Women’s Day measures by Brazil’s Lula take aim at setbacks

By LAÍS MARTINS
Associated Press

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has announced proposals to promote and protect women after years of setbacks in their causes blamed in part on a rise in far-right forces. At a ceremony Wednesday in capital Brasilia, Lula presented a package of over 25 measures. The most significant one is a bill that would guarantee equal pay for women and men who perform the same jobs. He also proposed spending 372 million reais ($72 million) to build domestic violence shelters, and 100 million reais ($19 million ) for science projects led by women.