Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series on the status of women’s rights and gender equality in various countries around the world.
On New Year’s Eve, a man broke into a house in southeastern Brazil and shot and killed his ex-wife, their son and 10 other people, before taking his own life. The incident was a particularly shocking example of the rampant violence against women in Brazil, where disturbing cases of gender-based violence are a near-daily occurrence. In an email interview, Sueann Caulfield, an associate professor at the University of Michigan, discusses women’s rights in Brazil.
WPR: What is the current status of women’s rights and gender equality in Brazil?