A/HRC/8/52
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Brazil would implement the 15 recommendations made during the universal periodic review and
some 3,000 recommendations made by the treaty bodies. It also asked how the Government
would translate these recommendations into public policies and how civil society would
participate in their implementation. Conectas Human Rights also noted that the success of the
universal periodic review would depend on five conditions: the review should not replace or
weaken the special procedures and treaty bodies mechanisms; delegations should be more
concrete in their questions and recommendations and States under review should address all of
them; the final report should be an adequate reflection of the review; the recommendations
should be turned into concrete actions; and each State under review should engage with civil
society in all phases of the review.
453. Amnesty International noted that the presentation made by Brazil during the session of the
Working Group focused on a description of existing government programmes and policies rather
than on an analysis of the effectiveness of measures to address human rights violations. It noted
that a number of States raised key human rights issues including on impunity for crimes during
the dictatorship, violence and extrajudicial killings by the police, torture and other ill-treatment,
violence against women and harsh prison conditions. Amnesty International noted that the recent
report presented by the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
following his visit to the country further highlights the extent of the problem. Amnesty
International noted that States recommended to Brazil to evaluate its initiatives and activities
designed to address serious human rights violations, including violence and killings by the
police, torture, violence against women and prison conditions, and to intensify efforts to protect
human rights defenders. Amnesty International welcomed these recommendations and the
statement made by Brazil that it supports all the recommendations made during the review and
called on Brazil to give them early and full effect.
454. The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions noted that while it welcomes the view
expressed by Brazil that States and municipalities must abide by the mechanisms to implement
human rights in the country, it also noted that the Federal Government is the main duty-bearer
and urged it to establish mechanisms to monitor the implementation of recommendations made
by the United Nations and regional monitoring bodies at the federal level. The Centre on
Housing Rights and Evictions also urged the establishment of a national human rights institution
in accordance with the Paris Principles. Particular concern was expressed at racial discrimination
against Afro-descendants, especially the quilombo communities, and noted that conflicts over
ancestral lands are increasing in number and in violence, mainly as a result of the Plan for
Accelerating Growth. It noted with concern that the lack of security of tenure faced by
Afro-descendants and women was not pointed out as a concern during the universal periodic
review. While discrimination against women was addressed, it noted that there was no reference
to the relation between life in slums and violence against women, including domestic violence
and rape. The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions praised the creation of three new
ministries to deal with human rights issues but noted their lack of jurisdiction and resources to
prevent and solve conflicts. It noted the Agrarian Ombudsman as the only mechanism in place to
prevent and mediate land conflicts, and urged for the immediate implementation of the National
Policy for Prevention and Mediation of Urban Land and Conflicts.
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