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With only 25 years of age, Alana Souza has stood out as a symbol of female representativeness in the western municipality of Brazil, Mâncio Lima, in the interior of Acre, when becoming the younger councilwoman of the municipality. Its trajectory highlights not the importance of female presence in positions of power and politics as a tool for social inclusion.
The desire for politics awakened in Alana by participating in a cooperative in 2021/ Photo: Social Networks
This year 2025 is 93 years of the conquest of the female vote right, however, gradually the female presence in politics has grown in the country. Alana Souza is part of the Chamber with the largest number of parliamentary women among Acre municipalities. Of the 11 chairs, 4 are occupied by them.
The path to politics began in 2021, when Alana, who is an agronomist engineer, entered the cooperative movement, assuming at age 21 the presidency of a coffee cooperative, an experience that, she said, aroused her vocation to collective work. A few months later, he assumed the position of Production Secretary, becoming the first woman to occupy the role in more than four decades of history of the municipality.
“It was in the Secretariat of Production that I saw the importance of public policies. When they arrive, those who need it most, when there are committed people and also the need for more women in politics, the need for people who really have that look and that commitment to the tip. As I worked from the beginning with the producers, with the countryside, so I felt a lot this need to have someone to give voice to these people, ”he explains.
Alana has as one of the main guidelines, family farming/ photo: social network
The presence of women in spaces of power
As in daily experiences, there are numerous barriers that exist in their trajectory. During this period, the young woman reveals that she has faced various forms of prejudice related to her age and gender, but training in agronomic engineering and commitment to family farming were decisive to gain community respect.
“For me it was one of the most challenging points. And another was the fact that it is also the youngest. At the time I took over I was 21 years old. I heard a lot of prejudiced comments. And I had to prove my potential every day, my ability. What contributed a lot was humility. I listened to the people who had been there for a long time. But for many moments I have been embarrassing situations, situations of prejudice, intimidation for being a woman, being young, ”he reveals.
The performance as a secretary of production served as the foundation for the candidacy for verification in 2024. Elected with great popular support, the young woman joined a bench composed of four women, marking an advance in female representativeness in the City Council. Currently, he holds the position of first secretary of the Board of Directors, one of the most important in the Legislative House.
“But I said, the technical part, it was very important because I was in a place I studied. So I was aware of enough to defend, to seek. Today, as a councilwoman, as I had already won my space at the Secretariat of Production, I had already tasted my ability, it was much easier for me to reach the homes, I ask for vote, because people had this confidence in my name, ”he says.
WOMAN IN POLICY
Alana Souza was the second best voted woman in the municipality and 7th parliamentary in the general ranking of votes. Its main flags are agriculture as a source of economic development, the inclusion of youth and the strengthening of female protagonism in politics. Alana believes that union among women is essential to break down barriers and gain more space in decision making.
Alana was honored as a woman featured 2023 by the Chamber of Mâncio Lima/ Photo: Social Network
“I always say that the woman is more sensitive to the whole, but especially to the causes of the woman, who has nothing better than a woman to talk about another woman. This political participation is very important and I really want to be an incentive, a reference for other women are entering this environment. Gradually we are conquering our space. Of course, having to prove every day, but the union is strength. There are two legislatures ago, we had only one woman and she always comments to me that it was very difficult for her, had to shut up many times and today she feels very comfortable. It turns out that we are a support network for each other, ”he argues.
The councilwoman believes that the growing participation of women in politics enables the guidelines classified as “female” to have greater visibility in the public power, and that others are encouraged to occupy spaces in positions of powers and decision making.
“We increasingly want to encourage women and show that women can be in politics, that women can participate in the decision making of our municipality and all the positions they have interest,” he added.
Aspirations for the future
Despite the short time in political life, the desire for collective good and the concern for relevant guidelines, both for youth and small producers, in particular, makes Alana aim to pursue career and in the future, perhaps, hold a position in the municipal executive.
“Of course we need to feel the moment, also feel support issues and everything, but yes, I have greater aspirations. But I always say one step at a time. That’s why I started today as a councilwoman, because I want to live every step, understand politics, in fact learn this whole process to, if God willing, in the future we take wider steps, steps further ahead. And arrive, for sure, maybe the mayor, ”he said.
