Instituto Maria Da Penha

What Instituto Maria Da Penha does

Instituto Maria da Penha (IMP) is a Brazilian non-governmental, non-profit organization headquartered in Fortaleza, Ceará, with a regional presence in Recife, Pernambuco. Founded in 2009 by Maria da Penha Maia Fernandes — the namesake and central figure behind Brazil's landmark Lei Maria da Penha (Law 11.340/2006) — the institute exists to combat domestic and family violence against women through a combination of direct victim support, professional training, education, research, and public policy advocacy. Its operational footprint spans the nine-state Northeast region and, via the PCSVDFMulher longitudinal study, seven national capitals; programmatic reach includes 30,000 students through Projeto Cordel nas Escolas, 134 schools and 20,000 students across 21 municipalities through Projeto Contexto, and more than 900 directly trained 'multipliers' through the DDDC program since 2010.

IMP's product surface is service- and content-led rather than technology-led. It offers fee-based workshops, Women's Committee implementation consultancies, lectures (including a personal lecture by Maria da Penha), and the DDDC professional training program; it runs free projects including the WhatsApp- and Instagram-based 'As Penhas' remote support line, the PCSVDFMulher longitudinal research database (the first of its kind in Latin America, with over 10,000 women surveyed across its waves), quarterly Conjuntura da Violência bulletins, the inaugural FBEVD national forum, and the Hand Talk-enabled accessible website. The technology stack is deliberately modest: a content website with downloadable PDFs, social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), WhatsApp for direct victim support, and accessibility tooling, with no proprietary software, algorithms, or platform infrastructure disclosed.

IMP's revenue model blends three streams: individual and corporate donations collected via PayPal, Visa/Mastercard/Amex, and Caixa Econômica Federal bank transfers; institutional project financing from the European Union, WeWorld Onlus, the World Bank, SPM, the U.S. Consulate General, and the Governo do Estado do Ceará; and fee-based services to enterprises, public institutions, universities, hospitals, and NGOs, contracted through direct email outreach at quote-based, undisclosed pricing. Customers and beneficiaries span four segments: women in violent situations (persona), private corporations seeking workplace training, public schools and universities, and federal/state/municipal government bodies. Strategic and academic partners include Universidade Federal do Ceará, UNIFOR, UECE, UNILAB, UN Women, WeWorld Brasil, CEJIL, and CLADEM.

Name

Instituto Maria Da Penha

Legal name

Instituto Maria da Penha

Website

https://institutomariadapenha.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Instituto Maria da Penha is a Brazilian non-profit NGO founded in 2009 by Maria da Penha Maia Fernandes to combat domestic violence against women. Headquartered in Fortaleza, it delivers training, advocacy, research, and direct victim support to enterprises, schools, government, and survivors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Violence Prevention and Women's Rights Advocacy Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAD), Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (BPAGABAF), Gender Equality & Women’s Rights (BPADAGAF)

Keywords

• Domestic violence prevention
• Gender violence advocacy
• Victim support services
• Women's rights education
• Social research publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Fortaleza

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations from individuals and corporations: IMP accepts individual and corporate donations via PayPal, credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), and bank transfer (Caixa Econômica Federal). The homepage features a prominent 'Doe' (Donate) call-to-action linking to PayPal.
2. Project financing from institutional partners: IMP develops projects funded by institutional partners including the European Union, WeWorld Onlus, the Brazilian Secretariat of Public Policies for Women (SPM), the World Bank, the U.S. Consulate General, and state government (Governo do Estado do Ceará).
3. Fee-based services (workshops, consulting, courses, lectures): IMP generates revenue by offering chargeable services to enterprises and institutions: workshops on domestic violence in the workplace, consulting for the implementation of Women's Committees in companies, professional training courses (DDDC), and lectures. Pricing is quote-based, with contracts negotiated via email.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Instituto Maria da Penha is a non-governmental non-profit organization that combats domestic and family violence against women in Brazil through a portfolio of paid services (corporate workshops, consultancies, training courses, and lectures), free direct victim support via its 'As Penhas' project, school-based educational programs, and longitudinal gender violence research (PCSVDFMulher). The organization was founded in 2009 by Maria da Penha Maia Fernandes, the namesake of Brazil's landmark Lei Maria da Penha (Law 11.340/2006), and operates from Fortaleza with representation in Recife.

Product overview

Instituto Maria da Penha (IMP) is a non-governmental organization without profit purposes focused on combating domestic and family violence against women. IMP offers a portfolio of services and projects centered on awareness-raising, empowerment, education, and direct assistance. Services include workshops, consultancies, lectures, and training courses (such as the DDDC Program). Projects include As Penhas (remote specialized assistance to victims), the PCSVDFMulher research initiative, Quarterly Bulletins with statistics, educational programs (Projeto Contexto and Projeto Cordel nas Escolas), and the annual Brazilian Forum on Domestic Violence (FBEVD). The organization operates primarily in Brazil's Northeast region, with headquarters in Fortaleza and representation in Recife.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Workshop on Domestic Violence and Workplace Impact (Workshop — Violência doméstica e seu impacto no mercado de trabalho) Two-session corporate workshop (4 hours total) covering domestic violence and its impact on the labor market, the role of managers in supporting victims, types and myths of domestic violence, and referral services. Includes a training session for managers and a sensitization lecture for employees. Priced via quote for enterprises and institutions.
• Women's Committee Implementation Consulting (Consultoria — Implementação do Comitê da Mulher na empresa) Three-phase corporate consultancy (10 hours plus 6-month follow-up) that diagnoses with HR and managers, delivers training and sensitization sessions, and supports committee composition to help companies identify and support employees in domestic violence situations. Priced via quote.
• IMP Staff Lecture (Palestra do Instituto Maria da Penha) Lecture delivered by IMP staff covering domestic violence, public policies, gender violence networks, official statistics, types of violence, and comparison with the pre-Lei Maria da Penha justice treatment. Targeted at institutions, NGOs, hospitals, universities, and corporate audiences. Priced via quote.
• Maria da Penha Personal Lecture (Palestra da Maria da Penha) 1-hour personal lecture by Maria da Penha covering her life story, meeting her aggressor, all phases of the abusive relationship and violence cycle, the attempted feminicide crime, and the creation of Lei Maria da Penha. Booked via [email protected] for public and private institutions. Priced via quote.
• DDDC Professional Training Program (Programa Defensoras e Defensores dos Direitos à Cidadania) Modular professional training program on Lei Maria da Penha and combating domestic and family violence against women. Courses offered in 8, 12, 24, 40, or 60-hour formats and can be customized for general or specific audiences. IMP issues completion certificates. Priced via quote.
• As Penhas Remote Support Service Free remote specialized assistance to women in domestic violence situations, delivered by a qualified multidisciplinary network of social workers, psychologists, and lawyers coordinated by IMP cofounders. Accessible via WhatsApp (81) 98839-6700 and Instagram @aspenhasoficial. Provides psychosocial and legal guidance, safety planning, and referrals to protective measures.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 900 people trained directly as multipliers since 2010; approximately 4,500 people reached indirectly through their activities
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) — COVID-19 Research PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021In partnership with UFC, IMP was selected to develop the project 'Entendendo os Impactos da COVID-19 sobre a violência doméstica no Brasil' (Understanding the Impacts of COVID-19 on Domestic Violence in Brazil), funded by SVRI. The multidisciplinary research team aims to strengthen and influence public policies and propose a post-pandemic recovery plan.
• Governo do Estado do Ceará (State Government of Ceará)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018The Ceará state government, through the Secretaria da Educação (SEDUC), partnered with IMP on the 'Projeto Cordel nas Escolas' (2018-2019), reaching 70 schools and 30,000 students. The state also pays Maria da Penha an indemnity as symbolic reparation.
• Secretaria da Educação do Ceará (SEDUC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018SEDUC partnered with IMP to implement the 'Projeto Cordel nas Escolas' across 70 state schools in Fortaleza and its metropolitan region, reaching 30,000 students directly.
• WeWorld Onlus and WeWorld BrasilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017WeWorld Onlus is an international NGO that co-finances the 'Projeto Contexto: Educação, Gênero, Emancipação' alongside the European Union. IMP serves as a partner within the Plataforma Educação Marco Zero consortium led by WeWorld Brasil.
• Plataforma Educação Marco ZerocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017IMP is a member of the Plataforma Educação Marco Zero consortium, a multi-organization partnership that implements the 'Projeto Contexto.' Partner organizations include WeWorld Brasil, ACACE, Cáritas Diocesana de Crateús, Escola Família Agrícola Dom Fragoso, PAMEN, and ESPLAR.
• Secretaria de Políticas para as Mulheres (SPM) — Government of BrazilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016SPM is the Brazilian federal agency for women's policies and has financed the PCSVDFMulher research project since 2016. The partnership enables large-scale data collection on domestic violence in Brazil.
• Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009UFC is a core institutional partner of IMP. The university's Centro de Pós-Graduação em Economia (CAEN-UFC) coordinates the PCSVDFMulher research project in partnership with IMP. Professor José Raimundo Carvalho leads the research initiative.
• ONU Mulheres (UN Women)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009UN Women is an institutional partner of IMP, providing international recognition and strategic alignment with global gender violence prevention frameworks.
• Universidade de Fortaleza (UNIFOR)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009UNIFOR (Fundação Edson Queiroz) is listed as an institutional partner of IMP, providing academic collaboration and support.
• Universidade Estadual do Ceará (UECE)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009UECE is listed as an institutional partner of IMP, providing academic collaboration.
• Universidade da Integração Internacional da Lusofonia Afro-Brasileira (UNILAB)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009UNILAB is listed as an institutional partner of IMP, providing academic collaboration in the context of Lusophone African integration.
• Centro para a Justiça e o Direito Internacional (CEJIL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009CEJIL is the international NGO that, alongside CLADEM, filed the complaint against Brazil on behalf of Maria da Penha with the OAS Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in 1998, leading to Brazil's international condemnation and the creation of Lei Maria da Penha.
• Comitê Latino-americano e do Caribe para a Defesa dos Direitos da Mulher (CLADEM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009CLADEM partnered with Maria da Penha and CEJIL to file the landmark complaint against Brazil with the OAS Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in 1998, which resulted in Brazil's international condemnation for domestic violence negligence.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Promundo: International NGO working on gender equality, including prevention of gender-based violence, with active operations in Brazil. Comparable in programmatic focus on violence prevention through education and community engagement.

Direct peers

• WeWorld Onlus: Italian-founded international NGO co-financing IMP's Projeto Contexto. Works on women's rights, gender-based violence prevention, and children's rights in Brazil and other developing countries, operating with a comparable mix of grant-funded programs and institutional partnerships.
• CFEMEA (Centro Feminista de Estudos e Assessoria): Brazilian feminist organization focused on public policy monitoring, advocacy, and capacity building on women's rights. Comparable in mission, scope of work, and institutional engagement with the Brazilian federal government.
• Instituto Avon: Brazilian corporate-affiliated foundation focused on combating violence against women. Directly comparable in mission and target population, with overlapping B2B engagement model leveraging corporate partnerships for women's rights programs in Brazil.
• CEJIL (Centro para la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional): International human rights NGO that partnered with Maria da Penha and CLADEM in the OAS case against Brazil. Focuses on strategic human rights litigation before Inter-American bodies, sharing IMP's integration of legal advocacy, research, and institutional partnership work.
• CLADEM (Comitê Latino-americano e do Caribe para a Defesa dos Direitos da Mulher): Latin American and Caribbean feminist network that co-filed the original complaint on behalf of Maria da Penha with the OAS Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Operates as a sister organization focused on women's rights litigation, advocacy, and policy across Latin America.
• Themis — Gênero, Justiça e Direitos Humanos: Brazilian NGO focused on gender justice and women's rights, headquartered in Porto Alegre. Operates with comparable programmatic activities in legal assistance, advocacy, and education on women's rights in Brazil.

Broad incumbents

• ONU Mulheres Brasil (UN Women Brazil): UN entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, listed as an institutional partner of IMP. Operates at significantly larger scale globally on women's rights policy, programmatic interventions, and advocacy in Brazil.
• Equality Now: International human rights NGO focused on ending violence against women and girls through legal advocacy, campaigns, and partnerships. Comparable in combining legal advocacy, research, and global partnership strategy.
• Vital Voices Global Partnership: Global nonprofit investing in women leaders and addressing gender-based violence worldwide. Comparable international scope and mission, with overlapping founder-driven brand identity and global convening power.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/instmariadapenha
• Facebookfacebook.com/InstitutoMariadaPenha
• Instagraminstagram.com/institutomariadapenha
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/instituto-maria-da-penha

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Instituto Maria Da Penha