With a career marked by a commitment to social transformation, Roberta Teixeira takes on a new challenge as deputy mayor of Nova Iguaçu, a city in the Baixada Fluminense region with over one million inhabitants. A lawyer, civil servant and future doctor, she combines her professional experience with the desire to strengthen the female presence in politics and expand public policies aimed at women.
“I am a 43-year-old woman, born and raised in Nova Iguaçu. I am married and have two daughters, Sofia and Alice. I have always been passionate about serving the people, but it was in 2019 that I made the decision to enter politics, inspired by the work of my brother, who began his career as the municipal health secretary and is now a federal deputy. Politics is the greatest instrument of social transformation that we have, as it allows us to impact the lives of thousands of people through structured public policies,” says Roberta.
Daughter and granddaughter of politicians, Roberta grew up in an environment where politics was always present. However, her entry into public life was not automatic. In 2019, she attended RenovaBR Cidades, a course that broadened her vision of electoral campaigns and municipal management.
“RenovaBR taught me how to structure campaigns, better understand public administration and plan effective actions. In Baixada Fluminense, politics is still very welfare-based. I learned about new strategies, such as crowdfunding, ideological mobilization and data-based management. Now, I want to use this learning to transform people’s lives and inspire other women to occupy positions of power,” explains Roberta.
Priority and difficulties for women
Roberta's main focus is women's issues, with three areas of action: women's health, training and entrepreneurship, and combating domestic violence. To ensure cross-cutting action, she intends to structure the Municipal Women's Secretariat, integrating health, education, and social assistance.
“In health, we will expand services for women; in education, we will offer support to mothers of atypical children; in social assistance, we will strengthen services for victims of domestic violence. In addition, training and entrepreneurship are essential to guarantee financial autonomy for women and allow them to break cycles of violence,” explains Roberta.
Despite the advances in female representation in Brazil, Nova Iguaçu still faces a challenging scenario. “We will not have any women on the City Council in the next term. This shows how much we need to advance in female representation in local politics. During the campaign, I realized how much the women in the city identified with my candidacy and felt motivated to seek greater prominence. My commitment is to create a movement that strengthens the female presence in the next elections”, emphasizes the vice-mayor.
Challenges and commitment to management
The city’s management faces complex challenges, mainly due to its large territorial extension and the diversity of realities among its neighborhoods. “The biggest challenge is to ensure that public services reach the entire population, especially in the most peripheral areas. Nova Iguaçu has grown a lot, and regions such as Quilômetro 32, Miguel Couto and Austin have very different needs. We need to decentralize services so that residents do not need to travel to the center to access essential services,” he explains.
The new administration represents the continuation of a highly regarded government, led by the current mayor, who was reelected in the last election. “Our government plan was built with responsibility and realism, based on concrete data about the city. We do not promise illusions, but rather possible and effective deliveries. The elected mayor already has experience in municipal administration and, together, we want to ensure progress in all areas, maintaining the focus on efficiency and improving the population’s quality of life”, he concludes.
