Citizenship and Human Rights - Ministry of Justice

Project BRA/96/013 -- Start Year: 1996; Approved Budget: US$ 880,000; End Year: 2001; Implementing Agent: NEX (National Execution Related Projects); Executing Agent: Ministry of Justice

Project background and rationale: Despite the fact that in Brazil Human Rights are protected at a constitutional level, and that this principle is widely supported by the population, the protection of the rights of the individual in Brazil encounters several difficulties. This is partly due, on the one hand, to the legacy of the hierarchical foundation of the Brazilian society and to the persistence of a culture that tolerates differentiated protection of the rights of the individual according to his position in the society. On the other hand, there is a lack of efficient government tools and mechanisms at federal, state and municipal levels to enforce the existing legislation aimed at preventing the violation of human rights. Acknowledging the above limitations, the current administration launched, in May 1996, the “National Programme of Human Rights”, which aims at establishing priorities and presenting concrete administrative, legislative and political-cultural proposals in order to determine the problems that obstacle the full protection of human rights in Brazil, such as racial prejudices and social and economic inequalities. Within this framework, the strengthening of the Ministry of Justice in its capacity to defend Human Rights plays a crucial role.

Project development goal: TThis project aims to support the Ministry of Justice’s capacity to implement the Brazilian Programme on Human Rights in association with NGOs.

Project immediate objectives and expected outputs: In order to attain this goal, the project presents two immediate objectives:

1. To provide the population with universal awareness of Human Rights through publications, researches, studies, seminars, training of State agents in Human Rights and formation of Civil society operators;

2. To promote juridical assistance, access to justice and legal protection to the poorest layer of population, taking into account the fact that 72% of the population does not have access to justice to solve its disputes.

Contact details: Md Diretor do Projeto BRA/96/013 Ministério da Justiça Ed. Sede - Sala 420 Brasília – D.F. Brazil