Country detail - yourHRC.org

Brazil

Regional group:

Latin American & Caribbean Group

Council member:

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Council Bureau membership:	–
Coordinator of regional group:	1 (2006-2007)
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2022) :

Other HRC positions:	Member of Consultative Group (2016-2017)
OHCHR presence:	Human Rights Adviser
NHRI accreditation status:	–

National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF): Standing - Inter-Ministerial

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Promotion and protection of human rights and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; Promoting international cooperation to support national human rights follow-up systems, processes and related mechanisms, and their contribution to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; World Programme for Human Rights Education; The full enjoyment of human rights by all women and girls and the systematic mainstreaming of a gender perspective into the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;Elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members; The right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; Human rights in cities and other human settlements; The negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights; Consideration of the elaboration of a draft declaration on the promotion and full respect of human rights of people of African descent; The right to privacy in the digital age; Adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living and the right to non-discrimination in this context; The safety of journalists; The human rights of older persons; Enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of human rights; Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; The promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet; Addressing the impact of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and violence in the context of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance on the full enjoyment of all human rights by women and girls; Promoting Human Rights through sport and the Olympic ideal; Contribution of the Human Rights Council to the high level meeting on HIV/AIDS in 2016; The incompatibility between democracy and racism; Contribution of the Human Rights Council to the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem of 2016; The right of the child to engage in play and recreational activities; Effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights: the activities of vulture funds; The role of freedom of opinion and expression in women’s empowerment; Education as a tool to prevent racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; Terms of reference for the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island; New and emerging digital technologies and human rights; Promotion and protection of human rights in Nicaragua; Situation of human rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; Mandate of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; High-level panel discussion to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action; Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children; Human rights voluntary goals.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2006, Brazil has either voted in favour of or has joined consensus on most resolutions tabled under item 4 (situations that require the Council’s attention) and country-specific resolutions under item 2. The exceptions include, inter alia: a 2009 resolution on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (abstained); resolutions on the situation on the Islamic Republic of Iran (abstained); a 2015 resolution on the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (abstained); a 2019 resolution on the situation in the Philippines (abstained); and a 2019 resolution on ensuring accountability and justice for all violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem (voted against). For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), Brazil tends to vote in favour. The exceptions are two 2019 resolutions: Brazil abstained during the voting on ‘Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan’ and voted against the resolution on ‘human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan’. Regarding item 10 (capacity-building) resolutions, in the absence of consensus, Brazil abstained during the voting on the resolutions on cooperation with Ukraine and Georgia, and voted in favour of the resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights and cross-cutting issues, Brazil has generally joined consensus. Where there has been a vote, Brazil has nearly always voted in favour. The exception to this rule is Brazil’s abstention during votes on: defamation of religion; the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures (2019); democratic and equitable international order (2018 and 2019); rights of peasants (2019); unilateral coercive measures (2018); protection of the family (2014, 2015 and 2017); and a legally-binding instrument on transnational corporations with respect to human rights (2014). For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, Brazil has either joined consensus on, or has voted in favour of, all adopted texts.

View full voting record

HRC participation

During HRC general discussions, panel debates and interactive dialogues with the Special Procedures, during the past three years, either as an HRC member or not, the State has joined:

Regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 98

Subregional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 46

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 109

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 61

Other joint
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 5

HRC member empty chair?

Overall, as a HRC member, has participated in more than 10% of panel discussions, general debates and interactive dialogues.

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Completed
Invitation sent by the State not (yet) accepted by the SP
Accepted / date set
Visit request by the SP and not (yet) accepted by the State
Postponed / cancelled

Longest visit request not (yet) accepted by the State >
SR on the sale of children, 2016

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Ratification status
Party Not Party
Individual complaint procedure accepted.
Reporting status

Submitted on time
Submitted late
Not applicable

On schedule
Overdue (outstanding)

CAT

ICCPR

CED

CEDAW

CERD

ICESCR

CRC

CRPD

Most overdue report

CEDAW
5.98 Years

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Received Sub-Committee visit

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2008, 2012, 2017)

Mid-term report

3rd cycle

Level of delegation

Special Secretariat for Human Rights of the Ministry of Justice and Citizenship

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 167 / 192

2^nd cycle: 191 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Cited in the Secretary General’s reports on 'alleged reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' (2010-2022)?

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 21

Brazil has presented voluntary pledges and commitments in support of its candidature for membership for the period 2017-2019 on 4 April 2016. Key pledges include:

At international-level, Brazil pledged to: participate actively in the work of the Council and cooperate with its mechanisms; participate in institutional debates on the efficiency and effectiveness of the Council, and on future reforms; work through the Council to help States bridge the ‘implementation gap’ and build national capacity for change; exchange national experiences in implementing recommendations; work cross-regionally to reduce politicisation; strengthen the UPR ahead of the third cycle; maintain a standing invitation to Special Procedures and facilitate country visits; strengthen the Council’s capacity to prevent violations through dialogue and cooperation (as per paragraph 5f of GA resolution 60/251); support improvements to the Council’s delivery of capacity-building and technical support; continue to support OHCHR; promote a rights-based approach to the realisation of the 2030 Agenda; remain engaged in debates on freedom of expression on the Internet and privacy; and continue to work on the completion of a new legal instrument on the rights of older persons.

At national-level, Brazil pledged to strengthen the domestic implementation of recommendations received under the UPR, and the other UN human rights mechanisms.

An analysis of steps taken by Brazil in fulfilment of its international level pledges shows that Brazil has maintained a standing invitation to Special Procedures and has facilitated around 70% of the visit requests. It has responded to almost 70% of all communications received from mandate-holders. Brazil is an active member of the Council, participating, individually, in around 40% of all Council’s debates, dialogues and panel discussions. Brazil also hosts an OHCHR human rights adviser.

Brazil

Latin American & Caribbean Group

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Voting record

HRC participation

HRC member empty chair?

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Universal Periodic Review

Participation in other reviews 1st cycle: 167 / 192

2nd cycle: 191 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 21

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 167 / 192

2^nd cycle: 191 / 192