Pope Francis on Monday named Sister Simona Brambilla as the first woman to lead a department that oversees the world's Catholic religious orders, media reports said.

Pope Francis appointed her the Prefect of the Dicastery for Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

She has served as Secretary of the same Dicastery since October 7, 2023, and becomes the first woman to be appointed Prefect of a Dicastery of the Holy See, reported Vatican News.

Sister Simona Brambilla, who will turn 60 this year, has a background that includes missionary experience in Mozambique.

She served as a nurse before joining the Consolata Missionary Sisters Institute.

She led the institute from 2011 to 2023.

After Pope Francis began his pontificate, the presence of women in the Vatican has increased.

According to overall data covering both the Holy See and Vatican City State from 2013 to 2023, the percentage of women has risen from 19.2% to 23.4%, Vatican News reported.