Imagine being asked to discuss your birth control in a job interview. While almost inconceivable for women in the United States, it’s par for the course in Brazil, especially for executive women. Though Brazil leads South America in its share of female workers, with women making up more than 50 percent of its workforce and 30 percent of its executive ranks, the country still offers little support—or protection—to working women trying to balance career and family.

Such challenges took center stage at Working Mother Media’s first Global Women’s Town Hall, held last August in São Paulo, Brazil. IBM was the visionary host sponsor for the event, which was also sponsored by Citi, Mattel, McDonald’s, Johnson & Johnson, Shell and Wal-Mart. “Brazilian women, just like U.S. women, have challenges of work/life balance and being the pacesetter of that balance,” says Marilyn Johnson, vice president of market development at IBM, which employs approximately 9,000 workers in Brazil. Like their U.S. counterparts, Brazilian women have long taken leadership roles in everything from community service and politics to owning their own businesses. However, social pressures tend to weigh heavily on Latin American women, says Johnson, who has had management and operational responsibility in Latin America. “A lot is expected of Brazilian women, as far as responsibilities at home with parents and grandparents, as well as children,” she says. Johnson also notes that, as in the United States, insufficient or unsatisfactory child care remains a problem in Brazil, one that tends to fall solely on women’s shoulders. Possibly most daunting, Brazilian women and their colleagues across Latin America still face powerful cultural stereotypes dictating that women should remain at home—and men should not pitch in, says Arisa Batista Cunningham, vice president of global diversity, comprehensive and surgical care groups at Johnson & Johnson. “There are cultural issues that affect flexibility options, making it extremely difficult for women to balance family life and self—and other responsibilities that are not related to the workplace,” she says. But the problem isn’t just with male bosses, argues Iêda Novais, managing director of consulting services at Trevisan, a consulting, accounting and outsourcing firm based in São Paulo. In her Legacy Award keynote, Novais noted that Brazilian women sometimes perpetuate stereotypes themselves. “Prejudice exists,” she says, “but it is even greater inside us.” Cunningham says concerns regarding the prevalence and impact of such obstacles became clearer as she led an instant polling session with the event’s approximately 350 participants. About 40 percent of those polled said they struggle to balance work and home responsibilities, while another 40 percent said their biggest challenge was finding time for a personal life. As for a solution, nearly half of the group said they’d prefer flextime over both job-sharing and compressed workweeks. Other common challenges facing Brazilian women include disrespect in their workplaces. Take the birth control question. In Brazil, such queries are not uncommon, which creates an interesting dichotomy: Women get several months off for maternity leave—but may also be asked if they are planning to get pregnant. Attendees reported that they’re also asked about their marital status. According to one attendee, employers still seem to prefer hiring single women, who are less likely to get pregnant. While such practices and perceptions can’t be changed overnight, Johnson stresses that it will help if global companies consistently bring practices of inclusion and diversity honed in the United States to their international offices. “Multinationals need to live according to their values wherever they are creating work opportunities for women,” she says. “Being consistent globally is a must because that goes to the very core of the character of your corporation.”

Next Stop, South Africa Working Mother Media is again taking its message of global support and advocacy for working women on the road—this time to Johannesburg, South Africa.Our second Global Women’s Town Hall, which will be held on August 8 to coincide with South Africa’s National Women’s Day on August 9, will feature leading South African women executives sharing personal and professional experiences and insights. “I’m looking forward to chapter two,” says Marilyn Johnson of IBM, which will again serve as visionary host for the event. Issues for South African working women often involve both gender and racial identity, which can be a challenge for companies doing business in the region. The Johannesburg event aims to foster conversations among high-potential women sent by their global firms from across the country. It will also offer workshops and keynote addresses that will not only inspire but also provide necessary tools for women to advance.  

Pictured: From left: Motorola’s Rosana Fernandes, IBM’s Alessandro Bonorino, Wal-Mart’s Maria Susana de Sousa and ABN AMRO’s Lucimara Makhoul.