January 4, 2023

10:01

Mencius Melo – from Amazon Agency

MANAUS – The possession of the lawyer, philosopher and black activist, Silvio Almeida, held on Tuesday, 3, for the Ministry of Human Rights in Brazil is evaluated as positive by activists of social movements of Amazonas. After the management considered confusing of former minister Damares Alves, the appointment of Almeida generated a wave of good expectations among those who act to ensure access to public policies in the country.

For Keilah Fonseca, president of the Association of Creole Quilombo Urban Barranco of St. Benedict, located in the 14th of January Square in Manaus, with the appointment of Silvio Almeida, there may be a shift in relations and correlations of human rights in Brazil. “He is black like us, he feels it on his skin. I believe that he will have affirmative policies for families. I pray that this will be a government of hope. That it will have projects that benefit needy families. The indigenous, the black and the riverine people, who are the most forgotten. I hope they don’t forget the quilombos”, she declared.

In Keilah’s view, the management of Damares Alves was a failure. “A woman who induced children to choose colours of clothes. She didn’t make any laws. She did not set an example of anything. Who meddled negatively in matters of public interest such as gender education, sexuality and other delicate issues. It was four years thrown in the rubbish”, she criticised.

Rescue

For the teacher and master in social service and sustainability and doctor in education and Sustainability in the Amazon, Jeffeson William, the appointment of Silvio Almeida is a necessary rescue. “The rise of the intellectual Silvio Almeida to the position of Minister of Human Rights and Citizenship means the rescue of this important Ministry from the inertia that was subdued in the Bolsonaro government”, he pointed out.

The researcher with experience in the area of sexual diversity, health, social assistance and management of social policies did not spare criticism to the former minister “Damares Alves has not only failed to materialise in public policies the demands of the most marginalised segments of Brazilian society, but has also made unviable historical agendas such as the fight against racism and LGBTphobia, even violence against women has not received the necessary attention”, regretted Jeffeson.  

Jeffeson highlighted the qualities of the new minister. “Silvio Almeida is today one of the greatest Brazilian intellectuals recognized for the strength of his ideas and actions, including abroad, the feeling of having him in charge of the Ministry of Human Rights is not only to face inequalities and violence structuring Brazil, but above all, a propositional posture to minimize and perhaps overcome this set of inequities nurtured and encouraged by the previous government, either by inertia, omission or motivation”, he said.

Challenges

According to Jeffeson William, the effort of Silvio Almeida should focus in a first moment, on obtaining resources. “To achieve the objectives proposed by the new team, a ministry that combats socio-economic and regional inequalities is necessary, so social participation and investment ensured in the public budget are essential conditions, since the challenges are immense, these are complex issues that are difficult to resolve”, he said.

For William, the hope for new horizons lies in the certainty that this is another world vision. “What is expected from the new minister is effectively the improvement of life for the working class in its ethnic, affective-sexual and gender diversity, that agendas such as racism, capacitism and LGBTphobia come out of the twilight and can broaden the debate through the implementation of public policies so that Brazilian society becomes less prejudiced and unequal”, he concluded.