The Brazilian NGO Gestos, with the support of Ford Foundation, has released a campaign
called #GestosPelaIgualdade (“Gestures for Equality”) focusing on promoting the rights
of LGBTI people in Brazil. The campaign targets especially people who work on the Brazilian
Judiciary System, drawing attention to the importance of their role on the support, the safety
and the repair of the rights of the LGBTI people.
In Brazil, the number of murderers of LGBTI people increased from 130, on 2000, to 260, on
2010, until it reach the number of 343, on 2016. Brazil registers the alarming number of 938
murders of trans people in 8 years, higher than the total amount of murders of this nature
committed together in Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania and North America, in the same period.
The Brazilian NGO “Gestos” releases the first campaign about LGBTI rights targeting people who work on the Brazilian Judiciary System
#GestosPelaIgualdade (“Gestures For Equality”)
The NGO Gestos - Soropositividade, Comunicação e Gênero (Seropositivity, Communication and Gender), released in Pernambuco, Brazil, the campaign #GestosPelaIgualdade (“Gestures for Equality”), that address LGBTI rights and aims to reach the Brazilian Judiciary System.
This is the first campaign with such approach, designed specially to the court workers, drawing attention to the importance of their role on the support, the security and the repair of the rights of the LGBTI people.
The campaign #GestosPelaIgualdade, funded by FORD FOUNDATION, is a part of a wider project from Gestos, that includes actions to support the political activism of groups that work on LGBTI issues, the release of judicial assistance and counseling to people that suffers with the violations of their rights and the follow up on the actions that the Congress has been taken (including Chamber of City Councilors, Legislative Assembly and National Congress), as well as monitoring the creation of public policies that targets the human rights related to the LGBTI population.
According to data from the Grupo Gay da Bahia (“Gay Group from Bahia”), on 2016, Brazil has registered 343 murderers of LGBTI people (lesbian, gays, bissexuals, trans and intersex) - a record since the entity started to count the number of murderers on its 37 years of action. The statistics shows that every 25 hours a LGBTI person is murdered in the country, victim of LGBTphobia - what makes Brazil the leader on crimes of such nature.
"The campaign aims to sensitize justice operators to the importance that these professionals have for the recognition of rights and compliance with laws. This moment is also emblematic because Pernambuco is the fourth most violent state for LGBTs in the country. There is a lot to be done to change this situation and the Judiciary has a fundamental role in this process, "says Alessandra Nilo, general coordinator of Gestos.
The number of murderers of LGBTI people increased from 130, on 2000, to 260, on 2010, until it reach the number of 343, on 2016. Brazil registers the alarming number of 938 murders of trans people in 8 years, higher than the total amount of murders of this nature committed together in Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania and North America, in the same period.
The campaign #GestosPelaIgualdade is an initiative of Gestos together with the sponsorship of Ford Foundation and the support of the advertising agency Martpet and the IT and Communication Company Paradox Zero - that has develop the campaign's website. The photography is from the awarded photojournalist Ana Araújo. All the material developed and the statements given to the campaign #GestosPelaIgualdade will be available at the website www.gestospelaigualdade.org – including the audio statements, the pieces for broadcasts and versions for sharing on social networks.
Gestos thanks the Pernambuco Judicial Court (TJPE) due to the assignment of the Rodolfo Aureliano Forum, Auditorium.
About Gestos
Created 24 years ago in Recife (PE), the NGO Gestos - Soropositividade, Comunicação e Gênero acts on the defence and promotion of the sexual and reproductive rights from a feminist perspective, considering them as fundamental on the prevention of HIV and the creation of policies that aims to improve the social, political and economic conditions of the community. The NGO offers services for people living with HIV (psychotherapeutic care, social and legal counselling) and implements actions aimed at the populations vulnerable to HIV in low-income communities in the Metropolitan Region of Recife. In 2015, it inaugurated a service specialized in the support of young people and adolescents in the field of sexual and reproductive rights.
In addition to support people living with HIV and vulnerable people considering AIDS, Gestos acts on the social management, the monitoring public policies, the promotion of rights and the strengthening the citizenship of LGBTI people. Among other activities - including in the international field - since January 2017, the NGO offers free legal counselling and psychosocial assistance to the LGBTI population of Recife and Metropolitan Region, through the Project "Sexual Rights are Human Rights: Promoting LGBTI Citizenship in Pernambuco" funded by FORD FOUNDATION.
For interviews
Alessandra Nilo (General Coordinator) – +55(81) 9 9987-9145
Gestos Communication Office – +55 (81) 3421-7670
Javier Martinez – +55 (81) 9 8503-8440
Juliana Cavalcanti – +55 (81) 9 9921-7705
Gestos – Soropositividade, Comunicação e Gênero
Adress: Rua dos Médicis, nº 68, Boa Vista, Recife/PE
Site: www.gestos.org
Facebook: www.fb.com/gestospe
Twitter: @gestospe