the federal judge of the TRF2, Caroline Tauk. They were the speakers of the webinar “Justice for them: where are we and where are we going?”, Promoted by ABPI, moderated by lawyer Roberta de Magalhães Fonteles Cabral, and the participation of ABPI president, Luiz Edgard Montaury Pimenta.
For the participants, the Brazilian judiciary, where men predominate, especially in leadership positions, is an example of discrimination against women. “We are a prejudiced society against women, sexist, built by men for men”, observed Minister Cármen Lúcia, when adding that the poor and black woman, faces all kinds of prejudices besides that related to gender. To change this situation, he argued, it is necessary to educate children and the family about equal rights between men and women. “It is essential to give more visibility to this social wound,” he said.
Judge Neuza Alves da Silva presented data from the Federal Court of the 1st Region, which includes 13 states and the Federal District, to demonstrate the low presence of women among leaders in the Judiciary. The TRF1, composed of 27 courts, explained the magistrate, never had more than five women as holders. “What inhibits women’s participation? “, She asked, and she replied:” It is necessary to raise the awareness of all those involved in the political, legal and administrative scenario so that they guarantee justice in the exercise of the shares of power “. To “change this game”, he stressed, the solution is “to open spaces so that all women in the judiciary can expose themselves to the achievement of their career”.
First woman to occupy the presidency of AMB, Renata Gil defended greater female participation in the three spheres of power, Executive, Legislative and Judiciary. When addressing the issue of violence against women, she recalled that, although the Brazilian system of institutional protection in this case is standard for the entire world, a national strategy to combat violence against women is lacking. For the judge, the fight for female social equality is not primarily within the jurisdiction of the Judiciary, but of society. “The answer is social awareness,” he said.
In her presentation, Judge Caroline Tauk pointed out “sexism and structural racism” as effects of the inequality faced by women in the field of social rights. “Historically, black women have left slavery and migrated to domestic work,” he said, defending the adoption of public policies and raising society’s awareness to “break the female exclusion”. And he cited the issue of domestic violence as an example. “Domestic violence was until recently a problem for the couple and that changed with the mobilization of society,” he concluded.
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