A growing threat to human rights? Gender and political ideologies in Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis viewpoint article discusses the growing threat to human rights in Brazil, specifically on gender and political ideologies. Brazil has a progressive Constitution that guarantees basic human rights to all Brazilians, including that of choice of gender. In the last few years, pressure groups, particularly religious groups, have increasingly influenced successive governments to restrain the freedom of people to access gender and sex education at school. In the middle of the current political and economic chaos of Brazil, religious fundamentalism has grown stronger. These groups have aimed to eliminate any gender and political discussions in the National Curriculum, but also in Brazilian life. However, there are many other interests underneath this rhetoric and actions. In the last decades, evangelicals have built an economic empire. Consequently, there have been significant losses to education, especially in gender education. Brazilian public universities are also under severe threat (financial and ideological). The current Ministry of Education believes that philosophy and sociology courses should be discouraged, as well as research on gender issues. Research spending has decreased sharply and there is a significant concern that censorship of research in certain areas of knowledge may occur.