My participation in the Sixth World Forum of LED in Seville

Daniela Andreia Schlogel

Economist at the State Secretariat for Planning
Regional Planning Coordinator

Paraná – Brasil

I had the honor of representing the State of Paraná at the VI World Forum of Local Economic Development (WFLED), held from April 1 to 3, 2025, in Seville, Spain.

The event brought together governments, international organizations, institutions, and community leaders to discuss solutions and strategies aimed at local-focused economic development, in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.

On the first day, I participated in an extremely inspiring roundtable discussion on the topic "Practices, Strategies, and Policies for the Empowerment of Women in the Economy." I was moved to hear the stories and experiences of women from different parts of the world, all committed to building more just and equal realities. I had the opportunity to present the actions of the Paraná Productive Program and highlight the commitment of our state of Paraná, Brazil, to public policies with a gender perspective.

I mentioned the creation of the Secretariat for Women, Racial Equality, and Gender Perspective, conceived by our Governor Carlos Massa Ratinho Junior, and also Secretary Guto Silva's initiative to outline policies for women in our 2024-2027 Multi-Year Plan. It was gratifying to see the interest of other participants in the actions we are developing in Paraná to ensure that women occupy decision-making positions and are economically strengthened.

Also on that first day, I attended another panel on the topic "Public Procurement as Local Development Strategies." One speech that struck me was that of Chilean Representative Fernando Pérez Navarro, who shared the experience of the city of Huechuraba with the mandatory hiring of local workers in public tenders. It's a powerful approach that combines regional development with social inclusion.

During the breaks, I had valuable networking opportunities. I met Larissa Marques da Costa, Coordinator of the Ibero-American Network of Municipalities for Equality, who has shown great interest in strengthening relationships with municipalities in the four CODESUL states. I also had the pleasure of speaking with Ana Beatriz Jordão, a Brazilian project manager for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), with whom I shared experiences on urban and social policies.

The second day was dedicated to the topic "Care-Based Approaches for Economic Development Strategies," and I confess that it was one of the panels that most moved me personally. We discussed the importance of caring for those who care—women, the elderly, homemakers, and people with disabilities—and how public policies should recognize the value of this often invisible work. Representative Céline Papin of Bordeaux was particularly sensitive in her speech, emphasizing that care policies do not generate immediate growth, but are fundamental to a just society.

The mayor of Bilbao, Juan María Aburto, offered an important challenge by arguing that the economy must be designed to include all people, with a focus on dignity, care, and well-being. It was a reminder that we need to put human beings at the center of public policies.

On the third day, I was inspired by the presentation by Azuay’s Vice Prefect, Alexandra Quintanilla, who showed how cooking workshops have been used not only for income generation but also as spaces to raise awareness about domestic violence. She also shared the initiative of community laundries, which free up women's time for other activities. These simple but transformative actions made me reflect on how well-thought-out policies can impact multiple dimensions of people's lives: social, economic, and emotional.

I return to Brazil deeply inspired, with new ideas and valuable contacts that will undoubtedly contribute to improving the actions we are already developing in Paraná.

I reinforce my commitment to women's empowerment, the appreciation of care, and the construction of a more just, inclusive, and humane development model.