Mirim Brasil is one of the civil society organizations which will have a seat in the State Council of Human Rights.

Last April the State Parliament of Perambuco organised an election to define the organizations of civil society which will have a seat in the State Council of Human Rights. The organ, which is autonomous and linked to the Secretariat of Justice and Human Rights, supervises, investigates and receives complains about Human Rights violations in Pernambuco.

The five elected representative of civil society to the Council are: Mirim Brasil (Children and Youth Revindication Movement), Unified Black Movement (MNU), Office of Legal Assistance for Grassroots Organizations (Gajop), Torture Never Again Movement and the Regional Council of Psychology. The representatives of Mirim are Sylvia Siqueira Campos (holder) and Vinícius Sobreira de Moura (surrogate). The mandate of these organizations lasts two years (until 2017).

Vinícius Sobreira, vice-president of the Board of Mirim Brasil and surrogate member of the Council of Human Rights deplores the current state Human Rights in Pernambuco and demands change in the posture of the Government. “In recent years we have unfortunately seen an increasing number of Human Rights violations within our state. It is important to note that a big part of these violations are committed by the government itself, using military police to attack its citizens”, he said. “Within the Council, the mission of Mirim Brasil is to make a change of approach regarding human rights. It will not only be about stopping violations, but also setting public policies to ensure rights and transform the reality of our people”, he added.

The President of the Commission for Citizenship, Human Rights ad Popular Participation, Deputy Edílson Silva (Socialism and Freedom Party) highlighted the situations of prisons in the State of Pernambuco to remember the importance of the Council. “Is essential to have an active Council. We cannot solve emergency situations such as what we have in the prisons of Pernambuco, for example, without the Council’s vision to guide the actions of the Government in these situations”, he said.

The State Council for Defence of Human Rights is composed of 15 members. Besides the five representatives of civil society, the Council have five chairs held by government entities and five chairs of traditional state peoples (Gypsies, native Indians and Quilombos).

Article written by Mirim Brasil