# Female political participation and rising violence in Brazil

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/female-political-participation-in-brazil
> Updated: 2026-09-22T01:00:59.000Z. Sources: 36. Developments: 3.

Discussions regarding female political participation and women’s rights in Brazil have gained momentum through various organized forums and political engagements. In São Paulo, the ‘Direitos Já! Fórum pela Democracia’ addressed the necessity of gender equality in decision-making, while efforts to strengthen women’s presence in power included discussions with Supreme Federal Court Minister Cármen Lúcia Antunes Rocha.

However, recent data indicates a sharp rise in political violence targeting women. According to the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), legal processes related to such violence increased more than 11-fold in four years, rising from 15 processes in 2022 to 177 recorded by September 2026. The Federal Public Ministry (MPF) has received 436 complaints of gender-based political violence since 2018, with more than half involving moral violence and 40% involving psychological violence.

In response, the TSE and MPF launched the ‘Política é Substantivo Feminino’ campaign. To further combat these crimes, the TSE and the General Electoral Prosecutor's Office (PGE) signed a Joint Action Protocol. Additionally, the TSE introduced ‘Likeness ID,’ a tool developed with Google to identify unauthorized deepfakes on YouTube.

Parallel to gender-based violence, the Labor Public Ministry (MPT) is addressing electoral harassment in professional settings. Investigations are underway in the Federal District regarding the ‘sequestration’ of workers' electoral data to monitor voting patterns. In Alagoas, a Labor Court prohibited influencer Rico Melquíades from harassing employees over political affiliations, and an injunction was obtained against the State of Pará to prevent the harassment of outsourced workers in Santarém who were allegedly pressured to support specific candidates to maintain employment. In 2026, the MPT reported 463 instances of electoral harassment in the workplace involving the intimidation of employees regarding their political views.

## Claims

- The MPT has recorded 472 complaints of electoral harassment in the workplace in 2026 as of September 20. (disputed by 2 sources)
- The MPT has recorded 463 complaints of electoral harassment in the workplace in 2026. (disputed)
- The TSE and MPF launched the 'Política é Substantivo Feminino' campaign to raise awareness about political violence against women. (corroborated by 18 sources)
- Cases of political violence against women in the Electoral Justice system rose from 15 in 2022 to 177 by September 2026. (corroborated by 17 sources)
- The MPF has recorded 436 complaints of political violence of gender since 2018. (corroborated by 16 sources)
- The TSE and PGE signed a Joint Action Protocol to prevent and combat political violence against women. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The TSE launched the Likeness ID tool in partnership with Google to identify deepfakes on YouTube. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The Labor Court prohibited influencer Rico Melquíades from practicing electoral harassment against employees. (single source)
- The MPT obtained an injunction against the State of Pará to stop electoral harassment of outsourced workers in Santarém. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-22: Women's rights and political representation highlighted in Brazil

Brazilian initiatives focus on women's rights, featuring STF Minister Cármen Lúcia in a democracy debate and Senate candidates in Rondônia pledging to expand protections for women.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/womens-rights-and-political-representation-highlighted-in-brazil

### 2026-09-21: Brazil sees sharp rise in political violence against women

Political violence against women in Brazil has increased 11-fold since 2022. The TSE and MPF launched new campaigns and tools, including a deepfake detection partnership with Google, to combat the trend.

31 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazil-sees-11-fold-increase-in-political-violence-against-women

### 2026-09-13: Direitos Já! Forum discusses female political participation in Brazil

Over 400 women, including political leaders Simone Tebet and Marina Silva, gathered in São Paulo for the ‘Direitos Já!’ forum to advocate for increased female participation in Brazilian public life.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/direitos-j-forum-discusses-female-political-participation-in-brazil

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Cite as: Female political participation and rising violence in Brazil. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/female-political-participation-in-brazil