Costa Rican activist Epsy Campbell, who is president of the United Nations (UN) Permanent Forum of People of African Descent, defended this Tuesday (29), in Brasília (DF), that innovation technologies must be linked to defense of human rights. She was one of the participants in the first day of Innovation Week activities, which is being held at the National School of Public Administration (Enap) until next Thursday (31). One of the central themes of the event is the discussion of public policies for care.
“In relation to innovation, I believe that one of the central elements refers to universal access to digitalization and technologies to guarantee rights, such as education, health and work”, the activist who was vice-president told Agência Brasil. -president of his country between 2018 and 2022.
She exemplified that without connectivity, for example, it is increasingly difficult to maintain formal education. “We are in an era of development in which we cannot think of economic issues separately from the social condition of a people.” In this sense, the setbacks faced in Latin America or Africa result in exclusion and will represent difficulties in the development of the people.
“When we still have telemedicine services, for example, in which an electronic device can change perspectives, we need to think that public policies must understand that rights today are exercised in a different way than in the past”.
The activist praised the Innovation Week initiative in Brazil. The event, which has been held since 2015, according to the organizers, seeks to expand the public debate on changes for citizenship through new technologies and methodologies.
Experiences
Brasília (DF), 10/29/2024 – Epsy Campbell participates in the opening of Innovation Week 2024. Photo: Valter Campanato/Agência Brasil
The Costa Rican participated in a debate panel on national care policies. In the activist’s country, as she explained, the state ensures that public benefits treat the most excluded and traditionally invisible sectors with distinction. The local government supports “community houses” to care for the children of working women in vulnerable areas.
Also at the discussion table, the Brazilian Secretary of Care and Family Policy, Laís Abramo, highlighted that national legislation innovated by recognizing the importance of social and gender co-responsibility in care tasks.
The document determines care as a right for all people. The priorities are children and adolescents, elderly people and people with disabilities, workers and paid workers, as well as people not paid for caring for others. She mentioned that at least 33% of women in Brazil do not look for a job because they need to take care of their family.
Brasília (DF), 10/29/2024 – Laís Abramo participates in the opening of Innovation Week 2024. Photo: Valter Campanato/Agência Brasil
Valuation
Therefore, as he explained, the government defends the reduction and distribution of care work carried out by women. She explained that the care policy already includes a partnership with the National Federation of Domestic Workers (Fenatrad) and six ministries to advance the process of professional training and appreciation of professionals.
“There is no greater social innovation than reorganizing society and the State around what is essential for the sustainability of human life and the planet, which are humans.”
Brasília (DF), 10/29/2024 – Creuza Maria Oliveira speaks during the opening of Innovation Week 2024. Photo: Valter Campanato/Agência Brasil
The honorary president of Fenatrad, Creuza Oliveira, who also made up the panel, contextualized that Brazil has more than eight million domestic workers. “We are women, black women, domestic workers, with low education and who have difficulty organizing ourselves. In a globalized world, where people only value work that occurs in industry and that generates profit, domestic work is not valued. But not just anyone does it,” he said. She argued that empowerment and rights are necessary so that there is well-being and resources to maintain humanity.
Sustainable cities
Another highlight of the first day of the event was a panel discussion with the participation of architect Kent Larson, director of the research laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) school of Architecture and Urban Planning. He and other MIT researchers presented new digital and social technologies for more humane and egalitarian cities.
One intention was to start debates to implement a laboratory in Brazil with the same characteristics as the USA in order to bring innovation initiatives so that the country can make more sustainable cities viable. Mexico and Chile already have units for this purpose.
With the theme “New Ways of Caring”, Innovation Week offers more than 600 hours of free programming. Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC), through Agência Brasil, is a media partner for the event. The schedule can be seen at event website.
