Angela Gandra: "If we were to expect the same role from everyone, we would destroy society"
Angela Vidal Gandra da Silva Martins, Brazil’s Secretary of State for Family Affairs, was a guest at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium – Danube Institute’s Patriotic Talks online intellectual summit series in late December. We had the opportunity to talk to the Secretary of State with a law degree, who also works as a researcher, about family policy, women's and men's roles, and patriotism.
– What do you think about family policy in Hungary, is it comparable to Brazil?
– I think we're on a similar path in many ways. Families are in the focus of our national strategy adopted at the end of last year, just as Hungary pays special attention to them. Moreover, although there are those who try to make your constitution extreme or radical, the Brazilian constitution similarly protects the institution of marriage. We have a category called stable union that treats life partners in the same way as married couples in terms of property rights, but our constitution makes it clear: marriage is between a woman and a man.
– Hungary also helps large families with tax benefits and home creation programs. Do you think this direction is right?
– We would be happy to take over these measures, but unfortunately our budget does not allow it. I think it’s all real support for families, not some kind of paternity over them, as the government gives them autonomy. I know that after the communist regime, Hungary started from scratch again, and even in the early 2000s it struggled with economic problems. It is only in the last decade that the goal of embracing large families has been set, and this is being implemented effectively. You give them a foundation on which to build a successful society in the long run. There are many who are trying to build a society from the top down, but I think what you do is much more correct: you give a chance to people to develop from the bottom up. I fully agree with the principle that a government not only gives something to a social group, but also encourages it to work, because that is how people will be autonomous, free, responsible. Hungary supports those who build the nation. Your tax policy is also pointing in the direction that the future belongs to families.
– What are the biggest family policy challenges in Brazil right now?
– The previous government interfered too much in people's lives, in addition, it favoured individuals, but did not steer them in the right direction. To counter this, we have launched a campaign to prevent unwanted teenage pregnancies and increase sexual awareness, for example. To enable parents within the family to educate their children well in this matter. I believe that gender ideology has been spun over from an early age, with children encountering sexuality too early and in the wrong way. It’s normal for people to long for love, feel the importance of family, no one wants to grow old alone, but oversexualization is the point that leads to broken families. The fact that people are willing to think with us about the solution is good news. That is why we launched the “strong families” program, which is designed to strengthen and rethink relationships within the family. Our goal is to maintain parental cooperation and intergenerational solidarity, as well.
– How easy or difficult is it to implement such an attitude-forming program in your huge country?
– All of our states and districts are free to decide how to join the central program at the local level. In another campaign, which also covers the whole country, we place great emphasis on the conscious management of content on the Internet, especially on social media. We try to show how technology can affect children and how parents can prevent the harmful effects. Because both television and Internet content are overly sexual in nature, contributing to the spread of domestic violence, paedophilia, suicide, and even self-mutilation. We see that people are excited about our initiatives, but at the same time, the biggest challenge is to reduce media noise, because the press products are the loudest that operate with dubious money, for example from the sex industry. They create fake news and negative sensations, snatch words from their context. It’s not fair, but we go further, we do our thing. And I believe that the people are with us, as are the Hungarians with the Hungarian government.
– Your ministry is also responsible for women's affairs – how do you see the situation of Brazilian women?
– They have to face violence in too many cases. Yet our constitution also states that women and men are equal. This should be the case in homes as well! We must fight to ensure that the voices of women are heard so that they find a worthy place in society, even in political life. Our ministry is also working on this, but we are not taking this mission as a war, we are trying to do it in an elegant way. Not with negative messages, but by building a dialogue between women and men, in consultation with different sections of society, the legislature, employers. We are equal, yet the wealth of society is given by our difference. We need to work together because the most beautiful picture together is when we complement each other, not face each other. That is why we do not claim our rights by shouting, undressing ourselves, but in a subtle way that is worthy of us. Because together with women and men, the superstructure in which we live can be a masterpiece. If we were to expect the same role from everyone, we would destroy society. We agree on many things, but the secret of happiness is to live who we are, our own endowments.
– If you have already mentioned both sexes, what do you think about the role of men in the family and society?
– Their role must also be approached fairly, equitably, which means more than equality. Roles should always be respected given the circumstances. Men are extremely important in the lives of their children, they set an example, they are a point of reference. That’s why it’s important to spend time with their family at home, not just their work. Not only should they make money, but they should also have responsibilities around the house. I don’t think it’s to be followed that the woman takes care of the kids and runs the household, the man just earns the money for it. Here, too, we are trying to make people more aware. The household also has a shared responsibility. A good mother and a good father are irreplaceable in the lives of children, no one can play their parenting role in their place. Both tasks are special, so it’s important that both the woman and the man give their best. And the government should create the conditions for this.
– And what does patriotism mean to you, how important is it for Brazilians to serve a wider community, their nation?
– Patriotism is an essential feature of a good citizen who wants to do for his country. As our president puts it: the nation is above us and God is above all. It is in this spirit that we work for our culture, for our many beautiful traditions, and it is the responsibility of families to pass these on between the generations. Within a nation, we are all a large family with the same background, but we do not define ourselves against other cultures. We respect others because if we didn’t, it would no longer be patriotism, but nationalism. There is no such thing as my nation being better than yours. We need to understand, we need to accept each other. Countercultures do not act against certain cultures, but against humanity. At the same time, patriotism brings out good things, it’s a beautiful gift. It’s part of our identity that we didn’t choose, we were born into. We must live with an open heart, respecting the rights of others. However, Brazilians are perhaps overly cosmopolitan, which is why we are trying to emphasize the importance of patriotism with the President.
– Because of the coronavirus, a lot is changing in the world. What direction do you think we are heading?
– I believe that we are moving from individualism to solidarity. This is needed, as is intergenerational cooperation. So maybe we'll be more human. Tight families now have more together because of the home office, so they need to find a balance between work and private life. We realize who are the ones who need us. Unfortunately, we lose others, but maybe that also brings out human things from us. We must also try to turn difficulties to our advantage, because suffering can make a person better by learning from it. This is a serious lesson in solidarity. Of course, some of the media still weighs in on the negative news, but don’t worry about it! Rather, let’s look at how we can help each other, how we can be responsible citizens, family members. If so, a better world could come.
About Angela Vidal Gandra da Silva Martins
The Secretary of State of the Brazilian Ministry of Women, Family Affairs and Human Rights holds a law degree from the University of São Paulo, a master’s degree in philosophy of law and a doctorate from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. He is a visiting professor and researcher at Harvard University, specializing in legal and philosophical anthropology. He is a lecturer in Roman law and the introduction of philosophy of law, a former partner of the Gandra Martins Law Firm. He is a member of the FECOMERCIO Supreme Legal Council, the Brazilian Academy of Philosophy and the Legal Letters Academy in Sao Paulo. He teaches at the CEU Faculty of Law, and is president of the Ives Gandra Institute of Law, Philosophy and Economy.
