Brazilian women confront double workload and scant CEO representation

Brazilian women now occupy more roles in society than ever, leading companies and achieving higher education, yet they continue to shoulder almost twice the amount of domestic work compared with men, according to IBGE data. The combined paid and unpaid workload has been linked to rising stress, anxiety and emotional exhaustion, with the World Health Organization noting higher rates of these disorders among women worldwide.

A separate study by the Evermonte Institute found that women hold only 5.2% of chief‑executive positions in Brazil’s largest firms. While men and women typically spend about 18 years advancing to the CEO level, women usually complete nearly three postgraduate degrees versus just one for men and tend to change employers more frequently. The biggest barrier is the transition from senior management to the boardroom, a stage often coinciding with motherhood and increased family responsibilities. Researchers highlight that greater gender diversity in leadership correlates with better financial performance for companies.