Leading Justice: Reform & Solidarity in Brazil

In this episode of Justice Beyond the Bench, the IAWJ spotlights Brazil’s growing movement for a more transparent—and more representative—justice system. Joining the hosts are guest co-host Dr. Luciana Zaffalon, Founder and Executive Director of the Justa Initiative, and two members of the Candangas Collective of feminist judges in Brazil’s Federal District: Judge Rejane Jungluth Suxberger and Judge Marina Corrêa Xavier. With portions of the conversation shared in Portuguese for Brazilian audiences, the episode centers on how data, lived experience, and collective organizing can work together to advance accountability and gender equality in judicial institutions.

Dr. Zaffalon explains how Justa brings together expertise in law, economics, management, and communications to translate technical judicial information into accessible insights—mapping governance, financing, decision-making, and “money flows” so the public can understand what is often hidden behind complex language. The Candangas Collective then shares why it intentionally operates without hierarchy or individual “spotlights”: their model is built on solidarity, agility, and a shared purpose to challenge patriarchal norms within the judiciary, support women judges, and push for systemic change. Together, the guests discuss why representation drops sharply at higher levels of the courts—especially for Black, Indigenous, and rural women—and point to policy measures, including gender and race quotas in internal selection bodies, as steps toward a judiciary that better reflects the society it serves.