Research shows gaps in policies on human rights and the environment in Brazil
A report, produced by NGOs from around the world to be presented to the OECD, claims that government attacks on democratic institutions is happening with the complacency and complicity of businesses
Research carried out by the FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights), SOMO and non-governmental organisations from a number of countries, Brazil´s Justiça nos Trilhos and Conectas was released on Wednesday 17 and pinpoints serious attacks on human rights policies, including those concerning environmental, labour and social well-being. The study also shows gaps and breaches of these rights by the private sector. These factors are impediments to responsible business conduct in the country.
According to the report, the country has alarming cases of private companies that are actively involved in systemic breaches of local legislation and international standards of human rights and environmental protections.
The document will be presented to the OECD Working Group on Responsible Business Conduct (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development), who are carrying out an analysis on responsible business conduct in Brazil. The country is one of the six candidates to start the process for entry into the international organ and since Jair Bolsonaro assumed the presidency it has been making a series of important concessions to the United States in exchange for North American support.
“Unfortunately, there are still widespread examples of corporations, both national and multinational, that have demonstrated complacency and complicity in the face of deteriorating conditions of environmental governance in Brazil, despite their substantial political weight.” It says in the text.
“The most affected populations are the most vulnerable: indigenous peoples and rural communities, human rights defenders, poor and migrant workers and women and children. These breaches are enabled by salient governance gaps.” The document concludes.
The OECD held an online event on the same day the document was released. The authors of the study and representatives from the organisations that signed it spoke about the breaches highlighted.
Julia Neiva, Coordinator of Development and Socioenvironmental Rights at Conectas discussed the dismantling of policies to combat modern slavery and attacks on labour and socioenvironmental rights, as well as the democratic and political crisis in the country.
Pandemic
In addition, the study draws attention to the fact that the outbreak of COVID-19 has exacerbated the social and economic crisis in the country, and recalls that President Bolsonaro has denied the gravity of the pandemic, has caused confusion in public opinion and has imposed measures that strongly protect the business community and the
wealthy at the expense of workers´ rights.
The organisations state that “hard economic times should not be used to justify policies and bills that will impact workers and communities negatively, with job and income losses, for instance, as the government is doing. Instead, the response should have human rights at its core and provide a safety net as an emergency but also for the future.
What is particularly concerning is that renewed economic incentives to business interests, including those in the name of promoting a ´green recovery´ in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis may actually contribute to further deforestation and other forms of environmental degradation, social conflicts and the spread of coronavirus.”
The government is setting an example
Based on the study, the organisations stress that in recent years, the Brazilian government has engaged in numerous attempts to undermine legal and institutional frameworks essential for human rights and environmental protections directly influencing corporate conduct.
According to the report, these practices have worsened since the onset of President Jair Bolsonaro´s administration with intensified attacks on democratic institutions and disregard for the rule of law.
