In Focus – Women's Economic Empowerment in Brazil
Highlights from our event in São Paulo, where attendees tackled gender inequality and strategies to overcome workplace barriers.
When nearly 170 professional women from several sectors got together to discuss gender equality in São Paulo on March 19, the Brazilian expression dupla jornada surfaced during table discussions. The "double journey" in Brazil refers to the household chores women have to do at home after a day in the office, highlighting the fact that even successful women advancing up the corporate ladder still have trouble balancing a career with outdated social norms.
| We are 50 percent of the world and mothers of the other 50 percent. So we have a mission to transform the world through our wisdom and generosity. —Sônia Hess de Souza President, Dudalina S/A |
Participants in the conference, “Women's Economic Empowerment in Brazil: Lessons from the Top”—AS/COA's first gender conference in São Paulo—listened to personal stories such as Sônia Hess de Souza's, whose mother raised 16 children while building Dudalina S/A, one of the largest retail corporations in the country today. "She would put kids to bed and balance the books at night," she recalled. Other leading women in business and public service such as ex-Senator Marina Silva shared their success stories and discussed how to build more opportunities for young women to reach top leadership. Between panels, table leaders moderated conversations on two career points: (1) leading in a male-dominated environment, and (2) developing a personal brand at work.
On Succeeding in Male-Dominated Environments
Even while balancing family obligations, participants agreed that women can often succeed in male-dominated environments by being ethical, multitasking, and leading by example. Jaime Ardila, General Motors' president in South America, agrees. When speaking during an event panel, he named several traits that distinguish women leaders.
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