In the Federation's campaign for the expansion of women's rights, among their greatest achievements were the
universal female vote - won in 1932 - and access to education.
Women's University Union Founded on 13 January 1929 by the Federation, its objective was to coordinate the efforts of women who had graduated or were enrolled in higher education in order to promote collaboration among them so that together they would defend their interests in the professions, develop the intellectuality of women in Brazil and contribute to the progress of women in the country. The University Union helped women who entered higher education to overcome barriers imposed by society. The group's actions stood out in law, engineering and science courses. Federation members of the Union included
Orminda Ribeiro Bastos (lawyer),
Herminia de Assis (doctor),
Myrthes de Campos (lawyer),
Maria Alexandrina Ferreira Chaves (lawyer), Juana Lopes (doctor),
Bertha Lutz (zoologist),
Heloisa Marinho (professor),
Carmen Portinho (civil engineer),
Maria Ramalho (lawyer),
Amélia Sapienza (civil engineer),
Nathercia da Cunha Silveira (lawyer) and
Emilia Snethlage (naturalist and
ornithologist).
Admission of girls to the Colégio Pedro II . Inaugurated in 1837, the traditional
Pedro II College was intended for the education of male students and was seen as a model for the country, as it offered a level of instruction that guaranteed access to higher education and surpassed other secondary schools. In 1883, Dr. Candido Barata Ribeiro requested the enrolment in the first year of his two daughters and Senator Pedro Leão Velloso authorised their admission to the school. Other girls also entered the school in that period. In 1885, there were 15 students enrolled, of whom only one was in her final year. However, at the end of that year the admission of girls was forbidden due to lack of budget for an inspector to accompany the pupils. In 1889, all the girls were transferred to other schools considered "suitable for girls." In 1922, during the First Conference for Women's Progress, in the Commission for Education and Instruction, the schooling of women was discussed. Bertha Lutz was one of those responsible for advocating the admission of girls to the Colégio Pedro II. She signed an indication that instructed the Conference to claim with the responsible authorities the admission of female students to secondary school. The Federation kept up the plea until, in 1926,
Yvonne Monteiro da Silva was the first female student to enter the Colégio Pedro II since 1889. Since that moment the number of girls who were able to access the education offered by the federal institution gradually grew.
Women's suffrage In 1922, during the First Conference for Women's Progress, one of the tables discussed women's suffrage. Participating in the discussion were the board of directors of the Federation and politicians in favour of women's suffrage, such as the vice-president of the Republic,
Estácio Coimbra and senators Lopes Gonçalves and Lauro Müller. The event created a commotion in the press and in civil society, however it was not enough to constitute a support group within the Legislative power. The first achievement was in 1927 when State Law No. 660 in
Rio Grande do Norte extinguished the gender distinction for voters, allowing women to vote and be elected, as long as they were literate and over 21 years old. Fifteen women were elected during municipal elections in 1928,
Alzira Soriano was elected mayor of
Lajes,
Júlia Alves Barbosa in
Natal and
Joana Cacilda de Bessa in
Pau dos Ferros were elected to the position of municipal intendent. Subsequently, the Electoral Court of the state annulled the women's votes, but the episode strengthened the suffragist movements throughout the country. On 24 February 1932, Decree No. 21.076 instituted, in Article 2, that every citizen over 21 years old was to be an elector, regardless of gender, finally approving women's suffrage.
Protection for mothers The Federation collaborated on the
1934 Constitution to institute a three-month
maternity leave, with the right to a full salary, and the preference for women to lead institutions for the assistance of mothers and children. Among the proposals advocated that did not enter the Constitution was the creation of the Ministry of Maternity, Childhood and Home and the recognition of
maternal rights. The organisation was also concerned with overseeing compliance with the rights secured by the country's new constitution. In 1936, it called for the creation of a Women's Statute. In the same year, Bertha took office as a federal deputy and was appointed president of the Special Congressional Commission for the Women's Statute, which aimed to regulate the constitutional provisions protecting mothers and children. The preliminary draft created by the Commission provided for the formation of the Women's Department, which would be in charge of issues related to women's work and social assistance to women, mothers and children. However, the Statute did not come into force due to the dissolution of Congress in 1937 with the institution of the
Estado Novo. ==Legacy==