BRAZILIAN President Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva has announced measures to promote and protect women after years of setbacks blamed on the rise of the far right.

At a ceremony in the capital Brasilia on Wednesday, Lula, as the president is universally known, presented a package of over 25 measures, including a Bill that would guarantee equal pay for women and men doing the same jobs.

He also announced plans to spend 372 million reais (£60.9m) to build domestic violence shelters and 100 million reais (£16.4m) on science projects led by women.