Brazil: Lula’s government reestablishes the National Council for LGTBI+ Rights

Brazil’s Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship has reestablished the National Council for LGTBI+ Rights, which was eliminated by the previous government, led by former president Jair Bolsonaro, four years ago.

The Council will comprise 19 ministries and 19 civil society organizations, and all will work voluntarily, without any kind of remuneration, as reported by Agência Brasil.

The objectives of this body will be to collaborate in the elaboration of public policies for this community, propose ways to evaluate actions aimed at “LGBTI+ people”, follow up on legislative proposals on the subject, promote studies, debates, and research on the subject of “rights and inclusion of LGBTI+ people”, among others.

In addition to the national LGBTI+ board, representatives of other agencies and entities will also participate permanently but without voting rights.

The Council must meet every three months, but other meetings may be convened on an extraordinary basis.

The president of the Maranhense Association of Transvestites and Transsexuals, Andressa Dutra, considered the creation of the Council important for monitoring and representing the community.

“We are currently suffering attacks against the dignity of the LGBT population.”

“It takes our concerns, our desires, and how we want the State to look at us and to be implemented as public policies,” explained Dutra.

With information from LGI