Dreamers & Makers

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we spoke to our colleague Sofía Morelos about the challenges and opportunities that still lie ahead for women and society to achieve real equality between men and women.

Sofía has a degree in Architecture from Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México, and she heads the Architecture Department of Sener Mexico. During her career, she has worked as a BIM modeler and helped manage important projects, like Line 3 of the Panama Metro.

What do you think are the key aspects to speed up equality between men and women?

I think it’s essential to identify our differences to leverage our strengths and complement one another. Other key factors in this process include respect for and tolerance of all perspectives, alongside societal recognition of the economic and social benefits and impacts that result when human resources are used to the fullest. I’m convinced that empowering women contributes to the productivity and economy of a country.

It will be difficult to achieve equality for as long as men and women don’t enjoy the same opportunities, rights and obligations in all aspects.

What do you think the biggest challenge for women is right now? What role should society play?

The biggest challenge we must face is living in societies that don’t always align their actions with their stated values on employment, health, safety, and more, making equality difficult to achieve equality for as long as men and women don’t enjoy the same opportunities, rights and obligations in all aspects. Societies must continue to pursue their goals of building culture, and push for laws that promote comprehensive equality. In a country like Mexico, there is still a lot of work to be done, no doubt about it; however, I think we’re on the right track.

What are the challenges and opportunities that women face when they reach the professional field?

We still face several challenges in terms of gender equality in the professional field. One of them is the wage gap between men and women, which, despite progress, persists as an ongoing issue. Another challenge we face is balancing personal and professional lives, particularly with maternity, alongside gender discrimination and limited leadership opportunities, opportunities that, despite being on the rise, are still limited.

Opportunities will result from our ability to identify the aforementioned problems and work on a series of skills, as a society, that will allow women to reach these leadership positions, and actively support the fight for equality, creating more equitable environments and motivating women in their professional growth.

I have been inspired by all those women who dare to change the rules, who aren’t afraid and who contribute, to a greater or lesser extent, to this struggle in favor of gender equality.

As for your story, what attracted you to your profession? In what areas would you like to keep advancing, what challenges have you set for yourself?

As a professional architect, what attracted me most to my career is the wide range and perspective that architecture offers, from artistic creativity and design to its social impact in cultural, economic and urban terms. Architecture lets you talk about aesthetics, culture, functionality, sustainability, technology… in short, it’s a profession that gives you a general understanding of your environment.

Looking to the future, and from my position as the head of the Architecture Department, I would like to continue promoting urban design within the team, to develop new technologies, and to promote architectural projects for unique buildings in health, sports, entertainment, and other areas. Personally, I would like to grow in terms of project management and personnel management from the point of view of leadership.

Finally, what advice would you give to a teenage girl or young woman who is starting her career? A woman who inspired you?

Learn to be patient. Nowadays, it’s very common for younger generations to be predisposed to immediate fulfillment, and professional growth is not always immediate; enjoy the process and you’ll find along the way a series of opportunities that will better prepare you to achieve your goals. Stay motivated and always seek to balance your professional and personal life.

I can’t think of a specific woman who inspired me. I have been inspired by all those women who dare to change the rules, who aren’t afraid and who contribute, to a greater or lesser extent, to this struggle in favor of gender equality.