Report shows fewer women leading departments in the Legal Amazon’s capital cities

By Ana Pastana – From Cenarium

MANAUS (AM) – The first edition of the “Census – Brazilian Secretaries” survey, conducted by a committee comprising the Aleias, Alziras, Foz and Travessia Political Public Institutes, revealed that Manaus ranks last among the capitals of the Legal Amazon in terms of women leading municipal departments. In the ranking of capitals within the biome, Boa Vista (58%) and Belém (39%) lead with the highest percentage of women heading municipal departments.

According to the data, the Amazonian capital falls below the national average of 28%, with only 11% of municipal department heads being women, placing it just above the capital of Piauí, Teresina (6%). Compared to other capitals in the Legal Amazon, Manaus has the lowest number of women in top-tier leadership positions.

For Dr. Iraildes Caldas Torres, a professor and Ph.D. in Social Sciences, the data reflects misogyny within the city’s administration. “Brazil is a signatory country to the UN [United Nations], and it is obligated to comply with these guidelines. If the Manaus City Hall does not adhere to gender parity, it is a misogynistic institution that fails to recognize women as productive, capable individuals with rights. The Manaus City Hall is entirely misaligned with the Millennium Guidelines and the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals],” Caldas explained.

Municipal Departments in Manaus

The current municipal administration, led by Mayor David Almeida (Avante), has 28 active departments, according to the official website. Of these, only three are headed by women. Here are their profiles:

• Municipal Secretariat of Communication (Semcom) – Camila Silva

Camila Silva holds a degree in Social Communication – Advertising and has worked in the department’s marketing management for seven years, with almost ten years of experience in the institution. She has been in the advertising and marketing field for 15 years.

• Municipal Secretariat of Health (Semsa) – Shádia Fraxe

Shádia Fraxe is a bachelor of Economics and a physician specializing in Family and Community Medicine. She assumed leadership of the department in January 2021, becoming the first woman to hold this position.

• Consumer Protection and Service Agency (Procon/Manaus) – Onilda Abreu

Onilda Abreu da Silva is a career prosecutor with the State General Prosecutor’s Office of Amazonas (PGE-AM). At the Manaus City Hall, she has served as the Data Protection Officer and coordinated the legal department of the Civil House.

Secretariat of Women

In April 2024, Mayor David Almeida appointed advertising professional Dermi Rayol as Secretary for Women, Social Assistance, and Citizenship. Despite the department’s name including the feminine noun, it will be headed by a man this year: federal deputy Saullo Vianna (União Brasil), an ally of Almeida.

Percentage of Women Secretaries in Brazilian Capitals:

Translated from Portuguese by Gustô Alves