Women hold 29% of permanent positions in Brazil's judiciary

A recent study titled ‘Mulheres na Justiça’ reveals that women hold only 29% of permanent positions within the Brazilian judiciary. The gender gap is most pronounced in high-level courts. In the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Minister Cármen Lúcia is currently the sole female representative among the ten active justices. The Superior Court of Justice (STJ) also shows significant disparity, with women making up only 18% of its ministers.

Beyond the high courts, women represent less than one-third of Federal Public Ministry prosecutors. In the 27 State Courts of Justice, only four are presided over by women, and only three state public ministries are led by female prosecutors.

In response to these findings, organizations such as Fórum Justiça, JUSTA, and Themis are working to address the imbalance. Themis has launched a ten-month leadership development program specifically targeting female judges, prosecutors, and public defenders, with a focus on Black women. Meanwhile, advocates hope upcoming vacancies at the STJ provide an opportunity to correct this historical imbalance.