SOCIETY 374 / 2018

tween Chile and Austria date back to the first
half of the 19th century and in 1903, the first
Austrian embassy was established in Chile. As of
today, what could Austria and Chile learn from
each other and how important are good diplomatic
relations between the two countries?
I already mentioned the areas where Chile
could learn from Austria. Those where Austria
could learn from Chile - although I prefer to say
cooperate - are solar energy, ocean sciences, Antarctic
issues and astronomy. Chile is blessed with
a splendid and clean sky and many international
observatories are based in my country.
Austria and Chile share many common values
(like respect for human rights, democracy, rule of
law, international law, separation of power, transparency,
open markets); we value multilateralism
and can work together especially in uncertain or
difficult global scenarios.
Chile will host the APEC Summit next year and
Austria is invited to participate as an observer. It
is an opportunity for Austria to come close to Asia
since it is looking to diversify its export markets.
Chile could be an excellent platform for that aim.
Since 2015, there is a Ministry of Women and
Gender Equality in Chile that was coined by the
former president Michelle Bachelet - what is it
doing to improve the situation of women?
The National Secretary for Women, the predecessor
to the Ministry of Women and Gender
Equality, was created in 1991. In 2015, it was established
as a Ministry and changed its name to
include gender equality. Its purposes are: promoting
the culture of equality, autonomy, nondiscrimination
and non-violence against women
in our society. Its purpose is not women against
men but the respect of diversity.
This Ministry promotes and secures the rights
of women and foments gender equality. It works
to ensure that all women are treated with respect
and without discrimination and supports women
to enter employment and enterprises. It combats
violence against women in all its forms; foments
co-responsibility between man and woman in the
field of taking care for children, family and working
tasks. The Ministry also analyses how to better
understand women’s needs and gender equality.
This institution takes care of the respect of human
rights of women in accordance to international
CURRICULUM
VITAE
H.E. Gloria Navarrete Pinto
was born in Santiago de
Chile on September 6,
1959. She studied law at
the Pontificia Universidad
Catolica de Chile and finished
her Diploma in Law
in 1981. From 1984-1988
she studied at the Chilean
Diplomatic Academy “Andrés
Bello’. From 1993 to
1995, she attended London
School of Economics and
Political Science, where
she completed as Magister
in Law (LLM). She entered
the foreign service in
1986 in the Department of
Protocol. From 1997-1999
she was Second Secretary,
at the Embassy of Chile to
Austria/ Permanent Mission
to the United Nations
in Vienna (UNOV). From
1999-2001 she was First
Secretary at the Embassy
of Chile to the United
Kingdom and from 2002
– 2004 Head of Cabinet
of the Deputy Minister
of Foreign Affairs. From
2004-2009 she was Counsellor
at the Embassy of
Chile to Ireland. From 2011
to 2014 she was Minister-
Counsellor, Deputy Head
of the Embassy of Chile to
Belgium / Alternate Permanent
Representative of
the Mission of Chile to the
European Union. January
to March 2014 she was Coordinator
for the transition
of the presidential power
to the elected President
of Chile, Mrs. Michelle
Bachelet. From March 2014
to March 2018 she served
as Ambassador, Director-
General of the Chile State
protocol. Since August
2018 she is Ambassadordesignate
at the Embassy
of Chile to Austria and the
international Organizations
to Vienna. She is married
and has three children.
»Sometimes I
think that us
female Ambassadors,
we
don’t need a
husband but a
wife.
«
H.E. Gloria Navarrete
Pinto speaking with
Tanja Tauchhammer
WOMEN AMBASSADORS
INTERVIEW CHILE
agreements that Chile has ratified. Furthermore, it
elaborates public policies to encompass the different
realities of women in Chile. In order to ensure
that it fulfils its purposes, there is an inter-ministerial
committee to oversee gender equality. The
idea is to incorporate the gender equality framework
in the whole State performance, i.e., it cuts
across all the State policies and acts.
You were the first woman in Chile to be “Directora
de Protocolo” under Michelle Bachelet’s
government. Why is it, that there are still less
women in leading positions than men and what
could be done to change this?
There are less women in leading positions, and
this is very much my personal opinion, because
women are more selfless that men. They were educated
to care for others and put their own needs and
wishes behind. It was seen as natural. The world has
changed. The new generations have had access to
education and of course we want to have the same
opportunities as our male counterparts.
The Chilean Governments have passed a legislation
that actively promotes gender equality,
like education, facilitate re-entry in the labour
market, flexible hours of work, nurseries and afterschool
care centres. The State bodies and public
enterprises preach with their example and appoint
women as CEOs or members of their boards
so the private sector could see the benefits of having
women in higher positions. Women in powerful
positions should help and motivate other
women to follow their example. President Bachelet
always said that no trainer would play a match
with only half of his/her team. Diversity enriches.
Is there a difference between male and female
Ambassadors?
I would not like to say that gender is the only
reason for our differences in approaching the
job, although I think that in general, women are
judged harsher than men. Once I read an article
on the perception of female and male attitudes.
For instance, what it is seen as aggressiveness in a
woman, in a man, it is considered character.
As mother of three children and working as a
diplomat, I always had to be very organized. For
male Ambassadors, their wives are in charge of
taking care of the children, decorating the house,
host parties etc. In my case, I had to do that all
myself. Sometimes, I would think that us female
Ambassadors, we don’t need a husband, but a
wife.
I would prefer to say that personality is the
main difference in how Ambassadors approach
their tasks, and experience as well. In general,
and at risk of upsetting my very distinguished
male counterparts, I would say they tend to speak
more and be more aggressive and like to be seen.
Women in general, we tend to listen more, do not
mind to appear timid and to wait until we are certain
about what we want. Then we are fearless to
defend it!
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SOCIETY 2_2018 | 51