HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION, DEMOCRACY, AND GENDER STUDIES: EPISTEMOLOGICAL INTEGRATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GENDER EQUALITY PUBLIC POLICIES

Abstract

This postdoctoral research project in Education (2025–2026), conducted within the PPGE Unicentro (Research Line: Education, Culture, and Diversity) and linked to the Pdpg – Strategic Postdoctoral Program/Capes, investigates, through an interdisciplinary lens, the articulation between human rights education, democratic theory, and gender studies in the analysis of municipal public policies aimed at gender equality and equity in Paraná, Brazil. The central problem stems from the mismatch between the existence of legal frameworks, human rights policies, and international commitments (the 2030 Agenda/SDGs) and the persistence of gender-based violence, intersectional inequalities, and women’s underrepresentation in decision-making spaces, as well as gaps in mainstreaming gender across local state actions. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative approach, based on systematic documentary analysis of official municipal government websites and normative and management instruments (laws, plans, programs, councils, budgets, and indicators), in order to identify the existence, nature, scope, and shortcomings of initiatives directed at women. The research covers 23 municipalities connected to the activities of the Unicentro Chair on Women’s Empowerment and Female Entrepreneurship (Ceef Unicentro), which serves as the empirical reference. The study is expected to produce analytical inputs and operational recommendations to strengthen gender justice, democratic improvement, and the comprehensive promotion of women’s human rights, contributing to violence prevention, the reduction of inequalities, and the expansion of women’s participation.