Rio de Janeiro Advances Gender Equity in Academia with Landmark Legislation
The state of Rio de Janeiro has taken a significant step toward supporting mothers pursuing careers in scientific research and higher education. On June 8, 2026, acting governor desembargador Ricardo Couto sanctioned Law 11.213, establishing the Marco Legal Mães na Ciência. This framework aims to create fairer conditions for mothers and adoptive parents in undergraduate and postgraduate programs across public universities and research funding bodies.
The legislation directly addresses long-standing barriers that have disproportionately affected women in academic and research roles. By prohibiting discriminatory practices in scholarship selections and recognizing the value of caregiving responsibilities, the law seeks to promote retention and progression for this group of scholars.
Understanding the Core Provisions of the New Framework
The Marco Legal Mães na Ciência introduces several concrete measures. It explicitly bans the use of criteria that disadvantage candidates due to pregnancy, childbirth, the birth of a child, adoption, or judicial guardianship for adoption purposes in all selection and renewal processes for research, teaching, and extension scholarships.
Additionally, the law prohibits questions about family planning in interviews, evaluations, or application documents unless the candidate voluntarily raises the topic. This protects privacy while ensuring that personal circumstances do not become barriers to opportunity.
Universities and the Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) are required to implement equity mechanisms. The framework respects institutional autonomy in academic, administrative, and financial matters while aligning with the state’s Programa Estadual de Incentivo ao Protagonismo das Mulheres na Ciência.
A key innovation lies in the formal recognition of caregiving work—particularly maternity and adoption—in merit assessments, scientific productivity evaluations, and curriculum analyses. This applies to scoring in competitive processes for monitoria positions, scientific initiation grants, extension projects, master’s, doctoral, and postdoctoral opportunities.
Existing FAPERJ Initiatives That the Law Strengthens
FAPERJ has already operated targeted programs supporting women researchers. The Programa de Apoio às Cientistas Mães provides grants of up to R$ 120,000 per project to help researchers resume and sustain scientific output after having children. The program also extends support to mothers of children with disabilities.
Other measures include accounting for maternity leave periods in curriculum evaluations, granting maternity leave to scholarship holders, and allowing childcare-related expenses in certain funding calls. These actions demonstrate a commitment to practical support beyond policy statements.
The new law reinforces these efforts. FAPERJ president Caroline Alves highlighted the historical context: women have long faced difficult choices between motherhood and academic careers. She emphasized that supporting mother scientists invests not only in individual researchers but in families, future generations, and the broader advancement of science in the state.
Complementary Programs Expanding Opportunities for Young Women Scientists
FAPERJ continues to broaden access through the Programa de Apoio à Jovem Cientista Mulher Dra. Tatiana Sampaio. Named after the researcher whose work advanced spinal cord regeneration treatments for tetraplegic patients, the program targets researchers with up to 12 years since earning their doctorate. Its goal is to increase female representation in scientific leadership positions. The 2026 edition allocated R$ 10 million in funding.
Visibility initiatives include the annual Mulheres na Ciência event, which brings together researchers, managers, and institutions to discuss challenges and public policies, and the Prêmio Mulheres na Ciência, which honors outstanding trajectories across disciplines.
Photo by Wallace Fonseca on Unsplash
National Context and Parallel Federal Developments
The Rio de Janeiro law builds on broader Brazilian efforts. At the federal level, Law 14.925 of 2024, known as the Lei Mães Cientistas, established similar protections nationwide. CAPES has implemented Portaria 209/2026, which regulates extensions of academic deadlines and scholarships for pregnant, postpartum, and adoptive postgraduate students. The agency also launched the Programa Aurora to support mother advisors in postgraduate programs.
Organizations such as Parent in Science have long advocated for these changes, documenting the specific obstacles faced by academic mothers through surveys and policy proposals. These national movements provide a foundation that state-level legislation like Rio’s can strengthen and localize.
Implications for Public Universities in Rio de Janeiro
Institutions such as the Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) and others in the state system will need to review selection processes and evaluation criteria. The law encourages the integration of equity considerations without compromising academic standards or institutional independence.
By formally valuing caregiving contributions in productivity assessments, universities can better retain talented researchers who might otherwise leave academia during critical family periods. This approach supports both individual career continuity and the overall quality of research output in the state.
Stakeholder Perspectives and Expected Benefits
Officials and advocates view the legislation as a historic advance for gender equity in knowledge production. It acknowledges that motherhood and adoption impose real challenges on academic trajectories and responds with structural safeguards.
Researchers and students stand to gain from reduced risk of exclusion or penalty during family formation years. The prohibition on intrusive family-planning questions further protects dignity in competitive environments.
Over time, the framework is expected to contribute to higher completion rates for postgraduate programs among mothers, increased diversity in research leadership, and stronger scientific output from the state’s institutions.
Implementation Considerations and Institutional Autonomy
Successful rollout will require clear guidelines from FAPERJ and state universities. Processes must balance equity goals with merit-based evaluation. Training for selection committees on recognizing caregiving contributions without introducing bias will be essential.
The law’s respect for institutional autonomy means each university can tailor mechanisms to its specific context while meeting the overarching equity standards. Collaboration between FAPERJ and higher education institutions will likely shape effective practices.
Photo by Roberto Silva on Unsplash
Broader Impacts on Research Careers and Job Markets
For PhD-track students and early-career researchers in Brazil, the legislation signals growing institutional support for work-life integration. This can influence decisions to pursue or remain in academic paths, particularly in competitive fields where publication records heavily determine opportunities.
Administrators and funding bodies may see improved retention of experienced researchers, reducing the loss of talent that occurs when family responsibilities intersect with rigid evaluation timelines.
Future Outlook and Potential for Replication
The Marco Legal Mães na Ciência positions Rio de Janeiro as a leader in state-level policies supporting mothers in science. Other Brazilian states may draw inspiration from this model, contributing to a more consistent national approach alongside federal initiatives.
Continued monitoring and evaluation will help refine the framework. As data on participation rates, scholarship awards, and research productivity emerge, adjustments can ensure the law achieves its intended goals of equity and excellence.
Ultimately, the legislation represents a shift toward viewing caregiving not as a liability but as a dimension of human experience that enriches the scientific community when properly supported.
