Care provision in Brazil: built on and reinforcing gender and racial disparities

The care system in Brazil is familialist, but the specific form of familialism is shaped by the historical legacy of patriarchy and slavery, along with the lack of measures to integrate women and the Black population into the country’s economy and society. In this article, we describe in greater detail Brazil’s specific form of familialist care regime, arguing that its form is both strongly influenced by the historical legacy of slavery and patriarchy and continues to reinforce racial and gender inequalities. We outline the current pressures that are undermining this traditional form and social forces that are pressing for a more state-supported care regime.