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... men in France or Finland. Another major cause of death for Brazilian women between the ages of 15 - 49 is the AIDS virus. The majority of women infected are married and contract the disease from their husband.
Between the years of 1994 and 1998, the number of women with the disease grew nine times more than men (Blaney, 2004). Black women face greater ostracism from their communities for testing HIV positive than white women. The black Brazilian population is affected the most by the AIDS epidemic because they are the least educated and the poorest of Brazilian ethnic groups. Black women are the most vulnerable of all, because of the ''feminization'' and ''pauper ization'' of HIV, and the stereotypical ''black identity imposed by the predominant 'white' way of thinking, '' according to which blacks are considered more sensual and seen to have superior sexual attributes (Osava, 2004). Nearly half of black Brazilian women are illiterate. No more than one in ten goes beyond the fourth year of primary education; and only 1 % attends university (War on Want, 2004).
Foundation Person Abram has released statistics that indicate a woman is beaten every 15 seconds and 43 % of Brazilian women suffer domestic violence. This violence is also an indirect cause of Brazils high maternal mortality rate (Blaney, 2004). These women are usually abused by men they know and many of them go unpunished. There are 47 houses to protect women who have been victims of domestic violence (Blaney, 2004) and 250 womens police stations in the country. These police stations are in place to aide in the reporting, investigation, and prosecution of cases of domestic violence and rape, these stations are largely staffed by women police officers who have been specially trained.
Earlier, police had rarely investigated incidents of violence against women and treated victims with indifference (Nelson, 1996; Thomas, 1991). 100, 000 women and children are subject to sexual exploitation commercially in Brazil, according to UNICEF (2000), men are usually the exploiters and the majority are businessmen, lawyers, politicians, police and employees of the judicial branch of the government. 68 percent of these men are Brazilian. The women and children are taken through Manaus to Venezuela, through Suriname to Holland, or through Argentina to Spain. Some remain in Brazil and are moved around the country so they are not found. High levels of unemployment and absence of economic and financial perspectives for women has increased prostitution and trafficking of the Brazilian women. The Federative Republic of Brazil is the largest country in South America. Brazil covers 8, 511, 965 sq km and shares borders with every South American countries except Chile and Ecuador.
Approximately 182 million people live in the only Portuguese speaking country in the western hemisphere. The population is divided into five regions: North 5. 9 percent; Southeast 43. 5 percent; Northeast 28. 5 percent; Central West 6. 8 percent; South 15. 05 percent (FAO, ). Life expectancy is 71. 13 for the total population and the infant mortality rate is 31. 74 deaths for every 1, 000 live births. The total fertility ratio was estimated at 2. 01 at the end of 2003.
The literacy rate is 86. 4 percent. 80 percent of the population is Catholic. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is $ 7, 600 (US Dollars) per capita (CIA, Dec, 2003). The GDP regional contribution is as follows: Southeast 59. 4 %; South 17 percent; Northeast 13. 8 %; Central West 5. 3 percent; North 4. 3 % (FAO). By economic trends, Brazil is a second world country, but it has the health situation of a third world country. (CIA, Dec, 2003). Brazilian womans rights have grown greater than those of Saudi Arabia.
Only 50 percent of the female Saudi Arabian population is literate. Women are allowed to complete all forms of schooling including university, but cannot take subjects such as engineering, journalism and architecture. Whereas Brazil has many feminist groups, Saudi Arabia has no known womens right group. Saudi women can be arrested for not coming out in the proper dress as dictated by their Muslim religion. Women who are physically abused are not afforded the right to have the police or government address this common problem. They are not allowed access to medical treatment without the consent of a male relative.
Saudi men can prevent any wife or unmarried female relative from exiting the country. Women have no property rights because anything they own is controlled by the male guardian in their life, be it father, brother, uncle or husband. In the United States, 97 percent of the female population is literate. Women have access to all forms of birth control, through public and private health. Many states have passed legislation that authorizes insurance coverage for contraception. Several of these laws also require insurance coverage for other women's health services like mammograms, hormone replacement therapy or bone density screenings.
These laws reduce women's out-of-pocket costs and increase access to health services. Women are allowed access to legal abortions, though many of these have stipulations (Reproductive Rights, 2004). Women have property rights and a greater amount of economic opportunities than many countries. Women can marry and divorce as they choose. There are homes to protect woman who have been victimized in relationships or by family members. Though women in the United States have all these opportunities, many cannot take advantage due to the enormous social inequality that is prevalent throughout the country.
Brazilian women face a great deal of inequality but in the past few decades, have a seen a great improvement not afforded to many countries. Reasons for the great inequality lay in the machismo of the dominant society, men. Brazilian women who are white have better opportunities than black Brazilian and indigenous women. I believe that many of the problems facing Brazil will take time to correct.
Women, especially the black and indigenous population, will have to be shown in a better light. The government will have to play a part in making sure that legislature passed is equal among all the citizens of Brazil. More opportunities need to open up in the urban sector of commerce and better educational preparation for work will have to be provided. The rural North and Northeast population have to get proper sewage and housing to help control many of the water-born diseases that plague them. If there is effort put into making sure that Brazilian women can live a life comparable to that of their male counterparts, many problems facing them can be eradicated. References Amnesty International. (2003).
Saudi Arabia: end secrecy end suffering- Women. Date retrieved 28 January, 2004. web Blaney, Joanne. (February, 2004). Womens Blues in Brazil. Date retrieved 8 March, 2004. web id = 280 Central Intelligence Agency. (December, 2003).
Brazil. Date retrieved 2 February, 2004. web CFEMEA. Guia dos direitos da mulher. 2 d ed. Brasilia: CFEMEA, 1996. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Women, migrations, environment and rural development policy in Brazil. Date retrieved 28 January, 2004. web Nelson, Sara. Constructing and Negotiating Gender in Womens Police Stations in Brazil. Latin American perspectives 23: 1 (Winter 1996) Osava, Maria. (2002) Health Rights: Black, Poor, Female, and HIV-positive in Brazil. Date retrieved 28 January 2004.
web Pan American Health Organization. (1999). Brazil: Basic Country Health Profiles, Summaries 1999. Date retrieved 28 January, 2004. web Reproductive Rights. (1997). Brazil. Date retrieved 19 March, 2004.
web lac brazil. html Thomas, Dorothy. Criminal Justice: Violence against Women in Brazil. New York; Human Rights Watch, 1991
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