A/HRC/8/27 Page 5 MERCOSUR. Brazil is committed to disseminating the basic idea of human rights and the articles of the Universal Declaration among the Brazilian population. 17. Ms. Rosilene Rocha, the Executive Secretariat of the Ministry of Social Development and Combat of Hunger stressed the pivotal role played by social security in the reduction of extreme poverty, and that Brazil had created the Ministry she was leading. In 2003, the Zero Hunger plan (Fome Zero) led to the creation of the Organic Law on Food Security approved by the National Congress in 2006 and of a programme on food supply (Programa de Aquisicao de Alimentos). 18. The Family Allowance Plan and the Beneficio programme have led to reducing the inequality gap down to 28 per cent. The Family Allowance Plan was based on access to cash transfer, to education and to health with a view to breaking the poverty cycle and empowering poor families. This programme reached out to 11 million people including 100,000 families. 19. Mr. Pedro Abramovay, Under-Secretary for Legislative Affairs of the Ministry of Justice, referred to violence as a serious issue. He stated that more than 40,000 homicides took place last year and more than 420,000 people were currently in prison although there has been a 20 per cent reduction in homicides since 2003 and a decrease in the growth rate of the prison population since 2007. In this regard, Brazil has launched a national programme for public security (Programa Nacional de Seguranca Publica com Cidadania). Ninety prisons for young people and women have been created with the aim of providing education and social reinsertion. A scholarship will also be given to police officers with low income under the condition of attending human rights training. In the most dangerous regions in the country, social programmes combined with non-violent conflict resolution programmes will be implemented. 20. Mr. Rolf Hachbart, President of the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform, noted that Brazil had large reserves of water, energy and biodiversity resources with ample opportunities to promote sustainable development. These measures aim to build new agricultural models, with a view to protecting the environment and ending violence generated by disputes of land, particularly with regard to the public lands of the indigenous population and of the afro-descendent population. He also mentioned the goal of the Brazilian Government to include 100,000 families in the National Programme of Agrarian Reform in 2008. 21. On gender issues, Ms. Ana Paula Goncalves, Special Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic on Women Policies, stated that the special secretariat for the promotion of women was created in 2003 with a ministerial status to assist the President on issues related to women. Violence against women was a central issue within the Secretariat, whose actions focused on strengthening a network of assistance to women, including training, promotion of new legislation and judiciary proceedings. To date, 49 courts specializing in domestic violence were operating as a result of the law on violence against women (Maria da Penha Law). 22. To conclude Brazil’s opening statement, Ms. Marcia Canario, Special Secretariat of the Presidency on the Promotion of Racial Equality, acknowledged Brazil’s long history of discrimination but also its firm commitment to eliminate this injustice. To this end, Brazil has adopted a number of political, administrative and legislative measures to promote equality, equal opportunities and access to public goods. A special secretariat has been created to promote access to education, health, labour and land for all ethnic and racial groups, as Brazil is committed to the outcome of the Durban Conference. 23. In the course of its presentation, the Brazilian delegation agreed that there is a need to include human rights in all normative instruments, to accelerate its work on combating torture and to improve the system of protection of human rights defenders. It also stated that children and