Proposal secures priority in health, food, education and entertainment to young people

The House approved in runoff elections Wednesday (11/12), the bill of an amendment to the Constitution (PEC) 138/03, by Deputy Sandes Junior (PP-GO), that includes young people among those to whom the Constitution secures priority in rights such as health, food, education, entertainment, professionalization and culture. The proposal still needs to be voted by the Senate. The ages included in the definition of young people range from 15 to 29 years old.

Children and teenagers are already priorities when ensuring these rights, and their care is considered as a duty for the family, the society and the State, that shall also protect them from neglect, discrimination, exploitation, violence, cruelty and oppression.

The Youth PEC was approved with a favorable voting of 382 deputies, in the form of the substitutive of Deputy Alice Portugal (PCdoB-BA), rapporteur on the special committee. “We have the biggest Young generation of all times, and it requires specific, differentiated, and inclusive policies. Brazil is responsible for around 50% of the young people of Latin America and 80% of the South Cone”, she affirmed.

The Brazilian Constitution does not have any article specifically targeting Youth. Besides that, Brazil already counts with a National Secretariat of Youth and a National Youth Council.

The young people are also included in devices that handle the State’s obligation to promote programs of integral health assistance and other programs that focus on people of this group that have any physical disabilities.

Youth Statute/Act
Legal standards to be done after the enactment of the future amendment shall provide for a Youth statute to regulate their rights, and a national plan for youth, renewed every ten years, to coordinate the different environments of public power in the enforcement of public policies.

Report – Eduardo Piovesan
Editing – Newton Araújo Jr.