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

2023

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

The incompatibility between democracy and racism, promotion and protection of human rights in Nicaragua, adequate housing; elimination of discrimination against persons with leprosy; human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; mental health; digital technologies; human rights implications of drug policy; commemoration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the thirtieth anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action; mandate of Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; human rights of older persons; safety of journalists; right to health; rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; freedom of opinion and expression; access to medicines; situation of human rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; promoting international cooperation to support national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up; enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building; corruption and human rights; privacy; human rights in the context of HIV and AIDS; human rights on the internet; safety of journalists; human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; promoting human rights through sport and the Olympic ideal, and World Programme for Human Rights Education.

Voting record

Since becoming a member of the Council in 2006, Brazil has consistently voted in favour of or joined consensus on most resolutions tabled under item 2. The exceptions are the texts concerning the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the resolutions on strengthening cooperation and technical assistance with Venezuela, on which Brazil has consistently voted against. Concerning item 4 (situations that require the Council’s attention) resolutions, Brazil usually votes in favour. However, Brazil has abstained during voting on the 2015 and 2021 texts on the Syrian Arab Republic, most resolutions on Iran, a 2021 text on South Sudan, and a 2009 text on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Regarding item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), Brazil tends to vote in favour. The exceptions to this are the texts related to the occupied Syrian Golan (Brazil abstained once and voted against twice), and the resolutions on Israeli Settlements, on which Brazil has consistently abstained. In the context of item 10 (capacity-building) resolutions, in situations where consensus is not achieved, Brazil has largely abstained. However, there were two instances where Brazil voted in favour of resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2009 and 2017). For thematic resolutions concerning civil and political rights, as well as economic, social, and cultural rights and cross-cutting issues, Brazil has generally chosen to join consensus or to vote in favour. There are, however, exceptions to this pattern. Brazil has abstained during votes on matters such as the elaboration of an international legally binding instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises (2014), defamation of religion (2009), international cooperation (2018-2020); democratic and equitable international order (2018-2021); right to development (2019, 2021); protection of the family (2014, 2015 and 2017); inequality within and among States (2020); mercenaries (2020, 2021); rights of peasants (2019); and unilateral coercive measures (2018, 2020).

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: 78

Subregional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 50

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 109

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 96

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

None overdue

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)?

YES

Response to allegations from government concerned?
YES

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 21

Brazil presented voluntary pledges and commitments in support of its candidature for membership for the period 2020-2022 on 26 June 2019. International level pledges presented by Brazil included, inter alia: Continuing to support and engage with the Council and its mechanisms, including taking part in discussions about the Council’s status in the UN system; Remaining active in discussing the main substantive issues on the Council’s agenda, including the right to privacy in the digital age and the full enjoyment of human rights on the Internet; Remaining a member of the core groups for resolutions where it is traditionally a main sponsor, including those on the safety of journalists, sports and the Olympic ideal, the fight against corruption, and human rights technical cooperation; Supporting, both nationally and internationally, programmes and initiatives aimed at preventing, punishing, and eradicating discrimination and violence against women and girls; Ensuring the full protection of the rights of children and adolescents in law and in practice; and supporting initiatives on family protection, freedom of religion, human rights and the Internet, freedom of expression, the right to privacy, older persons, human rights defenders, social inclusion, the right to health, and the fight against corruption.

An analysis of Brazil’s efforts in fulfilling its international pledges reveals that it has engaged in approximately 20% of all Council dialogues, panels, and debates, while also actively participating in numerous cross-regional group statements (88 in total, slightly above the average of 84 for all countries). Brazil has facilitated nearly 70% of visit requests submitted by Special Procedures mandate holders, and it has been responsive to about 75% of the communications received. The country has consistently submitted its periodic reports to the Treaty Bodies and has taken part in all UPR reviews of other States during the second and third cycles. Brazil has shown strong support for the initiatives outlined in its pledges by sponsoring or backing resolutions related to these areas.

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