These economic conditions have created a complex migratory flow. As a relatively strong economy within the region, Brazil has attracted significant migration into the country. The uneven distribution of economic development within the country created significant internal shifts of population from poorer to more prosperous areas.
Finally, due to the overall limitations of the economy and high
unemployment, a significant flow of Brazilian migrants to other
countries has also emerged. As noted by the UNODCCP migration is
intimately related to trafficking in human beings.
Women
While the economic and social situation is difficult for a
majority of Brazilians, it is, as expected, worse for women. Over 31
million women (58.2% of women) are in the work force (compared to a
rate of 85.5% of men) and, although some regional differences exist,
most women work in lower paid, traditionally female positions in the
service industry. Moreover, according to the National Survey by
Household Sampling report, the female head of household with
children under 14 years old has increased dramatically.
Given the fact for a significant number of men, a couple's separation also represents
an end to their paternal obligations, this increase in head of household
statistics represents a significant increase in female poverty.
Approximately 9.1 million Brazilian children live in families with an
income of less than R$75.50 (at that time US$ 41.10).
Adding the issue of race/ethnicity to the gender indicator, an
even greater disparity emerges. The vast majority of women of women
of color find themselves in substandard jobs and working in the more
informal sector of the economy. Most have received limited
education (maximum of 4 years) and many do not have signed work
documents required by the state placing them at grave risk for abuse.
In spite of the formal equality of rights included in the
Constitution of 1988, the situation of women in rural areas is also
blemished by discrimination, indicating that there are barriers to
accessing land, credit, professional training and formal education.
Health statistics are also troubling. According to UNICEF and
World Health Organization estimates (2000), the maternal mortality
rate in Brazil has reached 260 deaths for every 100,000 births.
The National Commission on Development (CNPD) shows that in 1995,
13% of the deaths of young women between the ages of 15 and 19 were
birth related. Similarly, HIV/AIDS incidence in Brazil has increased
among women. IBGE (2000) reports the ratio of female to male cases
has risen dramatically from one female case for every twenty four male
in the early eighties, to a current ratio of one for every two. Vertical
and perinatal transmission of AIDS increased at an alarming rate. In
1990, the figure was 15.4%; by 1998 it had reached 32.7%.
Children and Adolescents
Along with an increase in the number of women, there has
also been observed increase in the percentage of juveniles in the
population, who now make up 33.5% Brazil's population (30,459,277
girls/31,282,275 boys).18 Here again, the distribution by region is
disproportionate: North (42.7%), Northeast (40.6%), Central-West
(36.3%), South (34.5%) and Southeast (32.5%).
Education statistics suggest serious problems exist. A report
by PIDESC reveals that in Brazil approximately 28 million people are
in the age group of 7 to 14 years.19 Since official data shows that 95.5%
of children between the ages of 7 to 14 years attend core educational
programs, it can be concluded that there are approximately 1.26 million
children between the ages of 7 and 14 that are not attending school.
Drop out rates were at 3.9% while illiteracy rate stands at 17.2% for
children between the ages of 7 and 10, and 15.7% for children above 10
years old. With regards to pre-school children, only 33% of the
population between the ages of 4 and 6 attend some form of pre-school.