UN Specialist Warns of Indigenous Land Demarcation and Climate Change
Rapporteur suggests measures to strengthen the fight against environmental crimes and to protect forests
Relatora destaca violência contra defensores de direitos humanos em diferentes partes do Brasil. Foto: ONU
Rapporteur sheds light on violence against human rights defenders in different parts of Brazil. Photo: USN.
After an 11-day visit in April 2024, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, published a report on her visit to Brazil.
During her visit, Mary met with authorities, social movements, human rights organizations, legal experts, diplomats and several professionals in order to prepare the report.
Published this last Friday (31st), the text recommends to the Federal Supreme Court (STF) priority in the judgment of Law 14,701/23, the Timeframe Reference Law. The report will be under public debate in March, at the United Nations Human Rights Board.
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The expert offers a series of recommendations to different state authorities, such as the President, the Minister of Justice and Public Security, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, among others.
Human rights defenders
In the report, Mary underlines attacks and risks to human rights defenders, both currently and historically. Hence why she recommends that this agenda be prioritized by the federal government with the strengthening of state bodies for the protection of human rights, including human rights connected to land, the environment, and the fight against climate change.
The recommendation also includes a request for the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship to transfer responsibility for implementing the human rights defender protection program to the federal government, in partnership with state bodies.
The environment and climate change
The rapporteur also offered recommendations to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. In the text, she suggests a line of work together with the Federal Prosecution Office in order to effectively judge environmental crimes, in addition to extending the list of nationally protected trees as an urgent measure to fight deforestation.
The specialist also recommends the development of programs to promote forest protection and deforestation prevention at municipal and state levels.
Land demarcation
In her report, Mary asks that the “utmost urgency” be employed in prioritizing indigenous land demarcation, which is work to be carried out by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security in a collaboration with the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples.
