Introduction to Government Accountability
Within Brazil’s Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA), and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on which it is based, many of the articles place responsibility for ensuring the rights of children with the government. For this reason, the actions taken by government to ensure the safety and security of children become a central part of any discussion concerning children’s rights in Brazil.
Examples of relevant CRC articles:
-Art. 6: states the government is obligated to ensure the survival and development of children.
-Art. 27: states the government will help children and their families achieve a standard of living that supports the physical and mental needs of children.
Examples of relevant ECA articles:
Art. 3: the child and adolescent are entitled of all kinds of development: physical, mental, moral, spiritual and social, in conditions of freedom and dignity.
Art. 7: child and adolescent have the right to protection of life and health through the effective implementation of public social policies that facilitate their development and a dignified condition of existence.
As discussed in the forthcoming sections, there is currently a vast discrepancy between what is guaranteed for children under the ECA and the observance of these rights within Brazil. As the ECA is now 18 years old, I hope this hotsite can contribute to the dialogue regarding the full implementation of the ECA and promote the Brazilian government assuming responsibility making this a reality.