Organizations ask for suspension of access restrictions to the National Congress
Constitution stated that it is possible to adopt sanitary protocols to ensure civil society participation in face-to-face discussions in the Chamber and Senate
Cleia Viana/Câmara dos Deputados
More than 40 civil society organizations, including Conectas, started a petition; calling for transparency and guarantee of social participation in the deliberations of the National Congress during the covid-19 pandemic. The document was delivered to the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, this Thursday (16th of September).
With the support of the Parliament and in Defense of Democracy and Human Rights, the organizations claim that the ordinances published by the National Congress to suspend the access of visitors and accreditation should be replaced by rules that guarantee the participation of civil society representatives, in compliance with health standards.
With the return of some face-to-face activities, the signatories expressed “concern regarding the democratic participation of civil society in decisions taken by Parliament on behalf of the entire Brazilian society”.
The document shows 11 necessary measures for the democratization of transparency and social participation within the Parliament: authorization of physical access for civil society, with due health concerns, to Congress; channels for social participation during debates and voting, with wide and prior disclosure of the topics to be discussed; and guarantee of roll-call voting for all matters considered by the National Congress, with the availability of the results of each vote in open data.
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