Women's groups in slums
BRAZIL
It would be wrong, therefore, to say that this movement is an outgrowth of the feminist groups that existed in the past. There is no tradition, no memory of the autonomous five years take center stage movement that existed ago, even though the latter has exerted
The women's groups in the shantytowns arose entirely spontaneously in
THE FOLLOWING interview with Tatau Godinho was given to Jacqueline Heinen in Brussels in December 1985. It has been translated from an edited text in French. Godinho is a member of the Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) and an active feminist.
What is the position of working women in Brazil?
Over the last two decades, the proportion of working women has represent about 30 percent of the
The number of women working in agriculture has declined, paralleling the more general decline more women than men have been moving to the
The main thing to be highlighted is the entry of women en masse into industry, in particular those where women have not traditionally worked. In textiles and other industries, they continue to make up a major part of especially); their numbers have hardly in industry as a whole, they continue to fill the least skilled jobs.
But contrary to what we have seen employed in the services or administration, in Brazil, in particular in the more developed areas such as Sao Paulo, three out of four working in industry are employed in production. That involves a qualitative change in their position in the in view of the crisis that has been accelerating since the end of the phase of growth that Brazil number of women working in the has grown steadily (more than the number of men). In this sector, they are obliged to take little jobs corresto their traditional tasks in the family (cooking, sewing, etc.) in order to supplement the family
I don't think that a higher proportion of women than men have been although we lack precise data on that. But the fact remains that the crisis is hitting women in a different way, inasmuch as they are the ones who have to manage the family budget, who have to put food on the table every day. This explains
International Viewpoint 10 March 1986 the fact that a great many of them are neighborhoods in women's movement groups that are seeking ways of solving the day-to-day problems of feeding
Q. From what you have just said. it seems that the women's movement in Brazil has quite a different profile than the one we are familiar with in the developed countries?
Yes, it has to be said that the women's movement as it developed after 1975, with the formation of a myriad of feminist groups, is rather today. These disorganized, and a lot of them have disappeared. The feminist movenational coordinating body. There are still groups on the local level that have some sort of links with other, but nothing comparable to what existed at the end of the 1970s.
of mobilizing organizing very broad rallies and mass conferences that helped a great deal to make the woman question an important theme for the society as a whole. Today, many of those who have remained active are seeking new perspectives, the present dispersion and the difficulty of putting forward axes for unifying these forces becoming an obstacle to the growth of the movement.
The major development that are seeing today in Brazil is the emerwomen's groups in the, shantytowns, which in general for improving the mass movements in mously, as women's groups. It could not be said that they have a clear awareness of the problem of the specific oppression of women, that is normal, since they are made up proletarian housewives who are trying to solve the everyday problems facing them in the poor neighborhoods of the big most important of which in was the problem of milk. In view of women in shantytowns in four different regions got involved in a campaign to demand that the government distribute cheap milk in the most disadvantaged areas. These women's groups demanded that the government deliver the milk into their own hands, they wanted to take the responsibility for setting up a distribution system based on the organization of women themselves (nearly 7,000 women took part in this action). Where this proved possible, the campaign led to important organizational results, with the setting up of per manent women's groups
One of the limitations of this sort of inovement, however, is the lack of coordination. The nature of the demands raised means that women turn directly to the state, and when they get satisfaction, the structures set up during the campaigns generally
That works against continuity of the organizational forms created at specific moments. This is what has happened on many occasions to groups that mobilized, for example, because they have had no longer-term ceased to exist.
It should be stressed, however, that a mass campaign such as the one for milk was able to grow up only because groups existed before that had a project of using such a mobilization to give impetus to organizing a larger number of women, and they did not intend to confine themselves to a single theme. Such groups may be able in the future to serve springboard for developing permanent forms of organization among the most oppressed women.
What has been the reaction of the unions to the birth of the feminist and what are they doing today to defend the specific interests
The organization of women in the unions has lagged far behind what has been happening in people's movement. There was a wave
International Viewpoint 10 March 1986 of radicalization, under the influence of the feminist movement at the end of the 1970s, which was expressed in women's meetings and the creation of specific women's structures in the government that
But discussion did not get much further than what was a central question at the time - the problem of night work.
The government was trying to pass a law permitting nightshift work for women, and the unions
It established of the were against it. Several unions, in particular metal the
San
Bernardo
[a sub men-or meetings.
not help conferences. But in general or something exception five ha years there meetings of this type.
did have wished.
not lead to eithe
For two important organization as such.
to, question include was to spectives, for women's permanent a of the large work.
adopted.
"overalmost strike in 1985 never happened attitude.
The truth leaderships fused the place they deser their increasing num the Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT - the union publications to deal rather
Workers Party/ with regard to the with the problems of discrimination against women workers in radicalization and organization of
It was only in 1984 that the need
As I said, one of the essential for including demands of particular problems of women has been the absence of any kind of coordination concern to women and for envisaging among the various groups. This has women began to be discussed again.
both limited their ability to intervene
It should be stressed, however, that and been an obstacle to any per-
26 to its growth.
action projects.
whole the initiative.
missions be resolved.
In doubt that the advantaged layers no the role that