ISLAMABAD: Lieutenant General Carla Lyrio Martins, the first woman to rise to the rank of general officer in the Brazilian Air Force, has some wisdom to share with Pakistani women with ambitions of being part of military missions.
The 59-year-old commandant of the Superior School of Defense in Brasília, the capital of Brazil, visited Pakistan last month to deliver a lecture at the National Defense University (NDU) in Islamabad, where she met Pakistani women from all walks of life.
“In the workshop [at NDU], we are talking about how Pakistan is evolving, is becoming a modern country, more opened and my impressions are the best,” Martins told Arab News in an interview.
“I see many women in this workshop with great ideas, with great, important positions in the market, and I’m impressed. And I think I see just the best for this people, of this country.”
The Brazilian officer, who has earned prestigious military honors in recognition of her outstanding contributions to national defense, said women may not be in equal numbers in armed forces around the world but their role was essential to the success of military operations.
“We are present, and we are necessary for the mission to be accomplished,” she said. “The presence of women makes the force more resilient, more modern.”
Martins began her service in March 1990 at the Aeronautics Specialized Instruction Center and was promoted to her current rank in November 2023. Reflecting on her journey, Martins said she faced many challenges, but the Brazilian military had evolved into an equal-opportunity organization.
“Women in Brazil are very welcomed as we learn to walk together, side by side, with equal opportunities. If you want it, if you have the will, if you study, if you have the mindset to accept new challenges, it is perfect,” she said, adding that she hoped to see more women in leadership roles in militaries around the world.
The Brazilian general said leadership was not defined by gender but by capability and vision.
“I think it’s a matter of posture, capability of being able to interact, to communicate the directions,’ she said. I think we [women] have all the possibilities and the women in leadership positions is increasing in number,” Martins said, adding that women in leadership positions could help define the direction of any institution including the military.
A mother of two, Martins said she wanted women to know that balancing a successful career and family life was possible. And while she emphasized dedication, hard work and education as pivotal to success, she said family life was also vital and men needed to share responsibilities at home.
“Educate yourself, be brave and do try [to follow your dreams] because we can get wherever we want to be,” the general said, offering experience-based advice to young women wanting to join the military service.
Speaking about her perception of Pakistan, Martins said the visit had challenged her view of the country, which had been shaped by its portrayal in the international media.
“The perception we have in other countries of Pakistan is not what I saw here,” Martins said. “I see a modern city, people open to dialogue with tolerance. The perception outside is of a very closed country, but it’s not what I am seeing here.”
Asked about her cultural experience, she said Islamabad was beautiful, praising the city’s hospitality and food:
“I enjoyed everything I tried.”
