Brazil Ministers HWorldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Female Ministers of the Federal Republic of Brazil/ República Federativa do Brasil (Female suffrage 1932/34) From the 16th century a Portuguese colony, 1822 Independent Empire, 1889 Republic Military Dictatorship 1964-85

See also Brazil Heads of State and Brazil Parliament

1962-64 Secretary of Social Service Sandra Martins Cavalcanti de Albuquerque
Alderman of the Federal District 1959-60, member of the state assembly 1960-62 and 1974-78, Candidate to the National Senate 1978, candidate to the post of Governor of Rio de Janeiro 1985 and candidate for the post of mayor 1992 and Municipal Secretary of Special Projects
1993-1997. (b. 1927-).

1982-85 Minister of Education Esther De Figueiredo Ferraz
Director of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education and Culture 1966-67, Secretary of Education of São Paulo, de 1971-73, and lived (1915-2008).

1987-90 Secretary and Vice-Minister of Government Affairs (Maria) Zelia Frota Bregerra de Oliviera
(b. 1945-)

1987 Secretary and Vice-Minister of Welfare and Social Secretary Delie Guerra de Macedo
1988 Secretary and Vice-Minister of Agrarian Reform in Ministry of Agriculture

1986-90 Minister of Labour Dorothéa Fonesca Furquim Werneck
1990-93 Secretary of Economy in Ministry of Economy, Finance and Planning
1995-96 Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism
(b. 1955-)

1990-91 Minister of Finance and Economy Zélia Maria Cardoso de Mello
Her full name is Zélia Maria Cardoso de Mello de Oliveira Paula. (b. 1953-)

1990-92 Minister of Social Affairs Margarida Maria Maia Procopio
(b. 1939-)

1991-92 Secretary of Infra-Structure Simá Freitas de Medeiros

1991-? Secretary and Vice-Minister of Social Affairs Flora Lys Spolidora

1993 Minister of Communication Djalma Bastos de Morais
(b. 1937- )

1993-94 Minister of Transport and Tourism Magarida Coimbra do Nasciemento

1993-94 Minister of Social Affairs Leonor Barreto Franco

1993 Secretary of Planning and Coordinator in the Ministry of Finance and Economy
1993 Minister of Planning Yêda Rorato Grusius

1993 Secretary and Vice-Minister for The Federal Administration Luzia Erundia de Suza
Leader of Partido Trabalhadores and Mayor of São Paulo 1988-93 in 1996 she was again candidate for the Mayorship.

1994-? Secretary of Legislation in the Ministry of Justice Ivete Lund Viêgas
2002 Acting Minister of Justice

1994-95 Secretary for Elementary Education Ledja Austrilino Silva

1995 Secretary and Vice-Minister of Education and Sport Gilda Figueiredo Portugal Gourêa
1995 4 Times Acting Minister of Education and Sport
2000 Acting Minister of Education 
She was Subsecretary in the Ministry

1995-96 Acting Minister of Federal Administration and State Reform
1996-99 Secretary of Reform of the State in the Ministry of Federal Administration and State Reform
1999 Acting Minister of Science and Technology Angela Maria Santana Carvalho

1995-98 Secretary and Vice-Minister of Federal Administration and State Property Cláudia Maria Costin
1998 Acting Minister of Federal Administration and State Property
1998-2003 Secretary of Federal Administration and State Property (Budget and Management)

1995 Subsecretary of Culture Maria Delith Balaban
1995-99 Secretary and Vice-Minister of Culture

1995-96 Secretary of Environment, National Resources and The Amazonas Aspásia Basileiro Alcântara de Camargo

1995-99 Secretary of Evaluation in the Ministry of Science and Technology
1996, 1996, 1998 Acting Minister of Science and Technology Ubirajana Periera de Brito

Circa 1997-2000 Secretary of National Justice in Ministry of Justice Dra. Sandra Graça Fonesca Araujo Valle

Circa 1998-99 Secretary of Fundamental Education in Ministry of Education and Sport Iara Glória Areias Prado

Circa 1998-99 Subsecretary of Special Education in Ministry of Education and Sport Marilene Ribeiro dos Santos

Circa 1998-2003 Subsecretary of Fiscalization of Work in Ministry of Labour Ruth Beatriz Vasconcelos Vilela

1999-2003 Secretary and Vice-Minister of Social Assistance Wanda Engel Aduan

1999-2000  Secretary and Vice-Minister of Sport and Tourism Maria Teresa Bonatto de Castro

1999-2003 Secretary  of Culture Maria Emília Rocha Mello de Azevedo

1999-2003 Secretary of International Economy and Integration Ana María Solares

2000-03 Secretary of External Commerce in Ministry of Development, Industry and External Trade Lytha Spíndola

2000-03 Secretary of Justice Elizabeth Sussekind

2000-03 Secretary of Coordination of the Amazonas in Ministry of Environment Mary Helena Allegretti

2000-03 Secretary of Labour Relations Maria Lucia Di Iório Andrade

2000-03 Secretary of Labour Inspection Vera Olímpia Gonçalves

2000-03 Subsecretary of Transport for Planning Leônia Franco Vilela

2000-03 Subsecretary for Planning and Administration in Ministry of Environment Ana Flávia de Sena Franco

2000-03 Assistant Subsecretary of Planning and Administration Maria Pedrinha de Barros

2000-03 Assistant Subsecretary of International Affairs in the Ministry of Planning and Administration Patrícia Góes Bakaj

2001-03 Minister of State by the Presidency and National Ombudsman Anadyr de Mendonça Rodrigues
Member of the government of the Federal District 1961-72, State Prosecutor 1972-2000, and Deputy State Prosecutor General 2000-2001 and Acting General Advocate of the Union. (b. 1935-).

2002 Secretary and Acting Minister of National Integration 
2002 Minister of National Integration Mary Dayse Kinzo

2002 Acting Minister of Education Maria Helena Guimarães de Castro

2002-03 Secretary of Environment Mônica Maria Libório Feitosa de Araüjo

2002 Acting Special Secretary of Urban Development Mirna Quinderé Belmino Chaves

2003-08 Minister of Environment Maria Osmarina Marina da Silva Vaz de Lima
Normally known as Marina Silva, she was elected Senator in 1994. Presidential Candidate for the Green Party in 2010 and Vice-Presidential Candidate for the Socialists in 2014. (b. 1958-).

2003-05 Minister of Mines and Energy Dilma Rousseff
2005-10 Minister and Secretary General of the Presidential Staff (Cabinet Chief)
2011-16 President

A former student leader who fought Brazil's military dictatorship as a guerrilla during the early 1970s and an economist. Secretary of Mines, Energy and Communication of Rio Grande do Sul 1993-94 and 1999-2002. Removed from office by the Congress in August after having been suspended since May. (b. 1947-).  

2003 Minister of Social Development and Assistance Benedita Souza da Silva Sampaio
Benedita da Silva is a former MP and Senator, and was Vice-Governor of Rio de Janeiro 1996-2002 and its Governor April-December 2002. (b. 1942-).

2003-04 Cabinet Member and Secretary of Women's Affairs Emilia Therezinha Xavier Fernandes
In 1996-98 she was the first female member of the Presidium of the Senate ever. Emilia Fernandes is also former Vice-President of the Gropo Parlamentar Brasil-Republica Popular e Democratica da Coriea. (b. 1949-)

2003-16 Secretary and Vice-Minister of Cities Ermínia Terezinha Menon Maricato
2003-04 Acting Minister of Cities
She was Secretary of Housing of São Paulo during Luiza Erundina's tenure as mayor.
(b. 1947-)

2003-08 Secretary for the Promotion of Racial Equality Matilde Ribeiro

2003-? Secretary of Labour and Employment Sandra Meira Starling
2003 Acting Minister of Labour and Employment

2003-05 Secretary of the Council of Economic and Social Development in the Ministry of Labour
2003-04 Acting Minister of Labour and Employment
2005-07 Secretary of Relations with the Institutions Eva Maria Cella dal Chiavon

(b.  1960-)

2003-? Secretary of Environmental Quality and Human Assets in the Ministry of Environment Marijane Vieira Lisboa

2003-? Secretary of Labour and Education in the Ministry of Health Maria Luiza Jaeger

2003-? National Secretary of Justice Cláudia Maria de Freitas Chagas

2003-
? Secretary of the Labour Inspectorate in the Ministry of Labour and Employment Ruth Beatriz de Vasconcelos Vilela

2003-? Deputy Secretary of  Economic Solidarity in Ministry of Labour and Employment Sônia Maria Portella Kruppa

2003-? Deputy Secretary of Planning and Strategic Investments in the Ministry of Planning, Budget and Management Beatrice Kassar do Valle

2003-? Subsecretary of Finance Gildenora Batista Dantas Milhomem

2003-06 Vice-Minister of the Special Secretary for the Policy for Women
Maria Laura Sales Pinheiro

2004, 2005 and 2006 Acting Minister of Tourism Maria Luisa Campos Machado Leal

2004-11 Minister of the Secretariat of Women's Affairs Nilcéa Freire

2004 Secretary and Vice-Minister of Social Development and Fight Ana Maria Medeiros ad Fonseca,

2004-05 Acting Minister of Social Development and Fight Márcia Helena Carvalho Lopes
2006-10 Secretary and Vice-Minister of Social Development and Fight against Poverty
2010-11 Minister of Social Development

2004-? Subsecretary of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs Vera Pedrosa Martins de Almeida
Ambassador to the Netherlands circa 1998-2001 and to Denmark 2001-04 and Lithuania 2003-04. (b. 1934-)

2005-10 Deputy Secretary General of the Presidential Staff (Cabinet Chief) Erenice Alves Guerra
2010-11 Minister and Secretary General of the Presidential Staff (Cabinet Chief)

2006-07 Acting Minister of National Integration Silvana Maria Parente Neiva Santos

2006-? Deputy Secretary for the Promotion of Racial Equality Maria do Carmo Ferreira da Silva
 
2006-? Secretary and Vice-Minister of National Integration Silvana Maria Parente Neiva Santos

2006-? Secretary of Special Education Cláudia Pereira Dutra

2007-08 Minister of Tourism Marta Suplicy
2012-14 Minister of Culture
Mayor of Sao Paulo 2001-05 and 1. Vice-President of the Senate. (b. 1945-)

2007-11 Vice-Minister of Heath Márcia Bassit Lamero da Costa Mazzoli

2006-11 Vice-Minister of External Relations Maria Stela Pompeu Brasil Frota

2008 Acting Advocate General Grace Maria Fernandes Mendonça
(b. 1968-).

2008 Acting Minister of Social Development and the Fight Against Poverty Roseline Cristina Rocha

2009-10 Vice-Minister of Environment Izabella Teixeira
2010-Minister of Environment

2010-11 Chief of Staff of the Presidency Erenice Alves Guerra
Resigned because of allegations of corruption and nepotism

2011-14 Minister-Chief of Staff of the Presidency Gleisi Helena Hoffmann
Former administrator and Senator 2010-11

2011-14 Minister of Planning, Budget and Economy Miriam Belchio

2011 Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture IIdeli Salvatti
2015-16 Cabinet Member and Secretary of Human Rights
Parliamentary Leader the Petista from 2006 and government leader in the Congress 2009.

2011-16 Minister of Social Development and the fight against poverty Tereza Helna Gabrielli Barreto Campello

2011-12 Minister of Culture Anna Maria Buarque de Hollanda

2011-16 Cabinet Member and Secretary of Social Communication Helena Chagas

2011-14 Cabinet Member and Secretary of Human Rights Maria do Rosário

2011-14 Secretary of Women's Affairs Iriny Lopes

2011-14 Secretary of State Planning Maria Lucia Falcón

2011-16 Vice-Minister of Health Marcia Aparecida do Amaral

2011-16 Vice-Minister of Development, Industry and External Commerce Regina Guimarãres de Menezes
2011 and 2013 Acting Minister

2011 Vice-Minister of Planning, Budget and Management Iraneth Rodrigues Monteiro

2011-16 Vice-Minister of Planning, Budget and Management Eva Maria Cella dal Chiavon

2011-12 Vice-Minister of Agricultural Development Marcia da Silva Quadrado
2011 Acting Minister of Agricultural Development

2011-12 Vice-Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Maria Aparecida Perez

2012-13 Acting Minister of Development, Industry and External Commerce Tatiana Lacerda Prazeres

2012-13 Vice-Minister of Culture Jeanine Pires

2012-16 Vice-Minister of Culture Ana Cristina da Cunha Wanzeler
2014 Minister of Culture

2015-16 Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply Katia Abreu

2015-16 Secretary for Policies and Promotion of Racial Equality Nilma Lino Gomes

2015-16 Secretary of Women's Affairs Eleonora Menicucci de Oliveira

2016- Special Secretary for Women Policies Fátima Pelaes
The cabinet installed after President Dilma Rousseff was impeached did not have a single female member. She was the highest ranking woman in the administration.

2016- Advocate-General Grace Maria Fernandes Mendonç

2016-17 Secretary for the Promotion of Racial Equality Luislinda Dias de Valois Santos
2017- Minister of Human Rights



Last updated 31.08.16