Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

Eighty-eighth session

Summary record of the 2076th meeting

Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, on Thursday, 23 May 2024, at 3 p.m.

Chair:Ms. Peláez Narváez

Contents

Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention (continued)

Combined eighth and ninth periodic reports of Brazil (continued)

The meeting was called to order at 3 p.m.

Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 18 of the Convention (continued)

Combined eighth and ninth periodic reports of Brazil (CEDAW/C/BRA/8-9; CEDAW/C/BRA/QPR/8-9) (continued)

At the invitation of the Chair, the delegation of Brazil joined the meeting.

Articles 7–9

Ms. Akia said that, in the light of reports that stateless, refugee and migrant women faced discrimination in obtaining access to administrative procedures, she reiterated her earlier request for an explanation of what the Government was doing to eliminate such discrimination.

Articles 10–14

A representative of Brazil, responding to questions raised at the previous meeting, said the Government made study grants available so that girls could continue their studies and organized activities to increase their participation in technology, computing, mathematics and science. The Ministry of Education took steps to keep children, particularly adolescents, in the classroom. For example, under the Pé-de-Meia educational support programme, it provided monthly and annual financial incentives for students between the ages of 11 and 16 to remain in school and to complete their secondary education. The Government was working to increase the availability of school meals, which also provided another incentive to attend school.

Regarding female domestic workers, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry for Women were implementing the Thousand Women (Mulheres Mil) Programme with the aim of achieving the educational, social and labour inclusion of vulnerable women of all ages. The Government had established a partnership with the National Federation of Domestic Workers to invest in the education and inclusion of domestic workers and to provide them with opportunities for study. The Government recognized the need to adapt adult education, which mainly took the form of evening classes, to the reality of women’s lives. For example, women with childcare responsibilities might be unable to attend evening classes. The Ministry for Women and the Ministry of Education were engaged in discussions regarding a new adult education strategy.

It had been 20 years since Brazil had adopted a law on racial equality in schools. The Government worked with teachers to promote racial equality and to combat bullying, transphobia, homophobia and misogyny. Following an attack on a daycare centre in 2023 in which three children had been killed, the Government had set up a working group on violence in schools, which had published its findings and had identified online hatred and misogyny as a particular problem. The Ministry of Education was implementing a strategy to address violence in schools, in which it accorded priority to combating misogyny and bullying. The Government promoted a culture of respect and inclusion.

A representative of Brazil said that, through Act No. 10.639 of 2003, the Government had introduced the compulsory teaching of Afro-Brazilian history and culture in primary and secondary schools. In 2008, the requirement had been extended to include the study of Indigenous history and culture. However, the Government had encountered challenges in implementing the law, especially in terms of teacher training.

A representative of Brazil said that, in March 2023, a bill on equal pay had been submitted to the National Congress and Act No. 14.611, the Equal Pay Act, had been adopted less than 90 days later. The Act introduced a requirement for companies with more than 100 employees to publish a transparency report that detailed, among other things, the salaries they paid to different categories of employees. A working group, composed of representatives of ministries, business confederations and trade union federations, had been set up and had published a national pay transparency report based on the information gathered from companies. According to the report, 32.6 per cent of companies had established incentives to hire women; 38.3 per cent had policies for women’s promotion to executive and managerial positions; and 17.7 per cent had policies on extended maternity and paternity leave. In general, women earned 19.4 per cent less than men – a wage gap that widened to 25.2 per cent at the executive and managerial level.

The second national pay transparency report was due to be published in October 2024. It was possible that the data received in the first report, and the process as a whole, would be evaluated in March 2025. Companies found to be non-compliant with the provisions of the Equal Pay Act were notified and given 90 days to justify their practices. They were also required to submit a gender equality plan to the Government, so that it could analyse the situation and follow up. Inspections were conducted in order to detect unlawful practices and impose fines where appropriate. As the Act only concerned companies with more than 100 employees, the Government was considering the steps to be taken with regard to smaller businesses.

In March 2024, a week before the publication of the national pay transparency report, the National Confederation of Industry and the National Confederation of Commerce, Goods, Services and Tourism had instituted proceedings before the Federal Supreme Court to challenge the constitutionality of the Equal Pay Act. In addition, more than 300 companies had taken legal action to contest the requirement to disclose data on pay. Unfortunately, most of them had won their cases. The Government took the view that the struggle for equal pay was a struggle for civilization; it would therefore engage with the public and would reaffirm and defend the principle of wage equality, including in the courts.

The Ministry for Women and the Ministry of Racial Equality were also implementing the Gender and Race Pro-Equity Programme, which included measures to benefit Indigenous and Quilombola women. One proposed measure related to the participation of Indigenous and Quilombola women in family farming and the purchase of their products by municipal and state governments. Various ministries were considering how to improve the lives of marginalized black women, including domestic workers and women living below the poverty line.

Ms. Gbedemah said that she was curious to know whether women’s success in higher education meant that men were being left behind and whether that could cause problems for women. She would be grateful for information on some of the issues she had raised during the previous meeting, including access to education for women with disabilities and the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on disparities in education. She would also welcome information on the sexuality education curriculum and measures to counter the conservative influences that had shaped the landscape on reproductive health issues.

Ms. Eghobamien-Mshelia said that she wished to draw the delegation’s attention to the knowledge hub on the Convention – a model that the Committee had piloted and which might help the Government in holding other sectors accountable for the use of resources.

Ms. Tisheva said that she would appreciate information regarding the State party’s laws on sexual harassment and violence against women in the workplace, including whether such laws functioned effectively and whether women who experienced harassment and violence were able to obtain remedies. She wondered what progress the State party had made in ratifying the International Labour Organization (ILO) Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190). She would be grateful if the delegation could clarify the length of maternity leave and indicate whether certain types of employers could offer an extended period of maternity leave beyond the legally required minimum, which she understood to be 120 days. She would be interested to know whether the Government planned to introduce shared parental leave, or to extend paternity leave, which was currently set at five days. Lastly, she wondered whether the State party had a specific policy for the employment of women from vulnerable groups.

The Chair said that the Committee would appreciate a response to Ms. Akia’s earlier question on whether the State party intended to ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Their Families.

A representative of Brazil said that the National Congress had begun to consider and debate the ratification of the ILO Violence and Harassment Convention; however, obstacles had been encountered during that process. The Government would spare no effort to secure ratification of the Convention, although a vote might not take place until the subsequent term of the National Congress. Ratification of the Migrant Workers’ Convention would also be challenging. Large numbers of Haitian and Venezuelan migrants had arrived in the country in recent years, and there was considerable prejudice against and discriminatory treatment of migrants. The Government had to consider the best way forward and weigh the risks involved in seeking to ratify the Convention.

Men continued to pursue higher education but no longer accounted for the majority of students. The current gender balance reflected the success of the Family Allowance (Bolsa Família) Programme and other initiatives through which resources had been redistributed to the less privileged. The introduction of a quota system for black men and women had transformed the country’s universities. Unfortunately, there were those who refused to accept that the daughter of a black domestic worker could go to university. The Government was working to strengthen programmes that promoted equality, which had been weakened between 2016 and 2022.

One of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic had been that women who previously had used the Internet little, including teachers, had been required to learn how to use digital tools in order to perform their jobs. The Government recognized the importance of Internet access and was working to provide training in computer skills.

In respect of sexuality education, it should be understood that Brazil was a divided country in which a segment of the population was under the sway of disinformation. Teachers had been reported for discussing issues such as women’s rights and racism in the classroom. The country’s previously strong track record on immunization had been undermined, and the Government was having to contend with the consequences of the spread of denialism and anti-scientific views. Those consequences could be observed during vaccination campaigns, with the authorities having to implore parents to get their children vaccinated. They were also being felt in schools, through the influence that parents exerted over their children. The Ministry of Education and the Ministry for Women were jointly considering the question of how health-related topics should be taught in schools.

The Government had made significant progress in the fight against sexual harassment. The number of complaints had increased, and most ministries had designated focal points or working groups responsible for addressing the problem. Moreover, the Office of the Advocate General had adopted an internal regulation for the federal public administration, which provided that the punishment for sexual harassment was immediate dismissal. There had already been two dismissals on the grounds of harassment. However, less progress had been made in addressing the problem in the private sector.

Fathers were entitled to five days of paternity leave. A feminist branch in the National Congress was promoting the adoption of a draft law on parental leave but the issue required further debate. The Government had launched a national debate on the sharing of parental responsibilities that encompassed childcare and paternity leave. It was crucial to ensure that fathers duly used their paternity leave to engage in childcare activities. While the adoption of the draft law was a priority for the National Congress, it was important first to reduce the degree of vertical segregation and ensure that there were no “male” and “female” jobs.

Ms. Stott Despoja said that the implementation of a 2022 decree providing low‑income women and girls with free menstrual products had been a welcome development. She wondered whether the provision of free products remained restricted to low-income groups or had been extended to include other women. Some 17,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer annually in the State party and, in most cases, the cancer was detected at a later stage. She would be grateful to know about any policies in place to further encourage prevention and early detection, and to address the social stigma and taboo associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) and gynaecological conditions that might deter women from using the relevant health services. Considering data showing higher mean rates of mortality from cervical cancer among black and Indigenous women and statements from representatives of Indigenous communities that gynaecological care from female practitioners would be the only option accepted by women in their communities, she would be interested to know the ratio of men and women among registered gynaecologists and obstetricians in the State party, and to learn about programmes in place to support women in entering and working in those professions. The delegation might provide information about initiatives in place to uphold the right of Indigenous women and girls to accessible, affordable and culturally appropriate health care and to ensure that traditional health systems were recognized. Noting that the debate in the Supreme Court on whether to decriminalize abortion had been postponed indefinitely in September 2023, she would be grateful if the delegation would clarify when the Supreme Court would resume its consideration of that matter. The State party’s maternal mortality rate, while low compared to the world average, was high compared to countries where abortion was available on request, including in neighbouring Argentina and Uruguay. She wished to know whether the State party planned to develop policies to expand access to legal abortion. In addition, the delegation might provide detailed information about any programmes in place aimed at ensuring that Indigenous women and girls received comprehensive education on the sexual and reproductive health services available and had affordable access to those services, including abortion and contraception. Lastly, she wished to refer the State party to general recommendation No. 24 (1999) on women and health for use as a tool in interpreting its obligations under article 12 of the Convention when implementing the Committee’s recommendations.

Ms. de Silwa de Alwis said that one way in which the State party might address the issues of climate justice and women and peace and security would be to combine the two in a new national action plan on women and peace and security. As the home and custodian of the Amazon rainforest, which, scientists warned, was approaching a critical tipping point that would have irreversible consequences for the planet, and given that current efforts in Brazil to protect the Amazon were being led by Marina Silva, a woman born in the Amazon and serving as Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, the State party had a major contribution to make in advancing the women and peace and security agenda, especially in relation to climate justice.

A representative of Brazil said that vulnerable women remained the focus of the programme supplying free menstrual hygiene products. One of the programme’s objectives was to counter the phenomenon whereby women and girls did not attend school while menstruating because they did not have the products necessary for menstrual dignity. The programme would be expanded to ensure that health centres, pharmacies and schools had stocks of sanitary products available. The Ministry of Health was coordinating action to improve the availability and accessibility of cervical screening and accelerate the delivery of screening results. In addition, both girls and boys were now vaccinated against HPV. As part of efforts to address higher mortality rates among black and Indigenous women, the Government had supported the More Doctors (Mais Médicos) Programme, which enabled new doctors to be employed around the country, including in remote areas. The aim was to ensure that doctors were available where they were needed. The issue of traditional health systems was an important one and the Government had already made progress. Notably, plant therapy practised in many Indigenous communities was accredited under the national health system. In addition, a new programme promoting women’s reproductive health would soon be launched. The programme would focus on persons at risk of discrimination in cities and those in rural areas where access to health services was often lacking. It would include access to contraception, vaccinations against HPV and, importantly, the provision of information about contraception, vaccinations and other health matters. It was worth noting that women comprised 60 per cent of the doctors under the More Doctors (Mais Médicos) Programme.

Abortion had been an issue of intense focus in the previous two years. The definition of legal abortion still in force in Brazil was that contained in the 1940 Criminal Code. That was a problem. Clinics providing legal abortions to victims of sexual violence were ineffectual as, in practice, the presence of members of the press and representatives of anti-abortion non-governmental organizations at such clinics deterred victims from using their services. Another challenge was the persecution in São Paulo of medical personnel for providing consultations and legal abortions to victims of sexual violence. The previous Government had resisted discussion of abortion, contraception, and other matters relating to women’s sexual and reproductive rights, but many Government agencies were now engaging with those issues. It was, however, not yet clear when the Supreme Court would resume its consideration of the case relating to the decriminalization of abortion. The Government was endeavouring to effect the changes necessary to improve the maternal mortality rate in Brazil, which was shamefully high. The health service must take into account all aspects of women’s health and cases of obstetric violence must be addressed.

As to climate justice, Marina Silva was a great leader but in general women continued to be on the periphery of decision-making on national and international policy on climate justice and economic development. A more inclusive debate was needed where women, especially Indigenous and rural women, were recognized as the primary defenders of the environment and their work caring for the environment, even down to tending a garden, was valued and recognized as a contribution to the economy. It was on that basis that public policy should be developed worldwide. Lastly, women and peace and security was a matter of crucial importance. Various ministries were engaged in discussions on a new plan for peace and security that would be launched in 2025.

Ms. Stott Despoja said that she was grateful for the delegation’s acknowledgement that the issue of abortion was problematic in the State party. She wondered whether there were any plans in place to decriminalize abortion or otherwise make it available in most circumstances. She also wondered whether the State party might draw on the experience of other countries in establishing buffer zones around abortion clinics to protect the women using their services. She welcomed the roll-out of HPV vaccinations for both boys and girls and would be interested to know whether the State party would consider extending the upper limit of the age range for administration of the vaccine from 14 years to 26 years of age.

Ms. Bethel, noting that data released by the Ministry for Women showed that caregiving work represented a significant burden for women, who, in 2022, spent on average almost double the number of weekly hours on household and caregiving when compared to men, said that she would be grateful to learn about any evidence-based public policy in the State party on integrated systems in the care economy. She wondered whether the State party might consider adopting transformative fiscal policies and strategies to recognize, reduce and redistribute the burden of care work on women by improving access to affordable services for childcare and care for older persons and also by improving women’s access to quality public services, including health, education, transport, water, housing and energy, particularly in rural areas. She would like to know what measures were in place to conduct ex ante and ex post assessments of the gender and intersectional impact of tax reforms and to make those assessments publicly available; whether the State party would consider public policy and legislation on reparative taxes for Afrodescendent and Indigenous women to repair the historical and ongoing legacy of colonialism, slavery and dispossession; and whether the State party might consider appointing a gender focal point on tax reform to support public participation and help to track the various inputs and outcomes. Following the recognition by the Minister for Women of climate justice as an urgent global concern and the pivotal role to be played by women in its advancement, how could the State party foster an intersectional and feminist approach that would advance climate justice for all women, including Indigenous and Afrodescendent women, women with disabilities and all structurally disadvantaged groups? The delegation might outline the measures taken – financial and otherwise – to sustain efforts led by women, including Quilombola women, riverside dwellers and fisherwomen, who had invaluable strategic solutions to various aspects of the climate crisis. She wondered to what extent the Government had recognized the value of traditional knowledge of Indigenous and rural women in developing resilience and finding sustainable environmental and developmental solutions. Lastly, she would welcome information about the measures in place to protect and preserve the knowledge and practices of Indigenous women and communities relating to medicine and biodiversity conservation techniques, and about measures to ensure that women benefited equally from decent jobs in the green economy in Brazil.

Ms. Reddock said that she wished to know what mechanisms existed in the State party to ensure the systematic inclusion of Indigenous and Quilombola women in policymaking and decision-making on infrastructure projects and environmental planning that directly affected their lives, their communities and environmental sustainability. Noting that complaints of gender-based violence by Indigenous women were often dismissed as internal cultural matters to be addressed locally, she called on the State party to ensure access to support services and the judicial system for those women, such as through local women’s centres, mobile courts and the availability of information and workshops in local languages. The rejection by the Supreme Court of the “temporal framework” doctrine marked the culmination of years of work and, if that action had been echoed by the National Congress, the limitations on land title claims by those who had occupied lands prior to 5 October 1988 would have been removed, thereby strengthening federal commitments to protecting and demarcating lands occupied by ancestral communities. The decision by the National Congress not to reject the doctrine was therefore a major disappointment. She would be grateful for information about how the State party intended to correct that state of affairs, given the importance of the change to both ancestral rights and climate change mitigation. She would also be grateful for information about the progress of the Permanent National Forum for Dialogue on the Promotion of Strategies to Strengthen Public Policies for Quilombola Women, which had been introduced by the Ministry for Women.

A representative of Brazil said that the Government was in the process of designing the new national policy on care. The Ministry for Women, the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship and the Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, Family and the Fight against Hunger were gathering information on experiences in other countries with the aim of ensuring that the new policy reflected international best practices. Although the Government would consider making cash transfers to mothers, it was aware that it needed to put in place a more rounded strategy on care support. In that regard, it was committed to taking the necessary measures to promote the establishment of support systems at the state and community levels to reduce the care burden on women. It should also be noted that the new policy would need to address the needs not just of women but of other sectors of the population such as persons with disabilities, older persons and children.

The Government was also working on a new round of tax reforms. It was committed to including women in the decision-making process to ensure that the measures taken were as effective as possible in addressing their needs. Under recent changes, some women were now provided with menstrual hygiene products free of charge and the Government wished to implement measures that would benefit all women in Brazil.

The Ministry of Racial Equality was responsible for establishing reparations for the discrimination suffered by Quilombola and Afrodescendent women. The Government was committed to recognizing the diversity of the country and ensuring the preservation of traditional knowledge and customs. Sadly, systemic racism and segregation were deeply entrenched in Brazilian society and people who practised Afro-Brazilian religions were subject to persecution on a daily basis. The primary aim of the Government was therefore to address the prejudice directed towards all Afrodescendent and Indigenous persons.

A representative of Brazil said that the Government was in the process of designing plans for the territorial and environmental management of Indigenous lands in consultation with Indigenous Peoples. The main aims of the plans included strengthening the material and immaterial heritage of Indigenous Peoples and facilitating the recovery, conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. The policies would also include measures designed specifically to address issues related to climate change. At the same time, the Government continued to make progress with the demarcation of Indigenous lands in order to recognize the land rights of Indigenous Peoples and protect biodiversity, traditional knowledge and genetic resources, three elements of Indigenous life in which women played a particularly prominent role. Under the project, 482 Indigenous lands had already been demarcated and regularized. The Government also provided mediation services to resolve land disputes, which often affected Indigenous women. Elsewhere, 341 female Indigenous leaders were receiving protection under a programme put in place by the Ministry of Human Rights for human rights defenders, environmental defenders and journalists.

A representative of Brazil said that the Government was seeking support from the international community to help it renew its quota laws. The implementation of the Higher Education Quota Act had resulted in the increased participation of Afrodescendent and Quilombola persons in education. However, that progress had not led to a significant increase in their participation in the labour market, as had been hoped.

An interministerial working group had been formed to oversee the implementation of a national policy on the territorial and environmental management of Quilombola lands, and guidelines on the policy had been set out in Decree No. 11.786 of 20 November 2023. Unfortunately, progress with implementation of the policy was proving slower than expected, and further efforts would be needed to guarantee Quilombola communities the land rights owed to them within acceptable time frames. The guidelines also provided for strengthening the participation of Quilombola women and children in land management matters and increasing the productive activities of Quilombola women.

Establishing a national system of reparations would require a coordinated inter-institutional effort involving the Federal Government and state administrations. The concept of reparations must be considered in its broadest sense, encompassing affirmative action, the right to truth, justice, memory and non-repetition, and access to public policies. The Government would need to establish relevant indicators and take the necessary action to ensure that its goals on reparation were achieved. Many important policies were already being implemented, but further resources were required to monitor their impact.

A representative of Brazil said that Quilombola women had expressed their desire to engage with both the Ministry for Women and the Ministry of Racial Equality on issues related to the discrimination and prejudice that they faced. As a result, the Ministry for Women had established the Permanent National Forum for Dialogue on the Promotion of Strategies to Strengthen Public Policies for Quilombola Women as a new forum for discussion where it could assess the impact of its policies and ensure that Quilombola women participated in all decisions that affected them. It had also set up similar forums for women living in rural areas and forest and water regions, and for fisherwomen.

The protection that women human rights defenders received from the Ministry of Human Rights was extremely valuable. In recent years, women human rights defenders had been almost systematically subjected to gender-based political violence in the form of persecution, threats, physical violence and even killings. That was totally unacceptable, and their inclusion in the Ministry’s programme reflected the Government’s commitment to ensuring that they could carry out their important work without fear of reprisals.

A representative of Brazil said that the Government also needed to address carefully the situation of mothers who were victims of institutional violence, since they played a major role in defending human rights.

Ms. Reddock said that she would also be interested to know what prevention and treatment programmes for substance abuse and addiction were available for low-income, rural, urban, Indigenous and Afrodescendent women. She would also like to know whether the State party had made any plans to include Afrodescendent women and communities in decision-making processes by holding consultations on the security issues they faced, particularly as a result of the so-called war on drugs. In view of the increasing number of women and children living in extreme poverty, including significant numbers of black women, she wished to know whether the Government would consider commissioning the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics to conduct a national survey on homeless persons with an intersectional approach. The delegation might also like to indicate whether the State party would consider putting in place a truth and reconciliation process to address human rights violations perpetrated during and since the period of military rule and as a result of the legacy of systemic and structural racism.

Articles 15 and 16

Ms. González Ferrer said that she wished to know what steps the State party was taking to revise its Civil Code to abolish all exceptions to the minimum age of marriage and to combat early de facto unions; what steps were being taken to raise awareness of the negative implications of child marriage for girls, to study its causes and consequences, and to develop a plan to abolish that practice; and how many girls under the age of 18 were currently married or living in de facto unions. The Committee would also welcome further information on the bills before the National Congress aimed at allowing an emancipated minor to enter into a marriage or de facto union without parental authorization and at harmonizing the rules applying to de facto unions and marriages.

She would like to know what training and capacity-building activities on the Parental Alienation Act had been put in place for members of the judiciary, given that application of that Act was resulting in discriminatory decisions based on sexist stereotypes and prejudices. It would also be useful to know whether the State party had considered amending or repealing the Act. Lastly, the Committee would welcome updated information on the measures being taken to guarantee the effective implementation of legislation addressing violence against women in the family setting.

A representative of Brazil said that, according to law, the minimum age of marriage was 18 years. However, that legislation was not always implemented in practice. For example, earlier in the year, the Superior Court of Justice had absolved a 20-year-old man of the crime of rape for having impregnated a 12-year-old girl whom he had later married. The Government fully recognized that early marriages took place. However, given the size of the country, the powers held by autonomous judicial institutions and the continued influence of outdated attitudes towards gender, eliminating such practices was easier said than done.

The Parental Alienation Act was opposed by a number of national institutions including the Ministry for Women, the National Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents and the National Council of Human Rights. It would therefore be necessary to hold a national debate on the Act, after which the Government must decide whether to repeal it and pass a new law prohibiting the sexist stereotypes and prejudices on which the Act was based. That process must also take into consideration how any new law would be implemented in practice. The challenges that had been experienced with the Maria da Penha Law had unfortunately demonstrated that it was one thing to pass a law but quite another to ensure that it was fully enforced.

The National Council of Justice, the Federal Prosecution Service and the Federal Public Defender Service had all developed their own training on gender-related issues, generally in collaboration with either the Ministry for Women or other women’s organizations. However, the impact of that training was unknown. To her mind, a programme of permanent, ongoing training should be introduced for employees in every branch of government in order to raise awareness of their responsibilities as civil servants. Furthermore, those failing to fulfil their obligations needed to be held accountable for their actions.

Ms. González Ferrer said that she was pleased to hear that national debates would be held on the harmful practice of early marriage and on the Parental Alienation Act. She nonetheless wished to know whether any clear strategy or guidelines had been established in that regard and whether a time frame had been set for the debates.

A representative of Brazil said that, although the Ministry for Women recognized that there was an urgent need to hold debates on early marriage and the Parental Alienation Act, no time frame had been set for that process. Matters of such importance could not be resolved internally and, in order to bring about legislative change, consultations must first be organized with all stakeholders, including civil society and the judiciary.

The Government was fully aware of the size of the task that lay before it and, over the following four years, would spare no effort towards eliminating hatred against women and achieving gender equality.

The meeting rose at 5.10 p.m.