Healthy Women,

Healthy Economies:
A Look at Brazil
 Source: Shutterstock.com

Acknowledgements:
This report was written by Sarah B. Barnes and Elizabeth Wang (Maternal Health Initiative, Wilson
Center) through the generous support of EMD Serono, the biopharmaceutical business of Merck
KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in the US and Canada. A special thank you to Mayra Barreto from
Merck S.A., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany for her time
and participation in the Q&A portion of this report.
HEALTHY WOMEN,
HEALTHY ECONOMIES:
A LOOK AT BRAZIL

Wo m e n ’s e c o n o m i c Globally, women face barriers to entering,

empowerment is essential to gender advancing in, and remaining in the workforce.
equality. The gender gap in the global workforce continues
to undermine progress on Sustainable Development Goal 8, 59 countries do not have any legislation
which promotes full and productive employment and decent on sexual harassment in the workplace.
work for all.1 Access to safe, paid employment opportunities
allows women to increase agency and decision-making at Women bear both the individual and
all levels, from the household to international institutions.2 family burden of NCDs.
Economically empowered women also exercise increased
control over resources, as well as their own time, lives, and Unmet need for family planning is
bodies, which aids in their overall health and well-being. projected to remain above 10 percent
between now and 2030.
Female labor force participation (FLFP) benefits everyone.
If women participated in paid work at the same level as
75 percent of global unpaid care work
men, the annual global GDP would increase by $28 trillion
is done by women.
USD by 2025.3 Companies with greater gender equality
and more women in top leadership positions demonstrate
stronger financial performance and innovation.4 Increased
It will take 217 years until women
FLFP also improves productivity, economic diversification
and income equality in economies.
$ have equal pay and representation in
the workplace.

Yet 865 million women worldwide are not reaching

Sources: UN Women, McKinsey Global Intitute, World Economic Forum.
their potential to contribute more fully to their national
economies.5 Globally, women face obstacles to entering,
advancing in, and remaining in the workforce as a result of
gender discrimination, harassment, and a lack of supportive,
gender-sensitive policies. Many of these barriers are related
to women’s health and well-being, which are essential to Healthy Women, Healthy
progress in female labor force participation. Economies
Women experience a range of health issues that affect their
Healthy Women, Healthy Economies (HWHE) was
ability to engage in the workforce. Women are more at risk
conceived under the auspices of the Asia-Pacific Economic
of certain non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including
Cooperation (APEC) with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt,
mental health issues, as well as chronic occupational
Germany as the private sector founder. The initiative aims to
injuries and illness. At the same time, women also face
identify and implement policies that advance women’s health
decreased access to quality healthcare due to various
and well-being to support their economic participation.7
structural, social, cultural, and financial factors. Barriers to
The HWHE Policy Toolkit compiles and summarizes global
comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information
good practices for governments, companies, and NGOs to
and care, including family planning services, make it difficult
include and retain women in the workforce.
for women to maintain their own health and advance in
their careers. The toolkit identifies five key issues to address
when pursuing this goal:
Workplaces that lack gender-sensitive policies can often
create a hostile environment for women. Domestic violence,
sexual harassment, and inadequate reporting mechanisms 1. Workplace Health and Safety
lower productivity and increase absenteeism.6 Lack of 2. Health Access and Awareness
paid leave and flexible work schedules greatly complicate 3. Sexual and Reproductive Health
work/life balance for women and mothers, who bear 4. Gender-Based Violence
a disproportionate burden of caregiving and domestic 5. Work/Life Balance
responsibilities in the family. Heavy involvement in the
unpaid and informal work sectors also prevents women
from achieving economic empowerment.

Where has the toolkit been implemented?

Source: APEC/USAID
Each section includes key recommendations for creating
supportive, productive environments for working women. To
The Landscape of Health in
date, aspects of the toolkit’s recommendations have been
implemented by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt Germany through
BRAZIL
HWHE programs in the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan,
In Brazil...
Jordan, Japan, Peru, Spain, Australia, and Brazil. Programs
and initiatives aligned with the toolkit’s principles have also
served as case studies for HWHE in various countries.
~207 Million
citizens have universal
access to healthcare

The Case of Brazil 90%

of the population uses
As one of a few countries in the world to have a universal, the National Health System
free public healthcare system, Brazil is unique. After in some way
two decades of military dictatorship, social and political
reform guided the establishment of free healthcare as a
constitutional right that should be provided to all citizens,
regardless of income. The Unified Health System, or
8.3% of the GDP was spent
on healthcare in 2014 $
Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), provides care to over
70 percent of the population and is responsible for 98 Between 2005 and 2017
percent of all administered vaccinations in Brazil.8,9 Beyond life expectancy increased from
preventative, primary care, the SUS also provides free 72.0 to 75.5
services such as HIV medication and weight loss surgery.10

Since the establishment of the SUS, Brazil has made many

notable public health gains. Life expectancy increased from
WOMEN IN BRAZIL
72.0 in 2005 to 75.5 in 2016 and is continuing to rise.11
Brazil also achieved Millennium Development Goal 4 by MMR of 44 per
reducing the under-five mortality rate from 58.0 deaths per 100,000 live births
53.1% of females
1,000 births in 1990 to 15.6 per 1,000 births in 2011.12
ages 15+
participate in the
Despite these achievements, major inequalities exist
labor force
across the large, diverse nation. Although over 90 percent
One of the
of Brazilians use the SUS in some way, it is still seen as highest
a low quality last resort intended for those who cannot c-section rates
afford private healthcare. In fact, private health spending in the world
remained stable from 1995 to 2009 and still accounts for
Women spend an
over half of Brazil’s health expenditures.13 A large majority
average of 22.7
of the country lacks access to private healthcare and faces Women earn
hours a week on
quality issues, such as provider shortages and excessive 23% less
domestic work
than men
waiting times at public health facilities.
Data from WHO, World Bank, Yale Global Health Review,
Human Rights Watch
A specific area where Brazil falls short is women’s health.
In 2015, Brazil’s maternal mortality rate (MMR) was 44 per Q&A with Mayra Barreto
100,000 live births, and efforts to reduce maternal mortality
lag behind neighboring countries. MMRs in Brazil are Sarah Barnes: What laws or policies are currently
also five to ten times higher than countries of comparable in place to protect working women and mothers?
economic status. Two of the greatest challenges are the Are there policies in place that support men’s role in
high prevalence of cesarean section (c-section) and unsafe caring for their family?
abortions. Brazil has one of the highest rates of c-sections
in the world, with almost 50 percent of deliveries occurring Mayra Barreto: In relation to working women in Brazil,
by this method. In comparison, the WHO caps the rate of protection has been growing over the years with the
medically necessary c-sections in any population at 15 evolution of society. The first national legislation on the
percent, due to the numerous life-threatening complications subject was actually developed in 1923 and it guaranteed
that accompany them.14 women rest for 30 days before and 30 days after childbirth.
These measures are seen today as restrictions on women’s
Brazil also has strict anti-abortion laws that only allow
access to work, rather than protection, and by 1943, new
abortions in certain cases of rape, fetal abnormality, or
labor laws added protections for women in the workforce.
life-threatening pregnancy. Nevertheless, more than one
The 1988 Constitution, which is currently in effect, deals
million illegal abortions occur annually in Brazil, which
specifically with women in the workforce. The Constitution
translates to one in four pregnancies being terminated.
includes provisions on maternity leave and work stability
Illegal abortions also accounted for the majority of the
for pregnant women. And it bans differences in wages
205,000 hospitalizations that were due to abortion-related
and hiring on the basis of sex. Since 1988, legislation
complications in 2015.15 As of October 2018, the Supreme
on job protections have continued to evolve to prohibit
Court was considering allowing elective abortions up to
discrimination in hiring, promotion, etc. based on sex, race,
12 weeks of pregnancy. The government’s strong shift to
age, family status, and state of pregnancy.
the right after the 2018 elections suggests that the courts
remain the best chance for progress on this issue. The current legislation, however, is not enough to
guarantee equality between men and women in the
Brazil is the sixth largest pharmaceutical market in the
Brazilian labor market. Research presented by the
world in terms of sales revenue. The pharmaceutical
Locomotive Institute in 2018 showed that there are still
industry has benefitted from the high level of healthcare
large wage differences between men and women. For
spending, increasing household income, as well as the aging
example, if we consider the profile of a white man over
population. From 2007 to 2011, retail drug sales increased
40 years of age with a college degree and a woman
by 82.2 percent.16 As healthcare continues to improve in
with the same characteristics, the women receives 24
Brazil, the pharmaceutical industry will accompany it.
percent less in wages and a black woman of the same
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, the private partner of the age and training receives 63 percent less.
Healthy Women, Healthy Economies initiative and toolkit,
Policies in Brazil have also not overcome the lack of
has a strong presence in Brazil through Merck S.A., Rio de
childcare options and caregiving burdens placed on women.
Janeiro, Brazil. In order to learn more about how the HWHE
Eighteen percent of women in a 2018 survey cited lack of
toolkit has been implemented internally and externally, we
childcare as their main reason for not returning to the labor
interviewed Mayra Barreto, a senior institutional relations
force after having a child. In addition to paid work, caregiving
analyst at Merck S.A., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
responsibilities create further barriers for women hoping
to return to the labor force. In Brazil, women devote an
average of 92 hours per week taking care of the home and SB: How has the Healthy Women, Healthy Economies
other tasks, while their male counterparts report spending toolkit been implemented internally at Merck S.A.,
47 hours per week on the same tasks. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil an affiliate of Merck KGaA,
Darmstadt, Germany? What have been some of the
SB: What are the current priorities in Brazil when
results?
protecting women in the workplace? How does the
current political climate influence progress in this area? MB: Our internal implementation of the toolkit focused on
gender equality and leadership. At the start, in March 2017,
MB: At the National Congress, 77 proposals are currently
women comprised 30 percent of our internal leadership.
being drafted with the theme, “protection of women’s work.”
Currently, women hold 43 percent of our leadership
Since January, eight bills have been presented. The main
positions. We worked internally on strategies focused on
themes addressed by parliamentarians are the equality of
retention of skilled female workers to make this happen.
remuneration between men and women in Brazil, labor
We have been developing a mentoring program for women
rights for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and benefits
who are already in leadership roles to support and mentor
for working mothers who are responsible for the family’s
other women who have similar aspirations. We also use the
livelihood. Most of the projects presented demonstrate
toolkit throughout our external relations activities, when we
that these are the most urgent issues on the subject and
speak at events, and when we want to give examples of
underpin the importance of equal pay and the retention
how the toolkit can be implemented to other like-minded
of women at work.
organizations.
Also at the National Congress, 151 projects are currently
Internally, our teams have focused great attention on two
being drafted under the theme “protection of women.” Since
pillars from the HWHE toolkit: workplace health and safety
January, three propositions have been presented and are
and work/life balance.
under review: women’s safety in bars, restaurants, and
concert halls; safety for pregnant or nursing employees; and
In support of workplace health and safety, Merck
an extended period of employment security for pregnant
S.A., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, an affiliate of Merck
and postpartum employees. Currently, pregnant women
KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has:
have job security from the moment of pregnancy realization
up through five months postpartum. This proposition would 1. developed policies around sexual harassment
extend this protection beyond the five months. and assault to keep employees safe, including
providing employees with steps to take to report
Brazil still has much to do to support working women. The
an issue and giving employees a direct line to the
current president, Jair Bolsonarao, formed a predominantly
company’s compliance officer.
male ministry, with only 2 out of 22 ministers being women.
2. determined if areas where women are working
In the Senate, only 12 out of 81 senators are women,
are indeed a safe environment for their health and
which makes it difficult to create policies, but the number
well-being. For example, we produce a particular
of proposals targeting women’s economic empowerment
product that has hormones that have been proven
and moving toward the equality outlined in the Brazilian
to be unsafe for women to work around due to a
Constitution are positive steps.
possible side effect of infertility. Women are re-
stricted from working in areas with this hormone.
3. conducted trainings on unconscious bias, gender
parity, and the pay gap with leadership and staff.
 company that is taking care of women´s health and having
In support of work/life balance, Merck S.A., Rio the toolkit connected us to the important issues around
de Janeiro, Brazil, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, breast cancer.
Darmstadt, Germany has implemented:
We have focused attention externally on the health
1. flexible work hours, telecommuting options, and access and awareness pillar. We have done a great deal
two-hour early release on Fridays during the of work in female cancers, particularly to bring light to
spring and summer months. the severity and high incidence of colorectal cancer in
2. competitive leave policies, such as paid sick leave, women. In Brazil, colorectal cancers are the second most
vacation leave, and family leave. For new parents, commonly diagnosed cancer for women, but people don’t
Merck S.A., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, an affiliate of know about it. We found women only knew about breast
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany has opted into cancer and did not know signs or symptoms of colorectal
a benefit plan through Brazil’s National Institute cancer, so we worked to increase awareness first and then
of Social Security (INSS) where women can have we connected women with organizations and treatment
paid maternity leave for up to 6 months and men facilities to increase access. Historically, colorectal cancer
have paid paternity leave for up to 20 days. was not included in policies related to women’s health. The
toolkit has helped us influence policies and add colorectal
SB: How has the Healthy Women, Healthy Economies cancer to the national discussion. We were instrumental in
toolkit been implemented outside your organization? the work to include colorectal cancer at the National Policy
What are some of the results from this implementation? for Comprehensive Health Care for Women that historically
only recognized breast and cervical cancer. If approved by
MB: The HWHE toolkit is a mechanism we use to help
the Senate, our Brazilian public health system (SUS) would
develop and strengthen education and awareness of
include comprehensive informational and educational work
particular diseases, as well as access to healthcare services
on prevention, detection, treatment, and post-treatment of
and treatments for the general public, including more
colorectal cancer.
marginalized populations.

For us, the toolkit has provided a great opportunity to

develop women-centered initiatives, start engagements with
some stakeholders we hadn’t collaborated with prior, and
broaden our impact. For example, we currently engage with
patient groups that advocate for breast cancer research,
education, and treatment. We don´t have any products
for this type of cancer, but at the end of the day, we are a
Endnotes
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work and economic growth. Retrieved from http://www.undp. health in Brazil: What are the ethical priorities and how are they
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goal-8-decent-work-and-economic-growth.html#targets publications/articles_papers_reports/0236

2. UN Women. (2018). Facts and figures: Economic empowerment. 11. The World Bank. (n.d.). Life expectancy at birth (years). Retrieved
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economic-empowerment/facts-and-figures IN?locations=BR

3. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. (n.d.). Healthy Women, Healthy 12. Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. (n.d.). Fact sheet: The MDGs in
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5. International Monetary Fund. (2013). Women, work, and the The Yale Global Health Review. Retrieved from https://
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6. United States Agency for International Development. (2015). 15. Leal, M.D.C., Szwarcwald, C.L., Almeida, P.V.B., Aquino, E.M.L., Barreto,
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systems reaches out to the poor. Retrieved from https://www.who.
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