Sear’s government announces action on racial equality

December 12, 2023 – 09:33
#actions #culture #racialequality #indigenous peoples

Taking another step towards a fairer Ceara, the state government this Monday (11) announced affirmative and compensatory measures for racially subordinated Ceara residents. Additionally, during the ceremony, a cooperation agreement was signed with the Public Security and Social Protection Secretariat (SSPDS) to implement the department’s racial equality policy.

Representing Governor Elman de Freitas, Vice Governor Jade Romero emphasized the importance of this moment to create a fairer Ceara for all. “We will not achieve the society we want as long as there is discrimination. It is impossible to carry out this policy alone, so it is very important to do this work together, between departments”, – emphasized Jade.

“First, it is very important to promote this focus in the Secretariat of Culture, to facilitate this inclusion of groups, to ensure this historical reparation through access to development and resources. However, in addition to making it known, we bring it as a value, for hiring, for discussion and access to leadership positions,” the vice-governor emphasized. “In terms of cooperation, if we increase the training of our public safety agents from the perspective of race, we change society. We are making a cultural change to achieve this racial equality,” the lieutenant governor added.

Affirmative and remedial actions

In search of a more egalitarian society, the decree signed this Monday (11) regulates affirmative and compensatory rights actions under the cultural promotion regime. Aimed at black people, Kilambola, indigenous peoples, traditional peoples and communities and people with disabilities, the decree establishes legal mechanisms to promote equality and justice.

For Racial Equality Minister Zelma Madeira, the moment is a “historic milestone”. “This is a very important moment both in connection with the decree and in connection with the cooperation agreement. The decree, in fact, will become a historical milestone of the participation of Afro-indigenous expressions, artistic and cultural contribution of these people to the state cultural system,” the Secretary of Racial Equality emphasized.

“It is very important for us, because then it becomes a state policy. We have a decree that guarantees our participation. It’s progress, especially because it’s impossible to tell the story of Brazil without taking into account our culture, and it’s no different than Ceara’s,” Zelma added.

Secretary Luisa Sella, happy to be the head of the Department of Culture of Ceara at such an important moment, emphasized that this moment is an advantage for the state and explained what is changing with the decree. “Today we signed a positive policy decree that regulates part of the organic culture law of the state culture system. This decree regulates, for example, the policy of quotas for black people, indigenous people, Kilambolas, people with disabilities, bonus points that can be granted in a special way, depending on the object of the message, for women, for example, for people trans. As well as specific actions, as we are already doing, but now we are regulating it so that we have a forecast and legal certainty, as well as institutional strengthening of these actions,” the culture secretary explained.

“This decree governs these actions, and we argue that the Seor government has an obligation to the entire population of Seor, but it needs to develop specific actions for specific populations that have suffered greatly from the condition of invisibility throughout our history. and vulnerability,” Louise emphasized.

Secular struggle

The owner of the secretariat of indigenous peoples on a temporary basis, representing the secretary of indigenous peoples, Chief Juliana Alves, the executive secretary of the department, Chief Jorge Tabajar, noted that it has been a long struggle and that every victory must be recognized.

“This is a very special moment for us indigenous people. This moment, this signing is another way for the State of Ceara to be in our territories,” commented the Executive Secretary. “This is another historic moment for the indigenous peoples of Ceara State. There will never be another Brazil, Ceara without the recognition of us, the indigenous peoples,” he noted.

Teacher and coordinator of the Organization of Indigenous Teachers Ceara Fabio Genipapa-Caninde emphasized the importance of this moment for his people. “We maintain our traditions through culture, education, and access to these policies is very important for our people. This is the key to the survival of our culture,” he noted.

Cooperation in the field of public security

An important step in the field of public safety of the state was also made at the ceremony. The Departments for Racial Equality and Public Safety and Social Protection have signed a co-operation agreement aimed at tackling racism and promoting racial equality policies through cross-departmental action.

“This signature was the result of several meetings, several agreements during this year. This is a win-win moment because it allows us to better train our police officers, whether it’s initial training or refresher training. Thanks to this, we will increasingly be able to treat this form of policing equally, whether in Fortaleza, the Metropolitan Region, the Inner North or the Inner South,” emphasized SSPDS Secretary Samuel Elaniyo.

Among the policies of the cooperative agreement: sharing data records and statistics related to ethnic and racial identifiers; the creation of a stream of procedures for reporting crimes of racism within the SSPDS and the Police Department for the Investigation of Crimes Based on Race, Religion or Sexual Orientation (Decrin); implementation of positive, evaluative and repressive actions in the activities and structures of the SSPDS; initial and ongoing training of security personnel.

Villani Oliveira, a teacher and state coordinator of the United Black Movement, celebrated the initiative. “For us in the United Black Movement, all the achievements that have been made in terms of reparative politics, positive politics that can include black people, indigenous peoples, we welcome with great praise. In fact, this initiative was present in the set of proposals that we made to the governor when he was still a candidate. And any action that brings this literacy to the security services as well, we welcome with even greater joy, so that we can have civil servants, especially in the field of public safety, with an anti-racist stance,” the professor concluded.