‘Women are practically integrated into society’, says Bolsonaro

After vetoing the project that provided for free distribution of sanitary pads, President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) decided to implement the measure.

The announcement was made at a ceremony at the Planalto Palace on Tuesday (8), in honor of International Women’s Day. The measure comes amid an attempt by the chief executive to reduce his rejection of women, in the year he will seek reelection.

“Nowadays, women are practically integrated into society. We help them, we are always by their side, we can no longer live without them,” said the president in a speech at the event.

The decree provides for R$ 130 million from the Ministry of Health’s budget, and should cover 3.6 million women, according to Minister Marcelo Queiroga and the Secretary of Primary Care, Raphael Câmara, told journalists. The full text has not yet been released.

In October last year, Bolsonaro vetoed a proposal approved by Congress, claiming that it had no source of funding or compensatory measure, which would violate the Fiscal Responsibility Law.

On the occasion, all articles of the Menstrual Health Protection and Promotion Program that provided for the free availability of the hygiene product, its main focus, were vetoed.

“This is a public policy that must be carried out by the Executive Branch,” Queiroga told reporters. “I believe that Congress should not overturn that veto, because what we did was improve the legislative process,” he added.

The National Congress will analyze the president’s vetoes next Thursday (10).

Queiroga says the project was expanded.

In terms of resources, the estimated fiscal impact, according to calculations by the authors of the bill, was R$ 84.5 million per year. The government budget is about R$40 million higher.

On the other hand, parliamentarians expected to benefit around 5.6 million women. Meanwhile, the scope of the federal government’s program excludes about 2 million people.

The bill envisaged as beneficiaries of the program low-income students enrolled in public schools; women living on the streets or in situations of extreme social vulnerability; women apprehended and prisoners; and women hospitalized in units to comply with socio-educational measures.

According to the secretary of health, women on the streets will be covered, women fulfilling socio-educational measures, from 12 to 21 years old; students enrolled in schools agreed with the Saúde na Escola program, with only more than 50% of the students belonging to beneficiary families of the Auxílio Brasil program between the ages of nine and 24.

As for the homeless population, in only two capitals, São Paulo and Curitiba, in addition to the Federal District, menstrual hygiene items are widely distributed.

This means that the supply of sanitary pads is not restricted to social assistance units. In these places, there is also provision through the social approach teams and the Consultório na Rua program (in the case of the Federal District and São Paulo).

The other capitals, as Folha showed, only carry out distribution in reception centers or do not even have policies related to the theme. There are still three capitals, Boa Vista, Natal and Porto Velho, which have an approved project, but which is not yet in effect.

Last year, Bolsonaro called the project he vetoed “Aid Modess”, a brand of feminine sanitary napkin, and said he would extend the proposal, without giving details.

“We’re going to turn around and we’re going to extend the ‘Modess aid’ —is that right, ‘Modess aid’, absorbent?— to everyone,” he said on Thursday (14), referring to what he would do if the Congress overrides its veto.

In a tone of irony, the president said at the time that he was “hoping” for parliamentarians to override his veto. If that happens, Bolsonaro continued, he would find resources to fund the program in the areas of Health and Education.

“I will give the solution in the case: it is only for Parliament to override the veto that I am then obliged to enact [o projeto] later. And then we’ll find resources in the Ministry of Health or in Education; or both, or take a little bit from each place”, declared the president, during his weekly live on social networks.

The government’s announcement on Tuesday that it will distribute tampons came during an event with a host of other measures for women, such as credit for female entrepreneurs.

Most of the authorities wore a pink T-shirt with the slogan “Brazil for them, for them, with them”. Behind the stage where the authorities were, the same words on a panel with the same colors.

In his speech, Bolsonaro remembered his mother, Dona Olinda, who died in January of this year, was moved, and praised women entrepreneurs.

To the audience, who gave a standing ovation, the president was introduced by First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro as “the most pink president in the world”.

as showed the sheet, the president’s surroundings want to include the first lady more in the campaign as a way to reduce the president’s rejection of the female audience. In more than one moment, they kissed during the ceremony.

Earlier, the president attended the raising of the flag in honor of women, with Michelle in attendance as well. The wives of ministers, secretaries, ambassadors and employees participated.

In addition to them, at the time of the event, women journalists and supporters were invited to accompany the ceremony and then participate in a breakfast at Palácio da Alvorada.