Vanda Pignato
| Vanda Pignato | |
|---|---|
Pignato at a Ciudad Mujer graduation in 2015
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| First Lady of El Salvador | |
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In office June 1, 2009 – June 1, 2014 |
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| President | Mauricio Funes |
| Preceded by | Ana Ligia Mixco Sol de Saca |
| Succeeded by | Margarita Villalta de Sánchez |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
February 16, 1963 São Paulo, Brazil |
| Political party | FMLN |
| Spouse(s) | Mauricio Funes (Separated) |
| Children | Gabriel |
Vanda Guiomar Pignato (born February 16, 1963) is a Brazilian-born Salvadoran lawyer, human rights activist, politician, women's rights activist, and former First Lady of El Salvador from 2009 until 2014. Pignato became First Lady of El Salvador on June 1, 2009, the same day that her husband, President Mauricio Funes appointed her as the country's Secretary of Social Inclusion from 2009 to 2014. The appointment made Pignato the first sitting First Lady in El Salvador's history to hold a political position. Funes' successor, President Salvador Sánchez Cerén, reappointed Pignato as Secretary of Social Inclusion when he took office in June 2014.
In 2011, Pignato established Ciudad Mujer (Women City), to aid victims of violence against women, as well provide access to women's healthcare services, financial advice, and career training. The five Ciudad Mujer centers, located throughout the country, offer services from 15 Salvadoran government agencies in one location. These include job training and financial loans to offer a chance for economic independence. Ciudad Mujer also provides healthcare services, including forensic laboratories and legal aid for victims of sexual assault, reproductive services, neonatal care and breast cancer prevention. An estimated 603,000 women have utilized Ciudad Mujer, as of November 2014.
Pignato's Ciudad Mujer initiative has received international support and recognition, including from the Inter-American Development Bank and the United Nations. In January 2015, the Brazilian government announced plans to launch its own "Women's House" project, modeled on Pignato's Ciudad Mujer program in El Salvador. The first "Women's House" in Pignato's native Brazil is slated for Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul.Guatemala, Colombia and Mexico have also expressed interest in implementing Pignato's programs.
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