Pro-women institutions in Brazilian municipalities from the perspective of different theories

Abstract Violence against women is a serious social problem in several countries, and it has been combated through different strategies, such as the creation of legal frameworks. In Brazil, the Maria da Penha Law was enacted in 2006 to curb violence against women, encouraging, among other things, the creation of a network of institutions that defend women’s rights, referred to in this study as pro-women institutions. However, great variability exists in the number and type of these institutions in Brazilian municipalities, since many municipalities are unable or choose not to create such institutions. In view of this, this research aimed to identify which factors are related to the existence of pro-women institutions in Brazilian municipalities. Official secondary data from all 853 municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais, from 2014 to 2018, were used. The results support the theories of rational choice and feminist theory, indicating that municipalities with more reports of violence against women and with women in better socio-economic conditions are more likely to have pro-women institutions. On the other hand, the theory of women’s political representation was not supported.