More than 200 girls gathered, along with dozens of volunteers mobilized for a common goal. This was the result of the "Go, Girl!" project, which came to life in Guarulhos last October. Bringing together young people from different vulnerable regions, the event created a safe space for listening, learning, and empowerment. 

Conceived by Luciana Sabbag, a RenovaBR alumna and specialist in Public Policies and Social Projects, "Vai, Menina!" (Go, Girl!) arose from the conviction that promoting gender equality and female empowerment is an issue that needs to be at the center of public policies, requires collective work, and must reach women from an early age. 

The gathering brought together girls aged 10 to 18, who participated in discussion groups about self-esteem, aesthetic pressure, and violence, as well as practical workshops on self-defense, digital security, and creative expression. 

The experience of bringing the project to life translates, in practice, the vision that Luciana has built throughout her career. “It has always bothered me to see how many girls and women grow up in fear, with fewer opportunities, or being taught to belittle themselves. But it was when I started working with social projects and, later, with organizations like Plan International that this became a structured cause in my life,” she says. 

For her, public policies that ignore this stage end up acting only on the effects and not on the causes of inequalities. "I understood that it's not enough to talk about equality when women are already adults. It's necessary to start in childhood and adolescence, empowering girls from an early age," she adds. 

From personal journey to building a collective cause.

From an early age, she began to question the roles and limitations imposed on women, and this perspective was structured over more than fifteen years of work at the intersection of public administration, the third sector, and strategic communication. 

Along this path, Luciana states that she faced barriers common to many women seeking leadership positions. She emphasizes that there is an expectation and requirement for them to prove their competence. 

It was during the formation of RenovaBR that the idea of “Go, Girl!” gained structure and transformed into a concrete project. According to Luciana, the qualification and political training were essential to organize the planning, consider the impact, and enable the mobilization necessary to bring the initiative to life.

Today, the project continues to expand, with new editions, lectures, and workshops being taken to different cities and contexts, always adapted to local realities.

She emphasizes that considering women's issues means understanding that many of the limitations they face in adulthood begin early in life. “Girls are often taught to be quiet, more cautious, and to doubt their own potential. Therefore, self-esteem needs to be worked on from an early age, so that we don't carry this insecurity. When we work on courage, autonomy, and leadership during adolescence, we help to form women who know their rights and believe in their potential to occupy spaces,” she points out. 

More women and a collective challenge for politics. 

For Luciana, increasing female representation in positions of power still depends on profound changes. On one hand, it is necessary to confront cultural barriers that keep women away from politics; on the other, to advance institutional mechanisms that guarantee real conditions for participation.

She also draws attention to the impact of gender-based political violence, which discourages female participation, and to the need for greater investment in women candidates.

In her view, empowering girls from an early age—as proposed by "Go, Girl!"—is also part of this transformation. After all, raising girls to be more confident, aware of their rights, and prepared to lead is an essential step in building a more diverse and representative political landscape.