Ambassador Vanessa Dout de Faria decided to become a diplomat at age 12, having never met one.
The episode begins with Felipe Figueiredo explaining that regular host Matias Pinto is absent due to a leg fracture. He announces a book launch event for Heitor Loureiro's 'Genocídio Armênio' on April 5th in São Paulo. Figueiredo introduces the special episode on women in diplomacy, a follow-up to a 2023 edition, featuring an interview with Ambassador Vanessa Dout de Faria. The ambassador shares her personal journey, deciding at age 12 to become a diplomat despite having no family connections to the field. She entered the diplomatic career in 1999 after studying law at USP and living in Germany as an exchange student. Dout de Faria explains her role as High Representative for Gender Issues, a position created in March 2023 to help Brazil recover traditional positions on gender and human rights after the previous government. She details Brazil's affirmative action policy for the diplomatic admission contest, which reserved additional spots for women in the second phase, increasing women's participation from 20% to 32% without judicial challenges. The conversation addresses the lack of female foreign ministers in Brazil and Uruguay, with Dout de Faria emphasizing how visible female leadership creates inspiration for future generations. She counters arguments about meritocracy by explaining her privileged background and the need to correct historical injustices. The ambassador discusses Brazil's participation in international initiatives like the Global Arrangement on Gender Trade and the Global Alliance for Care. She explains the significance of the 1995 Beijing Conference on women's rights and Brazil's recent achievements at the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Dout de Faria analyzes different countries' approaches to feminist foreign policy, noting Sweden's pioneering role in 2014 and Brazil's different trajectory. She mentions Brazil's campaign for a female UN Secretary-General, potentially Michelle Bachelet. The interview concludes with career advice for young women considering diplomacy and cultural recommendations including the book 'Diplomatas' about women diplomats.
