Since the middle of the nineteenth century, we have observed an increase in associative movements in Portugal based either on class or mutual aids with different purposes. In this paper we aim to observe the participation of women in the mutual movement from the end of the nineteenth century to the thirties. We want to discuss some issues: in these democratic and voluntary associations, did women have rights and duties equal to those of men? Were women in any way discriminated against? What were the reasons for the constitution of the female associations? Was there any connection between these mutual female associations and other feminist and class associations? We conclude that because of the vision of the time, the women of the mutualist’s associations had rights, but they were discriminated against. Even in women associations, a husbands' permission to participate was required. Also, only in some associations there was a subsidy of maternity, a condition that particularized women.

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Women,Mutual Movement,Associations,Rights,Discrimination