By Diva Prado Horta Fonseca, 2025-26 governor of District 4563 (Brazil)
On International Women’s Day in March, my district set a milestone by welcoming 114 women into Rotary. It was the culmination of a major initiative that began a year earlier when I presented my leadership plan to incoming club presidents. We challenged every president to bring in at least one female member who would be inducted during a combined ceremony on Women’s Day.
Our goal was about more than increasing numbers. We wanted to ensure an induction process that was thoughtful, well-prepared, and welcoming. We wanted one that would foster a sense of belonging and engagement while motivating these women to serve through Rotary.
The presidents embraced the challenge, and over the following months, we planned and organized our event. At the ceremony, we also launched a book, “Vozes Femininas em Ação” (Female Voices in Action), a collection of inspiring stories from 27 female Rotary members. Ten prominent women from São Paulo society were presented with a trophy as Extraordinary Women.
The momentum generated by this movement exceeded all expectations. Following numerous meetings and discussions, an Inner Wheel club, the Rotary Vila Maria “Casa da Amizade,” transformed into a Rotary satellite club. The Rotary Satellite Club of Vila Maria, “Vozes que Transformam” (Voices That Transform) comprises 27 women. This example inspired further efforts, which resulted in three additional Inner Wheel clubs becoming Rotary satellite clubs.
The initiative opened up new opportunities for more women to find a space within Rotary to lead, serve, and transform lives. By bringing in 114 women and creating four new satellite clubs, we strengthened the presence of women in our district and left a tangible legacy for future leaders to follow.
To me, the presence of women is fundamental — not only to value their contributions as professionals and volunteers but also to strengthen and enrich our organization. Women are ready to serve and are simply waiting for an invitation. Our collective induction event demonstrated that when asked, women respond with enthusiasm and generosity. And Rotary has every reason to be grateful!
Growing and diversifying our membership to ensure we are representative of the communities we serve is one of Rotary’s top priorities. Tell us what you are doing to grow and diversify your club.
https://blog.rotary.org/2026/08/18/brazilian-clubs-champion-women-in-rotary/