Mother, lawyer, and state representative for Pará, Paula Titan carries out her mandate with the purpose of reducing inequalities and bringing concrete changes to legislation. A RenovaBR leader since 2018, she understands that investing in her own education is essential to running for elected office. 

Before taking a seat in the Legislative Assembly of the State of Pará, Paula had already accumulated experience in public administration, working in social assistance. It was during her time as secretary of that area that she became involved in institutional politics. 

Projects that generate impact 

Her first electoral victory came in 2020, when she ran for the City Council of Castanhal, the sixth largest municipality in Pará. Elected councilwoman, she began a term marked by closeness to the population and dedication to social issues. Two years later, she took another step in her career as a political leader and was elected state deputy with approximately 63,000 votes. 

Today, Paula defines her mandate as diverse and connected to social movements, focusing on areas such as women's rights, education, and social assistance.

Among the initiatives she develops are the Mobile Office, the "I Protect Myself" program, and the "Viva Mulher" (Long Live Woman) program—actions that bring the mandate closer to the population and empower women in different contexts. According to Paula, the logic is "to bring the mandate closer to those who need it most" and ensure policies that respond to the real demands of the territory. 

Data, networking and policies for women

Her work also stands out in institutional coordination. As head of the Special Prosecutor's Office for Women, the congresswoman led pioneering work in gathering data on the reality of women in the state.

“Upon assuming office, we had the opportunity to begin pioneering data collection work,” he points out. Through a working group with other agencies and social movements, a detailed mapping of existing legislation was carried out.

“It was meticulous work, carried out along axes focused on women's rights, to map what existed and identify what needed to be improved or modified,” she explains. From this process, bills and amendments with a gender perspective emerged.

The effort resulted in the creation of Code of Defense and Protection of Women in Pará"The population has difficulty accessing and understanding their state rights. So I consider this to have been a rich and useful work for women," she says.

The result was more than 60 laws systematized into eight different areas – public safety, health, education, sports and leisure, culture, indigenous peoples and traditional populations, women with disabilities, work, income and housing for women. 

Menstrual dignity as a public policy

As part of her work, Paula highlights the issue of menstrual dignity. While still a city councilwoman, she was responsible for a bill that guaranteed the distribution of sanitary pads to women registered in the Unified Registry – Municipal Law No. 036/2021. The law also guarantees the distribution of hygiene products in the municipal school system. 

“Many girls stopped attending school because they lacked sanitary pads,” she recalls. “Even today, women in Castanhal have access to menstrual dignity through this guarantee. For me, as a woman and a legislator, it was important to ensure this for girls in public educational institutions.”

More women in politics, more perspective in decision-making. 

Despite the progress, Paula points out the challenges of working in an environment that is still predominantly male. Currently, only 7 of the 41 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Pará are occupied by women.

"Although we have men who also have a more sensitive perspective on women's issues, it's always a challenge when we bring up a topic that concerns our private lives," she says.

For her, expanding this presence is essential. "In experiencing these mandates, we felt the urgency to bring more women into this environment," she says. "It's a way to humanize this place."