The announcement was made on the second day of debates of the 11th National Conference on Human Rights in Brasilia

On Tuesday (16), the minister Paulo Vannuchi, of the Special Secretariat on Human Rights of the Presidency of the Republic, confirmed that the federal government will launch in January a measures’ package to allow the public access to the files of the military dictatorship (1964-1985).

The package will include a digital access system to the government files, a bill that enables the disclosure of these documents, and a public notice to gather documents currently in the hands of individuals.

"Confidentiality and anonymity will be guaranteed in that process. The files belong to the State, and, if they are with individuals, it is irregular”, affirmed Vanucchi in the second day of debates of the 11th National Conference on Human Rights, which was held until Thursday (18) in Brasília.

The initial idea was to launch the package still in 2008, but the minister of Institutional Communication, Franklin Martins, argued that it would be better to do that after the holiday season.

Abortion
The main objective of the conference is to review and update the National Program on Human Rights (PNDH), which had been approved in 1996, during the first encounter on human rights. In this sense, Paulo Vannuchi affirmed that the State will gather the claims by society to include them in the program.

According to the minister, it is important to work on rights that have not yet been implemented, and also incorporate new points to the discussion. According to Vanuchi’s evaluation, a theme that is far from being solved is the one of abortion, a practice which is considered as a crime in Brazil and which is one of the core items of the conference.

Participants of the National Front for the End of Women’s Criminalization and for the Legalization of Abortion protested during the conference, calling for the laicization of the approach on the subject in Brazil.

Education
Paulo Vannuchi also defended the teaching of human rights in schools and universities in Brazil. According to him, that subject should be included as a discipline in the courses of Engineering and Law, for example. In Engineering, for engineers to remember the accessibility principles when constructing a building.

In Law, for lawyers and magistrates to get involved in the subject. “Judges continue to give decisions against the Law Maria da Penha [which penalizes violence against women] and proffering homophobic decisions”, said the minister.

The national coordinator of the Forum of National Bodies of Human Rights, Alexandre Ciconello, highlighted that the Judiciary distances from human rights when it criminalizes social movements.

Obstacles
For the teacher Flávia Piovesan, of the Pontifícia Universidade Católica (PUC), human rights are not guaranteed without fight and social action. She said that in Brazil these actions face several obstacles, such as social inequality, violence and racial discrimination. Therefore, it is important that education and interaction between State and civil society promote human rights.

According to Alexandre Ciconello’s evaluation, the government should also allow more budgeting resources for the human rights policies. “Transforming policies have a ridiculous budget. Without resources, there is no human rights´ policy, only intentions and shallow speech.

The meeting was promoted by the Special Secretariat on Human Rights of the Presidency of the Republic, by the Committee on Human Rights and Minorities of the Chamber, and by the Forum of National Entities on Human Rights.

Report - Noéli Nobre
Editing - Newton Araújo Jr.
Translation – Positive Idiomas Ltda