WLP Board of Directors
Pitanguy (Brazil) is a sociologist and political scientist. She is Founder and Director of WLP Brazil/Cidadania, Estudo, Pesquisa, Informação e Ação (CEPIA), an NGO based in Rio de Janeiro. At Cepia, Pitanguy coordinates research on gender issues and facilitates advocacy and educational programs related to violence against women and reproductive health. She held a cabinet position in the Brazilian government as President of the National Council for Women's Rights (1986-1989), where she designed and implemented public policies to improve women's condition in Brazil. Pitanguy serves on a number of international boards including Inter-American Dialogue, UNESCO's Institute for Education, Society for International Development, the Global Fund for Women, and the Carter Center's International Human Rights Council. She is also on the editorial board of several health journals and has published numerous articles and co-authored four books. She has been awarded the Medal of Rio Branco, the highest decoration of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.