Before April 25th 1974, women’s position in Portugal was strongly based on the closed minded patriarchal values. Women suffered many restrictions on multiple aspects in life, like education, work life and political participation.
In the world of education, women’s opportunities were limited. The majority had only access to the basics, being common dropping out of school so they could attend to domestic chores, the superior education was reserved mainly for the men, enhancing the belief that a women’s place was at home.
At work, women faced discrimination and salary inequality. They were frequently denied at poorly conditioned and badly paid jobs like dressmakers, maids and factory workers. Maternity was also seen as an obstacle to the progress of their career contributing for the economical injustice.
Besides that women had little to no voice in political matters. The authoritarian regime of the new state didn’t recognize women’s rights as citizens, restricting their participation in elections and political decisions, their voice was frequently silenced, oppressed by the dictatorship.
Women’s oppression also manifested itself within the family, where the husband had absolute authority over his wife and children. Divorce was difficult to get and socially condemned, leaving women imprisoned in unhappy and abusive marriages.
However, besides the adversities, Portuguese women resisted and fought for change. The feminist movement started gaining force decades before the April 25th, with women organising to claim equal rights, access to education and decent job opportunities.
The April 25th of 1974, commonly known as the carnation revolution, marked a point in the turning of Portuguese history and women’s condition. With the fall of the dictatorship, doors were opened for women to exercise their rights and participate on political, social and economic life of the country. The 1976’s constitution consecrated gender equality as the fundamental principle, paved the way for meaningful advances on the fight for equal rights and opportunities for Portuguese women.
