Berta Lutz

Berta Lutz in 1925

Berta Maria Júlia Lutz (August 2, 1894, São Paulo – September 16, 1976, Rio de Janeiro) was a Brazilian zoologist, politician, and diplomat. Lutz became a leading figure in both the Pan American feminist movement and human rights movement.

Biography

Bertha Lutz was born in São Paulo. Her father, Adolfo Lutz (1855–1940), was a famous physician and epidemiologist of Swiss origin, and her mother, Amy Fowler, was a British nurse. Berta Lutz studied natural sciences, biology and zoology at the University of Paris - Sorbonne, graduating in 1918.

Scientific Career

After returning to Brazil in 1918, Lutz dedicated herself to the study of amphibians, especially poison dart frogs and frogs of the family Hylidae.[1] The Lutz's Rapids Frog (Paratelmatobius lutzii, Lutz and Carvalho, 1958), was described by her. In 1919, she was hired by the Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro. She later became a naturalist at the Section of Botany.

Political and Diplomatic Career

From 1918 on, Lutz participated actively in the Brazilian and Pan-American feminist movements. After seeing the advancements made by European and American women towards the feminist movements, she could see that Brazilian women could also help out with the movement by lending whatever aid they could to the organization.

In 1922, Berta attended the Pan-American Conference of Women, and was advised by Paulina Luisi and Carrie Chapman Catt. Following the conference, Berta drew up the constitution for a group named the Federação Brasileira pelo Progresso Feminino (FPBF) [English: Brazilian Federation for the Advancement of Women].

As a politician, Berta Lutz was elected a deputy federal representative in 1934, after failing two successive ballots. Her main political platform included changing worker's legislation in relation to women's right to work, child labor, gender equality in wages and rights, the lawful right to maternity leave. She lost her mandate when Getúlio Vargas closed down both legislative chambers in 1937.

Lutz was one of four women who signed the United Nations Charter at San Francisco on 25 Oct. 1945 [2] She was also Brazil's representative to sign the important treaty on Diplomatic Asylum 1954.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lutz, Bertha. Brazilian Species of "Hyla". 1973. University of Texas Press. Austin. 260 pp. ISBN 978-0292707047.
  2. ↑ UN Charter; UN Chronicle 2002.
  3. ↑ UN Treaty Series
  4. ↑ "Author Query for 'Lutz'". International Plant Names Index.

External links