LGBT Rights

Pioneering the defense of LGBT rights and the fight against violence

Brazil’s historic 1st National LGBT Conference established priorities for combating discrimination and violence against this segment of the nation’s population. Photo: Ricardo Stuckert/PR In 2004, in an unprecedented initiative of the federal government, in partnership with the social movements, created the Brazil Without Homophobia Program. The goal of the program was to promote the citizenship of gays, lesbians, transvestites, transgenders, and bisexuals – from equal rights and combating violence and homophobic discrimination, respecting the specificity of each of these population groups.

In 2008 the federal government, through the Presidential Office on Human Rights, organized the 1st National LGBT Conference, which featured the participation of LGBT activists from around the country and public policymakers. The conference set priorities for tackling discrimination and violence, and established goals for expanding the citizenship of LGBT individuals.

In 2009, the Lula administration undertook a pioneering initiative for Latin America by creating an infrastructure for the development, coordination, and implementation of national level plans, programs, and projects related to LGBT rights.

In 2011, during the Dilma administration, the National Council for Combating Discrimination began taking actions aimed at combating discrimination against, as well as promoting and defending the rights of LGBT persons. “Our commitment to confronting the violence affecting the LGBT population is firm and unquestionable,” said President Dilma in her remarks at the opening ceremony of the Brazilian federal government’s 19th Annual Human Rights Award.

Report reveals growth in the number of complaints of homophobic attacks

Among other important initiatives of the Dilma administration is The Report on Homophobic Violence. The second edition, published in 2013, reports that the number of complaints of rights violations grew, respectively, 166% and 46.6% over the previous year, which reinforces the urgency of expanding activities to combat homophobia.

This initiative is essential for systematizing official data and guiding the implementation of public policies for this population, such as the National System for the Promotion of Rights and Combating Violence Against LGBT Persons.

Created by presidential decree in 2012, the system is intended to connect the different experiences of public policies to protect and promote the rights of this population. The idea is to combat the economic, social, cultural, and environmental aspects of violence that affect the LGBT population; effect affirmative action policies by increasing dialogue and nationwide activities; and promote equal rights.

Read the full report here

LGBT Rights Conference and National Day Against Homophobia symbolize Brazil’s commitment

Presidential decree establishes June 4th as National Day Against Homophobia Photo: Antonio Cruz/ABr The Lula administration hosted the 1st National Conference on LGBT Public Policy and Human Rights (the 2nd was held in 2011 and hosted by the Dilma administration). In 2010, another important step was taken when he signed a presidential decree, which established June 4th as the National Day Against Homophobia, symbolizing the commitment of the Brazilian state to confront violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.

In another defining moment, in 2012, occurred during the Dilma administration, when the Presidential Office on Human Rights, the federal Ministry of Justice, and several states signed the Cooperation Agreement to Combat Homophobia, which implements training initiatives for public security agencies to better enable them to combat homophobiabia.