Only 28% of secretarial positions in state governments and Brazilian capitals are held by women, totaling 341 secretaries across the country. The data are from the first Census of Secretariesled by the Aleias, Alziras, Foz and Travessia Políticas Públicas Institutes, with the support of the Lemann Foundation and Open Society Foundations.
The census mapped 698 state and 536 municipal bodies and considered secretaries who held positions between November 2023 and March 2024. During this period, only one capital, Natal, and three states, Alagoas, Pernambuco and Ceará, reached gender parity. On the other hand, 20 states and 16 capitals did not reach 30% of women in their secretariat.
The study shows that women are more present in social portfolios both in states (53%) and in capitals (44%). However, their participation in areas considered strategic, such as infrastructure (22% in states and 18% in capitals), central bodies (18% in both) and economy (15% in states and 30% in capitals), remains limited.
“The concentration of women in sectors such as social assistance, health and education — areas of high visibility and budget — reflects the phenomenon of horizontal segregation, which limits women’s access to areas linked to technology, mathematics and engineering, reinforcing gender stereotypes”, evaluated the entities on a note.
The inclusion of racial self-declaration in the questionnaire allowed the survey of the racial profile of women who occupy secretarial positions. The numbers show that 57.4% of the secretaries who responded to the form identify as white; 37.8%, as black or mixed race; 3%, as indigenous people; and 2%, as yellow.
High qualification
The survey reveals that 43% of secretaries have some type of specialization; 26% have a master’s degree and 10% have completed a doctorate. Among black women, this qualification is even higher: 44% have a specialization and 32% a master’s degree.
Furthermore, 66% of secretaries have 21 years or more of professional experience and 61% have spent the majority of their careers in the public sector, with 67% already working in the sector before taking on the role of secretary.
When investigating the institutional spaces covered by these women, the survey identified that 40% of the professionals came from another department and 33% from the same department, indicating advancement within the Executive itself.
“The smaller proportion with experience in executive functions outside the secretariats and in legislative positions suggests that experience in direct administration is an important factor for ascension to the top position”, assessed the entities.
First term
Despite the trajectory, the census indicates that 50% of these women are occupying the position of secretary for the first time, “which may indicate a recent phenomenon of women entering these positions, even for those with high qualifications and extensive experience”.
“The institutes analyze that, although women are the majority (61%) at the base of the public service pyramid, they face structural obstacles to reaching positions of greater power and decision-making.”
Disability and political activism
Another fact raised is the underrepresentation of women with disabilities, as 1.3% or only three secretaries declare themselves to be disabled. As for political participation, almost half have some party affiliation and one in five has been a party leader.
According to the census, 23% of self-declared black secretaries mentioned the influence of feminist activism in their career, compared to 9.8% of white secretaries. 17.2% of black women mentioned participation in other social movements, while 25% of white women reported not having participated in any of these groups and movements.
“These data suggest that black women face greater structural barriers and, therefore, previous experiences of training and political participation drive their ascension to leadership positions”, highlighted the entities.
Career
When asked about their intentions to continue in the public sector, 77% of the secretaries responded that they intend to continue working with public policies. However, only 17% expressed interest in running for elected office in the future, while 57% do not intend to do so and 26% are still undecided.
Recommendations
Given the scenario, the institutes listed recommendations such as:
– create a gender parity law in secretariats;
– deepen research into the relationship between secretaries and political parties;
– map existing government structures to support women in senior positions;
– create a support network to share challenges and good practices;
– develop monitoring mechanisms in their trajectories.
The second stage of the census, scheduled for November, will bring data on domestic work and political violence based on gender and race, in addition to presenting a final analysis on challenges faced by women in leadership positions in the public sector.
