City Council

WOMEN IN THE COUNCIL
SãoCityPaulo
Council
A history of achievements
Women
T he path of
in the São Paulo Cit y Council
Since the Colonial Period, women from São
Paulo have been known for their courage and
struggle to be a part of the political system. In
the 17th Century, they were responsible for taking
care of families and even handling business activities while their husbands ventured in expeditions throughout the country, searching for gold
and gemstones.
However, women only joined national and local politics after Decree No. 21.076, from February 24, 1932, known as the Temporary Electoral
Code. This decree covered federal, state and municipal elections throughout the country. Among
its novelties, the most prominent was the right
to vote for all literate Brazilian citizens above the
age of 21, including women, who were previously not allowed to vote. Therefore, even though
there still were certain restrictions, women could
exert their citizenship rights.
On May 3, 1933, elections for National Constituent Assembly were held, which would rule on
the wording of a new Constitution. Among representatives chosen by São Paulo, was Carlota
Pereira de Queirós, the very first woman to occupy a seat in National Parliament.
After the enactment of the Constitution, in 1934,
feminine voting restrictions were lifted, although
voting was still only mandatory for men. During
the 1936 municipal elections, no woman was
elected for the São Paulo City Council. After the
enactment of the Constitution in 1946, voting
became mandatory for women as well.
After 45 town counselors in São Paulo were
elected for the 1st Legislature, in 1948, the Superior Electoral Court revoked the Social Labor
Party’s subscription, invalidating votes received
by the party’s candidates. This prevented Elisa
Kaufmann and Maria Cartazzi from being elected. During the 2nd Legislature, in 1952, Anna
Lamberga Zeglio (PSP) was elected. Dulce Sales
Cunha Braga (UDN) was assigned as substitute
of Estanislau Rubens do Amaral and later took
over the position.
As of the following legislature, women’s part in
politics progressively increased. In 1955, Helena
Iraci Junqueira (PDC), Matilde de Carvalho (PSP)
and Anna Lamberga Zeglio (PSP) were elected in
the 3rd Legislature.
In the 4th Legislature, in 1960, Dulce Sales Cunha
Braga (UDN), Ruth Guimarães (PSD), Anna
Lamberga Zeglio (PSP – substitute, replaced
William Salem) and Helena Iraci Junqueira
(PDC – substitute, replaced several counselors
throughout the legislature) were elected. In
1964, Anna Lamberga Zeglio (PTB) and Dulce
Sales Cunha Braga (UDN) were elected in the
5th Legislature.
During the first legislatures, female town counselors were essential in protecting the interests
of underprivileged São Paulo citizens, actively
engaging in debates regarding welfare, public
health and hygiene, education, culture, agriculture, industry and commerce.
Through Institutional Act No. 2, from October 27,
1965, the two-party system was implemented in
Brazil. Political parties were eliminated and Supplementary Act No. 4 established the conditions
for the creation of the two parties: National Renewal Alliance (Arena) and Brazilian Democratic
Movement (MDB).
On December 13, 1968, City Councils were severely hindered. Institutional Act No. 5 (major
decree issued by the military dictatorship in
the years following the 1964 coup d’état in Brazil. This act came as a response to earlier events
conducted by the opposing population and also
consolidated the ambitions of a group inside
the military, known as the “hardline”, unwilling
to give the power back to civilians) suspended
constitutional rights and granted to the president of the Republic powers to intervene in municipalities, prompt the recess of Councils and
revoke town counselors’ rights and obligations.
Institutional Act No. 7, from February 26, 1969,
suspended elections for positions in the city’s
Executive and Legislative powers.
Constitutional Amendment No. 1, from October 17,
1969, established a maximum of 21 town counselors
for Councils. Theodosina Ribeiro, the first black female
town counselor of São Paulo, member of the MDB party, the opposing party to the military dictatorship, was
elected in the 6th Legislature.
During the 1972 elections, Arena had 14 town counselors
on the Council, while only 7 MDB candidates were elected. No woman was elected in the 7th Legislature, in 1973.
The MDB party was victorious in the 1976 elections, obtaining majority in the City Council, totaling 14 counselors. Women regained representation at the time, when
Nodeci Nogueira (MDB) was elected in the 8th Legislature.
During the military dictatorship, the few women who were
able to occupy town counselor seats continued to dedicate
themselves to issues involving children, public health, basic education, welfare, culture, commerce and agriculture.
These women also started to address issues regarding the
city’s civil servants, as well as public services and works.
In the 9th Legislature, in 1983, with a total of 33 seats
available, five female counselors were elected, all members of the opposing parties actively engaged in social
CURIOUS FACTS
» Counselor Ruth Guimarães was the first woman to occupy a seat in the Legislative Steering Committee, in 1961,
as 3rd Secretary;
» Some female town counselors left their seats in order to
occupy state legislator positions: Dulce Sales Cunha Braga,
on March 11, 1961; Theodosina Ribeiro, on March 15, 1971;
Nodeci Nogueira, on March 14, 1979; Luíza Erundina, on
March 15, 1987; and Ana Martins and Havanir Nimtz, on
March 15, 2003.
» Three female town counselors occupied positions in the
municipal Executive power as secretaries: Tereza Lajolo,
Department of Transportation, in 1989; Aldaíza Sposati, in Social Welfare, between 2002 and 2004; and Mara
Gabrilli, as a special secretary of the Individuals with Deficiencies and Mobility department, between 2005 and
2007, when she assumed her position as town counselor.
» Two female town counselors were elected as state legislators: Zulaiê Cobra and Luiza Erundina.
» Dulce Sales Cunha Braga was the first female senator of
the state of São Paulo, in 1982.
» Luiza Erundina, in addition to being the only female
elected to municipal, state and federal parliaments, also
occupied the Department of Administration in 1993, during Itamar Franco’s presidency, and was the first female
mayor of São Paulo, in 1988.
and feminist movements: Ida Maria (PMDB – substitute,
replaced several town counselors), Irede Cardoso (PT),
Tereza Lajolo (PT), Terezinha Martins (PT – substitute,
replaced several town counselors) and Luíza Erundina
(PT). The latter was the first female mayor of São Paulo.
In the 10th Legislature, in 1989, under the Federal Constitution of October 5, 1988, the São Paulo City Council
held a total of 53 counselors, six of which were women:
Irede Cardoso (PT), Lídia Correa (PMDB), Tereza Lajolo
(PT), Terezinha Martins (PT – substitute, replaced Eduardo Suplicy), Tita Dias (PT) and Ida Maria (PMDB – substitute, replaced several town counselors).
In the 11th Legislature, São Paulo had just exceeded the
mark of five million residents, and the number of town
counselors was increased to 55, six of which were women. In 1992, Aldaíza Sposati (PT), Ana Martins (PC do B),
Lídia Correa (PMDB), Tereza Lajolo (PT), Zulaiê Cobra Ribeiro (PSDB) and Ana Maria Quadros (PSDB – substitute,
replaced Paulo Kobayashi) were elected.
In 1995, Law No. 9.100 established that political parties
were required to assign a minimum quota of 20% exclusively for female candidates. In 1997, Law No. 9.504
was enacted, altering the percentage to 30%, at least,
for each gender.
In the 12th Legislature, in 1997, eight female counselors
were elected: Aldaíza Sposati (PT), Ana Maria Quadros
(PSDB), Ana Martins (PC do B), Lídia Correa (PMDB), Maeli
Vergniano (PDT), Maria Helena Fontes (PL), Myryam Athiê
(PPB – substitute, replaced Hanna Gharib) and Thereza
Lajolo (PT – substitute, replaced Vicente Cândido).
In 2001, during the 13th Legislature, nine female counselors
were elected: Aldaíza Sposati (PT), Ana Martins (PC do B),
Havanir Nimtz (PRONA), Claudete Alves (PT – substitute, replaced José Mentor), Flavia Pereira (PT – substitute, replaced
Devanir Ribeiro), Lucila Pizani Gonçalves (PT), Myryam
Athiê (PPS), Tita Dias (PT – substitute, replaced Ítalo Cardoso)
and Zélia Lopes (PT – substitute, replaced José Américo).
In the 14th Legislature, eight female counselors were
elected: Claudete Alves (PT), Lenice Lemos (DEM), Marta
Costa (DEM), Myryam Athiê (PDT), Noemi Nonato (PSB),
Soninha (PT/PPS), Mara Gabrilli (PSDB – substitute, replaced Ricardo Montoro), and Vitória Nogueira (PFL –
substitute, replaced Ushitaro Kamia).
In 2008, female counselors Juliana Cardoso (PT), Mara
Gabrilli (PSDB), Marta Costa (DEM), Noemi Nonato (PSB),
and Sandra Tadeu (DEM), besides the substitutes Heida
Li and Edir Sales, were elected in the 15th Legislature.
Female Town Counselors in the São Paulo City Council
Aldaíza Sposati
Ana Maria Quadros
Ana Martins
Anna Lamberga Zeglio
Claudete Alves
Dulce Sales Cunha Braga
Edir Sales
Flavia Pereira
Havanir Nimtz
Heida Li
Helena Junqueira
Ida Maria
Irede Cardoso
Juliana Cardoso
Lenice Lemos
Lídia Correa
Lucila Pizani Gonçalves
Luíza Erundina
Maeli Vergniano
Mara Gabrilli
Maria Helena Fontes
Marta Costa
Matilde de Carvalho
Myryam Athiê
Nodeci Nogueira
Noemi Nonato
Ruth Guimarães
Sandra Tadeu
Soninha
Tereza Lajolo
Terezinha Martins
Theodosina Ribeiro
Tita Dias
Vitória Nogueira
Zélia Lopes
Zulaiê Cobra Ribeiro
Since women began to take part in São Paulo City Council, important laws have been
enacted, serving as role-models for the rest of the country, such as:
LAW Nº 10.012/85
LAW Nº 6.934/66
LAW Nº 11.310/92
Ida Maria
Anna Lamberga Zeglio
Forbids the installation of street markets
on busy streets.
LAW Nº 11.317/92
Addresses issues regarding reserved
seats for pregnant women, women
carrying babies or children, elderly and
physically-disabled individuals in public
transportation vehicles.
LAW Nº 11.617/94
Tereza Lajolo
Authorizes City Hall to impose
restrictions on vehicle circulation in
downtown São Paulo.
LAW Nº 12.821/99
Zulaiê Cobra Ribeiro
Allows consumers access to kitchens and
other facilities of restaurants, hotels and
similar establishments in São Paulo.
Irede Cardoso
Prohibits tests of any nature to diagnose
pregnancy, as well as statements
evidencing sterilization, within job
selection processes.
LAW Nº 11.995/96
Aldaíza Sposati
Prohibits any form of discrimination
in elevators of all public or private
commercial, industrial or residential
buildings located in the city of São Paulo.
LAW Nº 12.935/99
Maria Helena Fontes
Addresses mandatory adoption of
ramp access for physically-disabled
individuals using wheel-chairs in banking
establishments with rotating doors.
Lídia Correa
Establishes the Child Supplementary
Nutrition Program in the
city of São Paulo.
LAW Nº 13.193/01
Ana Martins
Implements the “Women – Health and
Rights” program in São Paulo
LAW Nº 13.210/01
LAW Nº 13.208/01
Havanir Nimtz
Myryam Athiê
Establishment of the “Plastic Reconstructive
Breast Surgery Program”.
Establishes mandatory implementation of
the “Specific Education Program against
Smoking, Alcohol and Drug Use” in all public
primary schools in the city of São Paulo.
LAW Nº 13.786/04
LAW Nº 13.785/04
LAW Nº 13.707/04
Claudete Alves
Addresses the November 20th municipal
Black Awareness Day holiday.
LAW Nº 14.011/05
Lucila Pizani Gonçalves
Flavia Pereira
Noemi Nonato
Addresses guaranteed nutritional education
to underprivileged population and
nutritional monitoring of pregnant women,
children under the age of 6 and elderly.
Addresses the implementation of
educational campaigns regarding violence
against women.
Establishes specific driving courses
mandatory for school transportation
professionals.
LAW Nº 14.481/07
LAW Nº 14.439/07
Soninha
Addresses recycling and the use of
recycled materials within the city’s public
administration activities.
LAW Nº 14.433/08
Lenice Lemos
Marta Costa
Addresses special elderly parking spots in
public and private parking lots located in
the city of São Paulo.
Addresses the inclusion of a theme regarding
ethical awareness and civil responsibility in
educational activities.
LAW Nº 14.966/09
LAW Nº 14.671/08
Mara Gabrilli
Establishes the Municipal Rehabilitation
Program for Individuals with Physical
and Hearing Disabilities.
Juliana Cardoso
Establishes guidelines, named Kangaroo
Mother Program, to be followed by
hospitals and maternities within the São
Paulo public health network, regarding
special newborn treatment.
LAW Nº 15.000/09
Sandra Tadeu
Guarantees special placement of food
products recommended for individuals
with diabetes.
THIS DOCUMENT WAS CREATED BY:
Centro de Comunicação Institucional - CCI
Secretaria de Documentação - SGP.3
Palácio Anchieta - Viaduto Jacareí, 100 - Bela Vista - São Paulo
CEP 01319-900 - Telefone: (11) 3396-4000 - www.camara.sp.gov.br
March/2010