Knowledge Center

Population

• Of Brazil’s total population of 196,655,000, 50.8% (99,910,000) of the total population are female.1
• In 2011, there were 98 males for every 100 females. 2
• In 2010-2015, the estimated number of children per women is 1.8.3
• In 2010, the median age was 29.1 years.4

• The mean age of marriage for women is 23 years. 5
• The healthy life expectancy is 66 years for women and 62 years for men.6

Education

• In 2008, females were expected to receive 14.3 years of schooling compared to 13.6 years for males. 7 8
• In 2010, females were 56.9% of all enrolled tertiary students.9 10

• 90.2% of adult females aged 15 and above are literate,11 compared to 89.8% of men.12

Labor Force

• In 2010, 59.4% of women participated in the labor force, compared to men’s participation rate of 81.0%.13 14
• In 2007, women were 58.6% of all professional workers.15
• In 2011, 11% of adult women were unemployed, compared to just 5% of adult men.16
• In 2007, women were 8.8% of all seats in national parliaments.17
• Of the over 17 weeks of maternity leave women in Brazil receive, 100% of it is paid.18

Women in Management

• Women occupy 4.5% of all board director seats.19

• In 2007, women were 36.1% of all legislators, senior officials, and managers.20
  • This percentage was 0.9% lower in 2006, where women were 35.2% of all legislators, senior officials, and managers21
• Brazil elected their first woman president in October 2010, Dilma Rousseff.22
• Brazil is ranked 117th in terms of women’s representation in Parliaments, out of 189 countries.23
  • Women’s representation is just 8.6% of those in the lower Parliament,24  and
  • Women represent just 16.0% of the upper Parliament.25

Color and Race and Brazil

• Brazil contains many diverse minority groups including:
  • Afro-Brazilians (African descendents)26
  • Japanese27

Global Gender Gap Ranking

• Brazil was ranked 82nd in The Global Gender Gap Index.28
• The male-to-female ratio for wage equality for similar work is just 51%.29

* Note: These are the terms provided by the Brazilian government in relation to color or race.

How to cite this product: Catalyst. Catalyst Quick Take: Women in the Labor Force in Brazil. New York: Catalyst, 2012.

• 1. UN, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, "Population by Sex," Detailed Indicators.
• 2. UN, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, "Population Sex Ratio," Detailed Indicators.
• 3. UN, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, "Total Fertility," Detailed Indicators.
• 4. UN, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, "Median Age+," Detailed Indicators.
• 5. The Global Gender Gap Index is measured by the World Economic Forum. It ranks 135 countries on the size of their gender gap between women in men in four areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, political empowerment, and health and survival. Ricardo Hasmann, Larua D. Tyson, and Saadia Zahidi, The Global Gender Gap Report 2011 (2011).
• 6. The Global Gender Gap Index is measured by the World Economic Forum. It ranks 135 countries on the size of their gender gap between women in men in four areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, political empowerment, and health and survival. Ricardo Hasmann, Larua D. Tyson, and Saadia Zahidi, The Global Gender Gap Report 2011 (2011).
• 7. World DataBank, "Expected years of schooling, female" Gender Statistics (2011).
• 8. World DataBank, "Expected years of schooling, male" Gender Statistics (2011).
• 9. World DataBank, "Enrolment Total Tertiary, Public and Private, Full and Part-time, Female," Education Statistics (2011).
• 10. World DataBank, "Enrolment Total Tertiary, Public and Private, Full and Part-time, Total," Education Statistics (2011).
• 11. World DataBank, "Literacy Rate, Adult Female (% of females ages 15 and above)," Gender Statistics (2012).
• 12. World DataBank, "Literacy Rate, Adult Male (% of males ages 15 and above)," Gender Statistics (2012).
• 13. World DataBank, "Labor Force Participation Rate, Female (% of Female Population Ages 15-64)," Gender Statistics (2011).
• 14. World DataBank, "Labor Force Participation Rate, Male (% of Male Population Ages 15-64)," Gender Statistics (2011).
• 15. ILO, "Table 1D: Economically Active Population - Economically Active Population, By Occupation and Status in Employment (Thousands)," Laborsta (2011).
• 16. The Global Gender Gap Index is measured by the World Economic Forum. It ranks 134 countries on the size of their gender gap between women in men in four areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, political empowerment, and health and survival. World Economic Forum, Global Gender Gap Report (2010).
• 17. World DataBank, "Proportion of Seats Held by Women in National Parliaments (%)," Gender Statistics (2012).
• 18. World DataBank, "Maternal Leave Benefits (% of Wages Paid in Covered Period," Gender Statistics (2011).
• 19. Kimberly Gladman and Michelle Lamb, GMI Ratings’ 2012 Women on Boards Survey (GMI Ratings, 2012).
• 20. ILO, "Table 1D: Economically Active Population - Economically Active Population, By Occupation and Status in Employment (Thousands)," Laborsta (2011).
• 21. World DataBank, "Female Legislators, Senior Officials, and Managers (% of Total)," Gender Statistics (2012).
• 22. Brasil.gov.br, "Presidencia da Republica" (2011).
• 23. InterParlimentary Union, "Women in National Parliaments" (June 30, 2012).
• 24. InterParlimentary Union, "Women in National Parliaments" (June 30, 2012).
• 25. InterParlimentary Union, "Women in National Parliaments" (June 30, 2012).
• 26. Minority Rights Group International, "Brazil Overview."
• 27. Minority Rights Group International, "Brazil Overview."
• 28. The Global Gender Gap Index is measured by the World Economic Forum. It ranks 135 countries on the size of their gender gap between women in men in four areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, political empowerment, and health and survival. Ricardo Hasmann, Larua D. Tyson, and Saadia Zahidi, The Global Gender Gap Report 2011 (2011).
• 29. The Global Gender Gap Index is measured by the World Economic Forum. It ranks 135 countries on the size of their gender gap between women in men in four areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, political empowerment, and health and survival. Ricardo Hasmann, Larua D. Tyson, and Saadia Zahidi, The Global Gender Gap Report 2011 (2011).