The main federal program in Brazil to combat violence against women has seen its funding cut to less than half of what it was a decade ago, experiencing significant reductions under the administrations of Michel Temer and Jair Bolsonaro, with no recovery under current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The key federal initiative aimed at combating violence against women in Brazil has faced severe budget cuts, reportedly operating with less than half of its original resources over the past decade. After reaching a financial peak in 2015, the program named Mulher Viver sem Violência has been subjected to successive funding reductions during the presidencies of Michel Temer and Jair Bolsonaro. Recent data points out that despite a change in administration, the financial resources allocated under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva remain below the necessary levels for effective action against domestic violence.
Experts have highlighted two ongoing challenges persistently undermining the program's effectiveness: the insufficient amount of funding and the discontinuity of initiatives arising from budget constraints. In 2015, the program's financial allocation reached R$ 175.6 million, adjusted for inflation. However, by the previous year, funding had plummeted to R$ 82.9 million, reflecting a troubling downward trend that began during the transition between former Presidents Dilma Rousseff and Michel Temer.
The issues surrounding the funding and operational capacity of the Mulher Viver sem Violência program raise critical concerns about the government's commitment to tackling domestic violence, especially as statistics show alarming rates of such incidents. The decline in resources not only impedes ongoing projects but also diminishes the ability of state agencies and organizations to effectively support and protect vulnerable women, placing an urgent emphasis on the need for a strategic reassessment of funding priorities in the context of public safety and women's rights in Brazil.
