Public Policies and SDG 5 Aimed at Women in the Microregion of Guarapuava, Brazil

This study aims to evaluate public policies for women in the 18 municipalities of the Microregion of Guarapuava, Paraná, Brazil. To this end, 26 semistructured, in-person interviews were conducted with secretaries, the chief of staff, and a mayor between December 12, 2023, and March 7, 2024, and were recorded and transcribed for analysis. In addition to the interviews, structured questionnaires were administered to residents via Google Forms, yielding 407 validated responses from November 28, 2023, to April 4, 2024. The analysis of the questionnaires was quantitative, based on descriptive statistics, and content analysis was applied to the interviews. The majority of those surveyed (66.3%) were female; with higher education, postgraduate and master’s degrees (67.8%); belonging to generations X and Y (73%); residents in the central region of the urban area (76%); and residing in the Municipality of Guarapuava (52%). Regarding awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 7% of respondents have never heard of them; 41% have heard of them but lack specific knowledge, 42% have some knowledge, and 10% are highly knowledgeable. In summary, the main public policies aimed at women, adopted by the municipalities researched, consisted of (1) care and support for women in situations of domestic violence and/or vulnerability; (2) baking courses or workshops; (3) incentives for sports; and (4) community gardens. It was found that the interviewees’ statements corroborated the results obtained in the research with the population and with the literature. The objective was achieved, and an agenda for future research was presented.