{"id":74912,"date":"2023-05-26T13:51:01","date_gmt":"2023-05-26T16:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=74912"},"modified":"2023-09-20T09:26:58","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T12:26:58","slug":"rio-de-janeiro-city-council-launches-the-first-ever-special-commission-to-combat-racism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=74912","title":{"rendered":"Rio de Janeiro City Council Launches First Ever Special Commission to Combat Racism"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"From<\/a>
From left to right, Candombl\u00e9 Priestess Wanda Ara\u00fajo, Councilor M\u00f4nica Cunha (commission president), Councilor Thais Ferreira (rapporteur), Ana Fl\u00e1via Magalh\u00e3es, Lucas Batal, and Daniele Silva. Photo: Amanda Baroni<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/i><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

On May 5, Rio de Janeiro City Council<\/a> members launched a Special Commission to Combat Racism<\/a> at the Museum of Afro-Brazilian History and Culture (MUHCAB<\/a>). This parliamentary working group is made up of three Black councilors: President M\u00f4nica Cunha<\/a>, Rapporteur Thais Ferreira<\/a>, and Sitting Member Edson Santos<\/a>. \u00a0 <\/span><\/h4>\n

The event began with a performance by singer Layza Griot<\/a> and was attended by some 250 people. Special guests included Public Defender Danielle da Silva, Unified Black Movement (MNU<\/a>) activist Lucas Batal<\/a>, Candombl\u00e9 Priestess Wanda Ara\u00fajo<\/a> from the Yle\u0302 Ase\u0301 Egi Omim<\/a> temple, and National Archive<\/a> Director General Ana Flavia Magalh\u00e3es<\/a>. The event was attended by leaders, activists, members of social and religious movements, and representatives of state institutions and civil society including the Federal Prosecutor\u2019s Office (MPF<\/a>), Rio de Janeiro Public Defender\u2019s\u00a0Office<\/a>, Rio de Janeiro State Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office (MPRJ<\/a>), Ministry of Health Executive Secretariat (SE<\/a>), Coordination for the Promotion of Racial Equality<\/a>, Municipal Culture Secretariat<\/a>, Fiocruz, Brazilian Bar Association Rio de Janeiro Chapter (OAB-RJ), City of Rio de Janeiro Union of Domestic Workers<\/a>, the United Movement of Street Vendors (MUCA<\/a>), and State Council for LGBTQIAP+ Rights<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe did research\u2026 and saw that there is not [nor has there ever been] a commission to combat racism. We know that there are initiatives and institutions that use other mechanisms and have been fighting for some years. We are not inventing the wheel, but we want to say that we are going to combat [racism] and we do not accept anything less. We want to end racism. We are going to show at least half of what this racism has done and continues to do to our people, our bodies, and our lives.\u201d \u2014 M\u00f4nica Cunha<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Councilor<\/a>
Councilor and Commission Rapporteur Thais Ferreira during her talk at the launch of the Special Commission to Combat Racism. Photo: Amanda Baroni<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In her talk, Rapporteur Thais Ferreira spoke about the creation of the commission and vented about how, even in the face of alarming statistics concerning the Black population, the project still had to overcome bureaucratic barriers: \u201cIt\u2019s incredible how fragile our pen still is.\u201d According to the 2022 Social Inequalities by Color or Race in Brazil<\/i> research report<\/a> by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE<\/a>),<\/span> 69% of managerial positions are still occupied by white people, while Black and brown people occupy 29.5%. In a country where 56% of the population if Black<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s time to talk about us. We need to gather even more people who support the existence of this project.\u201d \u2014 Ana Fl\u00e1via Magalh\u00e3es, National Archive director <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"M\u00f4nica<\/a>
M\u00f4nica Cunha reads the working guidelines for the Special Commission to Combat Racism. Photo: Amanda Baroni<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The meeting presented the main objectives of the committee\u2019s work, which are:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n