Intervention in Human Rights Council flouts international recommendations
Over 70 civil society organisations express repudiation and question the efficacy of federal government measures
The federal government’s interference in the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) flies in the face of recommendations set by the UN (United Nations), says a technical document written by over 70 civil society organisations.
The manifesto, published on Wednesday 28 August, on the DHesca platform, says that interference of this nature goes against the Principles Relative to the Status of National Human Rights Institutions, defined by the UN in 1992, that ensure, among other points, organisations’ administrative autonomy.
On Tuesday 27 August, the Minister for Family, Women and Human Rights, Damares Alves, dismissed the CNDH General-Coordinator, after expressing criticism of the organisation. The council has already been subject to a series of budget cuts and its representatives have been complaining that they are being censured by the ministry. Since 26 August, employees have been prevented from updating the institution’s site with recommendations, decisions and denouncements.
The CNDH was created in 1964 not long before the military coup and has been in its current form since 2014 during Dilma Rousseff’s government.
Interference in social participation
Ever since the start of his mandate, President Jair Bolsonaro has been intruding on institutions that make civil society’s participation possible in decision making and the construction of public policy.
Through decrees, the executive has abolished all the social councils that were not created by means of the law, for example Consea (National Council for Food and Nutrition Safety). Recently eleven experts at the MNPCT (Mechanism for the Prevention and Combat of Torture) were dismissed. The decision was subsequently reversed by the judiciary.
