Led by Luiza Helena Trajano , president of the board of directors of Magazine Luiza , the Women of Brazil Group announced, on Tuesday, May 5th, the launch of the 1st Women in Professions Summit, which will take place on August 4th and 5th at Expo Center Norte, in São Paulo.
Intended to be the largest event in Brazil focused on women's professional development, the summit is expected to receive around 10,000 people over the two days and feature approximately 200 presentations by leaders from various fields.
“We want the women who attend the event to be able to discuss how they can improve and advance in their professions. That's why we'll have many lectures. And, for small business owners, we'll have space for them to present their work and talk with experts,” says Trajano.
The backdrop to this movement is the increasing percentage of women who now hold leadership positions. According to LinkedIn data, women represent 32% of these roles. And the plan of the Women of Brazil Group is to make that representation at least 50% in a short time.
In addition to female empowerment and the pursuit of more opportunities in top positions, the group will also work to raise awareness and provide support for men on this path. "It's important that men are with us. They will also be included in the summit," she says.
The event will occupy 14,000 square meters (m²), with spaces for exhibitor booths, companies and entrepreneurs, as well as areas for lectures. The central arena, with a capacity of 2,500 people, will host the main events. In total, there will be 10 themed arenas, one for each group of professions.
Among the summit's supporters is the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae). The idea is also to guarantee recruitment opportunities for professionals. Startups will also have space, with an exclusive arena for pitches.
According to Trajano, the proposal is for the entrepreneurship event to be the first of its kind organized by the Women of Brazil Group, and for the discussion to be ongoing.
“The summit doesn’t end now. It will continue through attitudes and actions that we will promote throughout the year. The group will inaugurate a new headquarters in São Paulo, where we will be able to carry out many other activities,” says the businesswoman.
The chairwoman of Magalu's board says that the group she leads also wants to work towards increasing the number of women in politics. Currently, only 18% of seats in the legislature are held by women.
"We need more women mayors, senators, and representatives. Because then we can be sure that many actions will change, including the fight against crime against women."
Considered one of the largest non-partisan groups in the country, the Women of Brazil Group was created in 2013 and today has more than 140,000 members. There are 161 chapters in Brazil and abroad. In addition to Luiza Helena Trajano as president, the organization has Sonia Hess, former president of the Dudalina shirt company, as vice-president.
Before the official launch of the summit, the president of Mulheres do Brasil gave an exclusive interview to NeoFeed , detailing the event's objectives. Luiza Helena also spoke about the discussions surrounding the end of the 6x1 scale and the current interest rate.
Below are the main excerpts from the interview:
Where did the idea for this event, aimed at strengthening the presence of women in the job market, come from?
We have a very strong group of women. We are more than 140,000 in Mulheres do Brasil (Women of Brazil), and we felt that we don't want to just work in one segment, but to support the entire female audience. We work in more than 10 different areas, where women are present in all areas. We want to bring this to the forefront and have women leading alongside men.
Why do we still have this disparity between men and women in leadership positions in companies?
It's still a significant difference, but the gap is narrowing. The number of women in leadership positions has been growing, and we don't want to take a step backward. What we want is a big leap forward. And to change that, we also need an alliance with men. That's why this moment, the launch of the summit, is so important.
We are in an election year. Does this movement also involve a search for equality between men and women in politics?
Yes. Just as we don't want a decrease in the number of women in companies, the group also works to increase female representation in the political arena. Today, that representation is at 18%. And we also want to reach 50%. In this election, we will work to elect more women.
You have been a constant voice against the high interest rates in Brazil. What is your assessment now of the current level of 14.75% per year?
It's not ideal, but at least it's given a sign. Hopefully it will continue to fall.
Is it possible to understand the reasons why Brazil still has such a high Selic rate?
No. It's really incomprehensible. There's no economic explanation for it. I have
What is your assessment of the discussions taking place in Brasília regarding the project that proposes ending the 6x1 work schedule?
I understand that this is a discussion that, in the end, cannot increase costs for anyone. This measure still needs to be debated further. There is still a lack of dialogue. What cannot happen is an increase in costs for either the worker or the company. That cannot happen.
