Women who make a better Mexico

The columnists of Opinion 51 were present at the FIL Monterrey 2022 with a series of intellectual duels between them. In these duels there were opinions, passion, arguments and debate. To end the week, together with Bayer, we awarded some women to recognize their work through words and action in the search for a better Mexico.

The latest IMCO report on women in business tells us that only 11% of women occupy the most relevant positions in the private sector. To talk about how the inclusion of women in companies is good business, we had the participation of Laura Tamayo, Director of Communication, Public Affairs, Science and Sustainability at Bayer and President of the Inclusion and Diversity Commission of the Business Coordinating Council (CCE).

Recognizing the Women who make a Better Mexico is vital today more than ever, visibility allows them to be an example that inspires the next generations.

The award was designed by Mayram Zamudio and was inspired by THE WORD, all its feathers are united by the virgula of the word, a pre-Hispanic symbol that represents communication in its maximum expression.

The following are our award winners:

• Marcelina Bautista. She found through her own story the voice that has allowed her to transform the country's legislation, and to raise awareness about the rights of women whose work has historically been relegated despite the great importance and contribution they have in the construction of the country. We thank her for what she has done for domestic workers.

• Maribel Ramirez Coronel. The pandemic put health at the center of public life. Her years of work covering health issues, her tenacity and her ability to communicate to the population everything that happens in the health sector are just some of the reasons to recognize her work.

• Andrea Saenz-Arroyo. Among the 2030 goals is environmental stewardship and Andrea has dedicated her life to researching and documenting solutions that could make a difference in our chances of surviving as a species and saving the planet.

• Ana María Olabuenaga. Named by Monsiváis as the Empress of ephemeral impact, she is not only the best publicist in Latin America, she has also been generous with her creativity to join projects that make Mexico a better place, especially a better place for women.

• Graciela Rojas. There is no doubt that education is the way out in order to aspire to a better country. And not only quality education, but one that focuses on STEM skills focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Every day Graciela works to make a good Mexican education system a reality for all our children.

• Ivabelle Arroyo. This world would not be the same if it were not for journalism, especially journalism that asks the most pertinent questions. Ivabelle has a very special place in the construction of this country, because just one of her questions gave rise to a project that today gives us all so much, as is Opinion 51. For her excellent work, her generosity and her tenacity, we give her this recognition.

• Liliana Melo de Sada. She is an example of how to put all the tools at her disposal to improve the lives of whoever crosses her path, from the promotion of the arts, to the project that today fills us with pride, putting the focus on women through the Paseo de la Mujer Mexicana.

• Laura Ballesteros. She has focused on a very important issue: mobility. Talking about how we get there and how long it takes to get to the places we go has to do with the opportunities we have, the goals we can achieve, and the cities we want to build.

• Barbara Arredondo. Another area where we still see huge gaps is in access to financial services. The more tools you have, the more and better possibilities to build a future, and to live in freedom. Barbara is the founder of Lidh, a platform for financial services and financial education with a gender perspective, and also co-founder of Decididas, a platform to make women in Latin America more visible.

• Sofía Segovia: Who would have thought that anyone would be interested in the story that a woman in Monterrey had to tell about the life of people in the north of the country? Well, more than a million people, in 18 different languages, have been interested. If the word is the engine of transformation, literature is its hurricane. To recognize her is to give a name to the best-selling Latin American author, who not only transports us to different times and places, but also makes us believe in magic.

• Denise Dresser. Only rebellious people will change the world. Rebelliousness implies many things, the ability to see and point out what is not right, and to raise our voices even in complicated times like ours. But it is thanks to the rebels that we maintain a thread that connects us with reality. To the biggest rebel, or the one who defines herself as a provocateur, we thank and recognize the power of her voice, her congruence and consistency.

• Sister Consuelo Morales. Mexico lives the tragedy of the more than 100,000 disappeared. In the country of clandestine graves, there is a woman who, with her faith as her only weapon, has accompanied the families on this journey. Years of work in the defense of human rights allow us to admire and recognize her.

• Blanca Melo. She is a voracious reader; the book club in which she has participated since 1975 counts at least 2,000 books that each of its members has read. The doors of her house are open for this exercise, but also the books she reads, she has given away more than 1,300. This book club has also been the inspiration for the creation of many others. She has said that the "smallest action is worth more than the greatest intention", with more than forty years dedicated to philanthropy, she is also a woman of great intentions and immense actions.

• Consuelo Saizar. If it were not for her, none of us would be here. In closing, at Opinion 51 we believe in words and commitment. We have drawn up a pact for women to which we want more women to adhere wherever we are.

Thank you.

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