country is 66 times higher than for white women.59 For example, between 2003 and 2013, there was a decrease of almost 10% in homicides of white women, but an increase of 54% in homicides of black women.60 Data provided by the Violence Monitor,61 collected in all regions of Brazil, shows that during the first half of 2020, 75% of murdered women were black.62 Young women, between 15 and 29 years of age, are also the main victims of femicide in Brazil. The specific profile of women who are murdered in Brazil in greater numbers corresponds to young, black and poor women.63 In Paraíba, the murder rate for black women has remained high since 2000, when measurements began. Furthermore, between 2000 and 2017, the number of black women murdered doubled.64 In 2018, the homicide rate for black women in the state of Paraíba was four times higher than for other women65. 54. Regarding the response of the Judiciary to cases of violence against women, in many cases during 1990s, in application of Law 9.099/95,66 the perpetrators were ordered to pay derisory sums of money as compensation in the civil sphere and only the amount of a basic food basket as a criminal sentence, since most of the aggressions were classified as “crimes of minor offensive potential.”67 55. On September 27, 1997, just over a year before the murder of Márcia Barbosa de Souza, the Inter-American Commission published its Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Brazil,68 in which it noted that the inefficacy of the judicial system in responding to cases of violence against women reflected discrimination against women victims of violence.69 56. After the publication of the Merits Report in the abovementioned case, and in response to the recommendations of the Commission, Brazil enacted the Maria da Penha Law in 2006. The Judiciary began its implementation by creating the first specialized courts for women Cf. Expert opinion of Carmen Hein rendered during the public hearing held on February 3 and 4, 2021 before the Court. 60 Cf. Expert opinion of Wânia Pasinato, rendered by affidavit, supra (evidence file, folio 10289), and Expert opinion rendered by Carmen Hein in Public hearing, supra. 61 Cf. CAESAR, Gabriela; Grandin, Felipe; Reis, Thiago and Velasco, Clara. “Black women are the main victims of homicide; white women account for almost half of all cases of physical injury and rape.” 2020. Available at: https://g1.globo.com/monitor-da-violence/noticia/2020/09/16/mulheres-negras-sao-as-principais-vitimas-dehomicidios-ja-as-brancas-compoem-quase-metade-dos-casos-de-lesao-corporal-e-estupro.ghtml. 62 Cf. Amicus curiae brief presented by the Inter-American of Human Rights Clinic of the Federal University of Río of Janeiro (merits file, folio 902). 63 Cf. Expert opinion rendered by Carmen Hein in Public hearing, supra. 64 Cf. Amicus curiae brief presented by the Human Rights Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia (merits file, folio 1056), and IPEA, “Atlas da Violência”, Filtro UF: PB. Available at: https://www.ipea.gov.br/atlasviolence/dadosseries/142. 65 Cf. Amicus curiae brief presented by the Human Rights Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia supra, and IPEA “Atlas da Violêncito 2020”, p. 37. Available at: https://www.ipea.gov.br/atlasviolence/arquivos/artigos/3519atlasdaviolence2020completo.pdf. 66 Cf. Law No. 9.099 of September 26, 1995. Available at: http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l9099.htm. 67 Cf. Cf. Expert opinion of Wânia Pasinato rendered by affidavit, supra (evidence file, folio 10205 to 10207). 68 Cf. IACHR. Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Brazil. OAS/Ser.L/V/II.97, supra. 69 Cf. IACHR. Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Brazil. OAS/Ser.L/V/II.97, supra, p. 142 to 145. Also, in 2001, in its Merits Report in the case Maria da Penha Maia Fernandes, the Commission held that: “Given the fact that the violence suffered by Maria da Penha is part of a general pattern of negligence and lack of effective action by the State in prosecuting and convicting aggressors, it is the view of the Commission that this case involves not only failure to fulfill the obligation to prosecute and convict, but also the obligation to prevent these degrading practices. The general and discriminatory judicial ineffectiveness also creates a climate that is conducive to domestic violence, since society sees no evidence of willingness by the State, as the representative of society, to take effective action to sanction such acts”. Cf. IACHR. Merits Report No. 54/2001 of April 16, 2001, para. 56. Available at: http://www.IACHR.oas.org/annualrep/2000sp/CapituloIII/Fondo/Brazil12.051.htm#_ftn1. 59 -18-