The objective is to comply with UN directives

The Committee on Human Rights and Minorities approved on Wednesday (20) the increase, from 13 to 24, in the amount of members of the Council for the Defense of Human Rights, a body linked to the Ministry of Justice, which promotes and defends human rights in Brazil.

That measure is part of the Bill 4574/09, proposed by the Executive, and received a favorable review from Deputy Pedro Wilson (PT-GO), who presented an amendment to its wording, without changing its content.

The rapporteur stressed that the bill’s objective is to update the composition of that council, according to what the United Nations (UN) determines, and to the new political reality in Brazil. That council was created by Law 4.319/64.

Members
From the thirteen current members of that council, eight represent government’s bodies and five, organizations from society. That bill establishes that the following people will integrate the Council, as government’s representatives: the Special Secretary of Human Rights, the Attorney General, the Presidents of the Committees on Human Rights of the Chamber and of the Senate, the leaders of the Majority and of the Minority of the Chamber and of the Senate, one representative of the Magistracy, one of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, one of the Ministry of Justice, one of the Federal Police and one of the Public Defender’s Office of the Union.

According to that bill, the representatives of society will be: nine members of non-governmental organizations actuating nationwide, and whose actuation is related to human rights, one representative of the Brazilian Bar Association, and one of the National Council of General-Attorneys.

Procedure
That bill was deemed priority regime and is being analyzed in conclusive character by the committees on Labor, Administration and Public Service, and on the Constitution, and Justice and Citizenship.

Report - Janary Júnior
Editing - Newton Araújo
Translation - Positive Idiomas Ltda