Natasha Niebieskikwiat
05/15/2021 1:27 PM
Clarín.com
Politics
Updated 05/15/2021 1:27 PM
A report on the National Public Administration today affirms that they have
the highest proportion of women in high-ranking positions
, 37.5% until December 2019. It also recognizes that what is called the glass ceiling manifests itself as Move up the hierarchical ladder, that is, to leadership positions.
Even so, although they are not the majority, not even half,
women made themselves heard
in Alberto Fernandez's administration with the imposition of a
gender agenda
, which not only led the President to fulfill his promise to make legal and free the voluntary abortion.
There is an important visibility of women that goes beyond the feminist agenda, and that in some cases even generates
internal divisions
between more and less radical positions.
This week, the women of the Government polished a lengthy report published by
The New York Times
under the title
"These three feminists are changing Argentina from within
.
"
He named them like this: Vilma Ibarra, the president's main legal adviser who has the authority to draft bills and decrees, wrote the landmark abortion bill.
Elizabeth Gómez Alcorta, Prime Minister of Women, Gender and Diversity of the country;
and Mercedes D'Alessandro,
first national director of Economy, equality and gender within the Ministry of Economy,
and author of "Feminist Economy".
Even so,
the most important official
regarding the government's
economic vision
is Cecilia Todesca, an economist and deputy chief of staff.
Her immediate boss is Santiago Cafiero, however with her experience as an economist, this woman with an always alternative look, accompanies Minister Martín Guzmán.
The logo of the Mujeres Gobernando chat, which groups together the national administration officials.
There are more than 250 in the group
Due to her historical proximity to Fernández, but also because of the power of the pen in her position, Vilma Ibarra is undoubtedly the captain of a group that set up a WhatsApp chat called Mujeres Gobernando.
Its logo is a drawing of the Casa Rosada, and 250 participants
, all from the national administration, and technically the chat is at the limit of space.
In other words, it is a "tribe" that
does not include
female
legislators
-Argentina was also the first country in Latin America and the Caribbean to establish a gender quota for Congress in 1991 and, since 2017, there has been a parity law for the Congress-, therefore to Cristina Kirchner, and
not to the first lady, Fabiola Yañez.
The Legal and Technical Secretary of the Presidency of the Nation, Vilma Ibarra, and the Minister of Health of the Nation, Dr. Carla Vizzotti, spoke before senators.
The interesting thing about what is happening, in turn, is not only that the real Head of the government is a woman, like Cristina Kirchner, but also that today
two women are the ones who are at the forefront of the most important challenge for Fernández, such as the of the management of the
coronavirus
pandemic
.
And they are, Carla Vizzotti, the Minister of Health, and the presidential advisor
Cecilia Nicolini
, who, being outside the historical Kirchnerist nucleus of power, knew how to gain the internal trust of Fernández and carry out international negotiations with the successor of Ginés González García around a matter as sensitive and rugged as the
purchase of vaccines
against COVID 19.
For their part, Gomez Alcorta and D'Alessandro also maintain a centrality in the administration of the pandemic, taking into account that Argentina is on the way to having half of its population under the poverty line, and where women are the most affected. Gómez Alcorta speaks of
three groups of action: one focused on gender violence; another in food emergencies; and another in emergency family income,
since at least 10 million people receive assistance.
The other central women in the management are the Minister of Security, Sabina Frederic, who continues internally a pro-gender line that was opened by Nilda Garré, with Kirchnerism, and Patricia Bullrich, with Cambiemos.
And on the other hand, Florencia Carignano, the first National Director of Migration, and in charge, among other central issues of internal filters, of managing
pandemic
border restrictions
.
Florence Carignano and Wado de Pedro.
Photo Ministry of the Interior
Although they respond to a man, Máximo Kirchner, two young women from La Cámpora handle important cash.
They are Fernanda Raverta, Executive Director of the National Social Security Administration (ANSES) and Luana Volnovich, Executive Director of PAMI.
Victoria Tolosa Paz
, partner of the businessman and friend of the president, Pepe Albistur, is the president of the National Council for the Coordination of Social Policies, and who
often overshadows the very activity of Minister Daniel Arroyo.
In fact, the
Women Governing
chat
is a working group on management and includes government ministers, state secretaries, undersecretaries, area coordinating directors.
Clarín spoke with several of the officials, ministers, directors, who opted for anonymity.
One of the least known women in chat and yet one of those who work the most is, for example,
Ana Castellani
, Secretary of Management and Public Employment of the Nation
The Minister of Security Sabina Frederic last March when President Alberto Fernández signed the act of commitment "Federal Agreement for a United Argentina against gender violence" Photo: Luciano Thieberger - Clarín
They trusted, for example, that they do not always coincide, even with the President, such as when, after displacing
Maria Eugenia Bielsa
from the Ministry of Housing, she was succeeded by a man, the former mayor Jorge Ferraresi.
And another man, Martín Soria, succeeded Marcela Losardo in the Ministry of Justice.
Not all, they say, agree with proposals such as the use of inclusive language
- the use of "e" in nouns and adjectives - in all public administration documentation.
And not all of them agree with campaigns like the one promoted by D'Alessandro for
"Menstrual Justice"
, which already accumulates several national and regional bills and in which they
ask, for example, to stop paying taxes on health products in menstruation
, specifically VAT on wipes, tampons and medication for the dates of menstrual days.
And it also promotes free provision of menstrual management items for low-income women.
There was strong internal criticism for the director of Inadi, Victoria Donda, for her
scandal in the labor treatment of her former domestic employee
- she had her in black and sought to "repay" her with a position in the State.
However, the chat is overcoming the problems, they say, and they remain in
continuous support of "the companions"
, they point out.
For example, the one who receives a lot of support is "Carla" (Vizzotti) for clearly circumstantial reasons.
And most have common difficulties - which men suffer much less - when, for example, work overlaps them in hours and trips with their children and families.
NE