Jamil Chad Bolsonaro reviews Lula’s transition and rejects UN commitments 11/17/2022 08:45

Jair Bolsonaro’s diplomacy tramples the transition in the country, and less than two months before the end of the government, he is taking positions at the UN and rejecting commitments. The gesture was met with unease by activists, locals, and even members of the transition team.

This week, Brazil took part in an all-country exercise at the UN Human Rights Council on leave. Bolsonaro’s government has been the target of more than a hundred government harsh demands for three hours. Cristiane Britto, Minister of Family, Women and Human Rights, attended the meeting, whose official name is the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

In total, governments have submitted more than 300 recommendations on police violence, indigenous peoples, the plight of women, the environment, and dozens of others. But the Bolsonaro government had until February 2023 to respond, and behind the scenes the transition team’s request was that nothing should be taken over by the current government. It was also warned that such a gesture might not be seen as a “republican stance”.

Despite the warning, Itamaraty submitted its response to the UN this Thursday, stating that it will actually review the status of more than 250 recommendations.

Among the themes the government has promised to consider is the proposal by Russia and Egypt to defend the “traditional family”, which is seen as ultra-reactionary because it does not recognize the existence of other family forms and only cares about the exaggerated model. man and a woman

It was also surprising that the government removed 17 proposed items from the list, including the demarcation of land boundaries and the guarantee of sexual and reproductive health for women and girls. The proposal to decriminalize abortion was also excluded.

In diplomatic language, Bolsonaro’s government stated that it had “noted” the proposals as a way of saying it would not consider the following list of international recommendations:

Pass legislation to ensure full enforcement of the Federal Supreme Court’s decision criminalizing homophobia and transphobia (Iceland);

Take steps to enact legislation to ensure the full implementation of the Federal Supreme Court’s decision on the criminalization of homophobia and transphobia, to provide protective measures for comprehensive care and protection, and investment in public facilities
(Malta);

Ensuring effective access to sexual and reproductive health rights (France);

Ensure access to sexual and reproductive health services for all, including HIV/AIDS, prenatal care, contraception and safe abortion, without discrimination or court approval, and ensure age-sensitive abortion care protocols (New Zealand);

Enacting laws to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health and rights for all, decriminalize abortion and ensure access to safe abortion (Norway);

Secure the right to education and health by providing an age-appropriate curriculum for gender and sexuality education in schools to prevent sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies, as well as gender-based violence and inequality (Denmark);

Ensuring effective access to quality sexual and reproductive health care and services, including abortion, and science-based information, without discrimination and taking into account the structural challenges of the most vulnerable populations (Switzerland);

Intensify efforts to ensure the correct, effective and comprehensive implementation of sexual and reproductive rights policies (Argentina);

Guaranteeing women’s right to free access to safe and legal abortion, without bureaucratic barriers or discrimination and under conditions that meet the need for privacy, respect and support (Australia);

Decriminalize abortion, pass laws to ensure access to safe abortion and access to sexual and reproductive health and rights for all (Iceland);

Complete pending land demarcation processes, reject the “time frame” thesis and ensure Indigenous Peoples are protected from threats, attacks and forced evictions (Norway);

strengthen the National Human Rights Council and align it with the Paris Principles (South Africa);

ensuring compliance of the National Human Rights Council with the Paris Principles (Iraq);

align the functioning of the National Human Rights Council with the Paris Principles (Benin);

Intensify efforts to ensure that the National Human Rights Council is fully in line with the Paris Principles, in particular by strengthening its administrative independence (Djibouti);

Align the National Human Rights Council with the Paris Principles (Zambia);

take further steps to strengthen the administrative independence of the National Human Rights Council (Georgia);

reactions

The Bolsonaro government’s decision upset civil society. “Everything indicates that the Brazilian State has decided to oppose the guidelines of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the practices of States while being reviewed at the UPR; the review is only at the next session of the Human Rights Council,” said Fernanda Lapa, IDDH director and Coletivo RPU Brasil coordinator.

“As if he were saying the obvious: ‘We’d better take it home and think about it’. Moreover, in the case of a transitional government, it would be more appropriate not to have it out of respect for democratic and republican principles. It is now manifest and the next government in 2023. left to adopt or take notes.”

The Native Missionary Council also protested. The organization regretted the “premature rejection” of the Norwegian government’s proposal to complete the demarcation process of indigenous lands. “We hope the government will turn that around,” he said. ????????