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The Protection Program for Human Rights Defenders, Communicators and Environmentalists (Programa de Proteção aos Defensores de Direitos Humanos, Comunicadores e Ambientalistas) has operated with a specific mandate to protect journalists and media workers since 2019. The Protection Program also covers human rights defenders, communicators and environmentalists.

What activities are carried out?

The Protection Program creates and maintains databases consolidating statistics on violations of the security and physical integrity of human rights defenders. In 2020, the Ministério da Mulher, da Família e dos Direitos Humanos, where the Protection Program is institutionally located, produced the 'Cartilha Aristeu Guida da Silva' guide on the protection of rights of journalists and other communicators. The Conselho Deliberativo meets bimonthly to assess the implementation of the Protection Program allowing for the promotion of dialogue between government representatives and civil society representatives.

The Protection Program contributes to the protection of journalists with the establishment of a quick response function in cases of imminent threats and the provision of material needs to ensure the integrity of at-risk persons.

How is it implemented? 

The Protection Program is implemented at a federal and local level by means of signed cooperation agreements between the Union, the States and the Federal District, with the objective of articulating measures aimed at protection. Currently, the following States which have an established program are: Pará, Amazonas, Maranhão, Ceará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Bahia, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul and Mato Grosso. Affected persons residing in other areas of Brazil can contact the Protection Program via a federal team in Brasilia.

Who are the stakeholders?

The Protection Program is located institutionally under the Coordenador-Geral de Proteção à Testemunha e aos Defensores dos Direitos Humanos of the Diretoria de Proteção e Defesa dos Direitos Humanos of the Secretaria Nacional de Proteçã o Global of the Ministério da Mulher, da Família e dos Direitos Humanos.

The Conselho Deliberativo is the body tasked with assessing and approving protective actions. It is made up of 2 representatives of the Ministério da Mulher, da Família e dos Direitos Humanos, 2 representatives of the Ministério da Justiça e Segurança Pública, one representative of the Fundação Nacional do Índio, one representative of the Instituto Nacional de Colonização e Reforma Agrária and 3 representatives from civil society organisations representing the affected groups.

The National Observatory on Violence against Journalists and Communicators (Observatório Nacional da Violência contra Jornalistas e Comunicadores) was established in 2023 and implements prevention and prosecution measures for both journalists and social communicators.

What activities are carried out?

The Observatory’s main activity is the monitoring of physical attacks, online attacks, obstructing journalist work and the killing of journalists in Brazil.

The mechanism also engages in other preventative measures like, institutional campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of press freedom; establishing working groups to address specific issues affecting journalists like judicial harassment and gender violence; the establishment of a 24/7 online submission platform; the provision of policy advice on issues affecting the safety of journalists.

The mechanism also engages in prosecutorial measures for the safety of journalists, like partnering with Freedom Network, a civil society organisation, which will give legal assistance to individuals in cases of violations of rights and freedoms.

Lastly, the Observatory will forward cases of violence which are in need of protection to the Protection Program. 

How is it implemented? 

The Observatory is implemented by federal authorities, with regional representations in Brasília São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Fortaleza, Salvador, Curitiba, Porto Alegre e Florianópolis. The coordination of the Observatory lies with the Secretário Nacional de Justiça in the Ministério da Justiça e Segurança Pública.

Who are the stake-holders?

The Observatory is an initiative with multiple stakeholders. Several government agencies are represented, including the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic, Department of Freedom of Expression of the Secretariat of Social Communication of the Presidency of the Republic (Secom/PR), Ministry of Women, Public Prosecutor's Office of São Paulo and Federal Prosecutor's Office for Citizens' Rights of the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF).

Civil society representatives include Brazilian Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters (Abert), Journalist Profession Association (APJOR), Association of Education Journalists (Jeduca), Article 19 Brazil and South America, Brazilian Press Association (ABI), Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji), Digital Journalism Association (AJOR), Association of Photo and Cinematographic Reporters of Brazil (ARFOC Brazil), National Association of Newspapers (ANI), Elo, Fala Roça, National Federation of Journalists (Fenaj), Flora, Matheus & Mangabeira Sociedade de Advogados (FMMSA), Brazilian Black Advocacy Institute (IANB), Azmina Institute, Tornavoz Institute, Vladimir Herzog Institute, Fala Institute, Valério Luís Institute, Palavra Institute Open, Collective Intervozes of Social Communication, Matraca Cultural, Observatory of Public Communication, Perifaconection, Rede Liberdade and Reporters without Borders.

The University of São Paulo is the only academic institution represented in the Observatory.