WOMEN IN BRAZILIAN POLITICS: REPRESENTATION, DEMOCRACY, AND THE CHALLENGES OF GENDER PARITY IN POSITIONS OF POWER

Abstract

The underrepresentation of women in Brazilian political power remains one of the most persistent challenges to the consolidation of a truly plural and participatory democracy. Although women constitute more than half of the population and electorate, their presence in elected positions remains disproportionately low, revealing a structural gender imbalance in national politics. This article aims to discuss the importance of gender parity as a key instrument for strengthening democracy, analyzing the progress and obstacles observed in the most recent general elections. The research, qualitative and descriptive in nature, is based on a literature review of contemporary Political Science scholars, as well as official data from the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) and the Federal Senate. The findings indicate that despite the increase in female candidacies and the adoption of gender quota policies and proportional campaign financing, gender inequality remains structurally embedded in the Brazilian political system. It concludes that women’s participation in politics should not be seen merely as a matter of social equity, but as an ethical and democratic imperative, essential to the legitimacy of institutions and to the quality of public decision-making.