Women's movements and the State in Portugal: a State feminism approach

Abstract

This paper aims to contribute towards a better understanding of the dynamics of women's movements and their relations with institutions, political parties and the official mechanisms used to promote gender equality. It is the outcome of the first study on State feminism in Portugal. Our research was carried out using a case study which focused on the main gender equality official mechanism and its networks, which required a qualitative approach. We concluded that currently, while the Portuguese State is confronted with its persistent inability to implement gender equality policies, the present situation of Portuguese women's movements is that of redefining and adjusting to the major challenge of reinvention and resignification within a very difficult external environment.

A crise do tripartismo europeu: o caso da igualdade de gênero na concertação social em Portugal

“…Em terceiro lugar, se a influência do quadro normativo europeu (e de "mulhercratas" -Zartaloudis, 2015) parece fundamental para as políticas nacionais de igualdade de gênero, o nosso estudo mostra que essa influência também se faz nos escassos conteúdos sobre igualdade de gênero nos pactos sociais. Portugal fez progressos legislativos notáveis no que respeita à igualdade de gênero no mercado de trabalho (Monteiro & Ferreira, 2016), mesmo se a implementação de políticas públicas pela igualdade de gênero não tem acompanhado a elevada participação das mulheres portuguesas no mercado de trabalho (Távora & Rubery, 2013). Ora, esses progressos legislativos estão associados à necessidade de transpor Diretivas europeias.…”

Feminism and Counter-Trafficking: Exploring the Transformative Potential of Contemporary Feminism in Portugal

“…Even in the years immediately following the so-called 'Carnation Revolution' of 1974, and despite the expanded opportunities for mobilisation that accompanied it, the cultural and political context remained substantially closed to demands associated with feminism and autonomous women's movements (Tavares, 2000(Tavares, , 2011. In an era of intense party-political disputes, one of its main protagonists, the revolutionary Left, viewed feminism as a destabilising and divisive bourgeois movement and subordinated gender-specific demands to class demands (Melo, 2016;Monteiro and Ferreira, 2016). As a result, demands pertaining to sexuality, reproductive rights, and the end of patriarchy were met with particular resistance (Melo, 2016).…”

“…In the context of the transition to democracy there was also the strategic choice of women's movements to opt for a cooperative relationship with the state, as well as with some political parties (Monteiro and Ferreira, 2016). In particular, women's movements pragmatically sought to find a space for mobilisation and access to political power within one of the state sectors in the process of modernisation: the current Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality (CIG).…”

Caught in the wave

“…Serra-Silva 2020). The legacy of the crisis was one of increased gender violence and inequality, but the new center-left coalition government seemed to favor more gender-friendly policies and programs (Monteiro and Ferreira 2016). 4 Another political development that could infl uence the reception of the #MeeToo movement, is the resurgence of nationalism and populism throughout Europe.…”