brazil: focus on maria henriquetta homrich Maria Henriquetta has
lived a long and rich life. She has a degree in Botany and was
the first Brazilian woman to become Head of the Faculty of
Natural History at the prestigious Universidade do Rio Grande do
Sul. After her retirement, she was persuaded by a friend to
become chair of NAT. “What interests me about NAT is that it
started out as a feminist organization, supporting poor women
and their families. Nowadays NAT also works on environmental
issues.” She says. Love of nature Maria's wants people to see
beyond the images of carnival, samba and beautiful people that
most people conjure up when thinking about Brazil. “The greatest
beauty of our country, in my opinion, is nature: the extensive
Amazonian rainforest, the endless rivers, the waterfalls, the
birds and plants, the biodiversity. I feel an enormous love for
nature.” The role of women The status of women in Brazilian
society has moved on - but not enough. “Women in Brazil still do
not have equal opportuni