Without peace and freedom, nothing can be done. Maria Stella de Azevedo Santos (1925) is a spiritual leader in the Ilê Axé Opô Afonjá terreiroplace where the rituals and cults are carried outof Candomblé, in the city of Salvador. For the last 30 years, Mother Stella has occupied the position of Ialorixá, which is a […]
I am a fighter. It is in my blood, in my way of life. Maria Amélia de Almeida Teles (1945) is a human rights activist. During her whole life she has been fighting against the many facets of violence: from the State, gender-based or of any other kind. For 11 years, she has been coordinating […]
Peace will only be achieved if we prepare people to be Citizens of the World, responsible for a true and effective democracy, for Justice. Human rights are, for Margarida Genevois (1923), just like air. The lack of them is suffocating. During the brutal military regime in Brazil, she hid political prisoners, helped several of them […]
I am a popular communicator; a woman who enjoys rendering services. Mara Régia di Perna (1952) is one of the pioneers of radio communication produced for women of popular social classes. She is the creator of many programs that educate, mobilize and entertain. One of them is Natureza Viva (Live Nature), which reaches the immensity […]
Peace does not come easily. It becomes a reality when we build social justice. Luiza Erundina de Souza (1934) is one of the female symbols of Brazil’s recent political history. She started with the fights of popular classes, became town councilor, mayor, representative and senator. She was one of the founders of the Partido dos […]
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was written over half a century ago and we still see a lot of inhumanity. Most of us are not aware of the right to preserve our dignity. Lenira Maria de Carvalho (1932), in her childhood, had to take care of children instead of playing with dolls. Just like […]
Fraternity between women was fundamental for the creation of the feminist movement in Brazil. That is why I believe that, after 30 years, the movement is still strong. Leila Linhares Barsted (1945) was studying law when she started her left-wing political militancy. She defended political prisoners that were victims of the military dictatorship in the […]
I worked non-stop to free Brazilians of Aids. Lair Guerra de Macedo (1943), infectologist and university professor, architected the National STD/Aids Program of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. In 1986, she began the work of her life with only a tiny office and one secretary. She faced the resistance of the State’s and the Pharmaceutical […]
Peace will only become a reality when everyone realizes the potential contained in our differences. Jurema Batista (1947) carried out three mandates as town councilor (Labor Party). Her electoral base is in Morro do Andaraí, Rio, where she was raised. She is a Brazilian Literature professor, and her first activity was teaching needy children. She […]
Peace, to us indigenous people, is living with dignity, quietly, with our families, in our community, in our land, free of threats, invasions, destruction, persecutions and death. Joênia Batista de Carvalho (1974) is part of the Wapicharas, an indigenous ethnic group. She was born in Roraima, a Brazilian state, where indigenous rights still face great […]
