Brazil
Active in Brazil since 1982, Terre des hommes (Tdh) did run projects dealing with health, nutrition and today child protection. In 2011 more than 8,758 people benefited from these activities.
Context
Brazil is the largest Latin American economy; however, wealth is distributed unevenly between the geographic zones of the country, the arid zone of the North East being notorious for its high poverty rates. Human trafficking, forced labor, forced prostitution and the narcotics trade are the main areas of concern. Many children have lost their parents and live on the streets, or are forced to work or beg due to the poor economic background of their families. These children are particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation, often within the framework of sex tourism, and to forced labor. It is therefore of paramount importance to protect them, to provide social and professional education and reintegration measures and to combat exploitation. Another priority is to raise awareness for alternative measures to detention for juvenile offenders, applying restorative justice.
Follow the Terre des hommes delegation in Brazil on their website **
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-38.543873
-3.709994
Fortaleza
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-44.303284
-2.381699
São Luís
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-43.209457
-22.869469
Rio de Janeiro
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-43.555326
-22.712809
Queimados
Centered at -51.92528 -14.23504 4
What Tdh can do in Brazil with:
- CHF 20.-: 5 day workshops for a child in the Circo Baixada project
- CHF 50.-: Accompany an adolescent during his/her social reintegration for 1 month (transport, food, training material)
Children's situation
- 24% of the population is under 15 years old
- 3.2 million children are orphans
Delegate: Anselmo de Lima
Expatriate staff: 0
National staff: 13
Budget: 1'125'538 CHF
In collaboration with: Circus Baixada, Curumins, Brazilian Association Terra dos Homens (ABTH)
Juvenile Justice
Tdh is a pioneer organization in the fight for the establishment of restorative juvenile justice in Latin America. Started in Brazil in 2009, this project profits from the experience and results recognized in other countries. Tdh set up the first Brazilian conference on restorative juvenile justice in partnership with the institutions of Maranhão and the Ministry of Justice. To reduce violence in schools, Tdh does prevention work by making teachers and headmasters aware of restorative conflict resolution practices.
Social Reintegration of Street Children
Tdh and its partners provide social, educational and artistic activities to strengthen the street children’s own abilities to express and to look after themselves. With greater self-confidence they can envisage new perspectives for their future. Tdh also lobbies national authorities to promote these children's access to health services, education and professional training.
Combating Exploitation
Tdh is increasing its fight against trafficking and sexual exploitation of children and adolescents. Tdh gives technical support to its partners in networks and in state institutions for prevention against child abuse and for intervention when abuses are committed.
Despite social and economic progress, the rates of violence and murder in Brasilia continue to rise. The juvenile justice programme succeeded in convincing authorities in the north-northeast region as well as the federal government of the importance of implementing a restorative approach in justice for minors. As a result, 1,300 employees received training, which has had an impact on 2,830 children and adolescents who are in conflict with the law. In Rio’s “favela” or shanty town, the Cirque Social Baixada project enabled more than 960 children and adolescents to benefit from protective measures through a variety of training methods combining creative and psychosocial elements. Finally, the project working on behalf of children living in street situations in Fortaleza has improved the living conditions of more than 2,000 children and 235 families.
