Journalist and activist Anielle Franco took over as Minister of Racial Equality this Wednesday (11), at the Planalto Palace, in Brasília, in a ceremony that also marked the arrival of Sônia Guajajara at the head of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples.
In a long speech, in which she made a critical assessment of the marks of racism in Brazilian society, Anielle Franco drew attention to the need to strengthen policies to repair the country’s historical debt with the black people.
“We can no longer ignore or underestimate the fact that race and ethnicity are determinants for inequality of opportunities in Brazil in all spheres of life. Black people are underrepresented in spaces of power and, on the other hand, we are the ones who the more we are in the spaces of stigmatization and vulnerability,” he said.
Despite the fact that the majority of the Brazilian population declares itself to be black, Anielle Franco said that “it is possible to observe that whites occupy most of the managerial positions, formal jobs and elected positions”, adding that, on the other hand, the black population is at the top of unemployment, underemployment and informal occupations, in addition to receiving the lowest wages.
The new minister demanded the involvement of non-blacks in overcoming inequalities. “The Brazil of the future needs to respond to the debts of the past. And that is why, in a reconstruction government, we would also like to speak with non-blacks. Facing racism and promoting racial equality is a duty for all of us”, said.
Proposals
The new Minister of Racial Equality said that, over the next 4 years, she will work to strengthen the Quota Law and expand the presence of black and poor young people in public universities.
He also said that he will seek to increase the visibility and presence of black public servants in decision-making positions in public administration. She added that the ministry still has to relaunch the Juventude Negra Viva plan, which will promote actions aimed at reducing lethality against Brazilian black youth and expanding opportunities for young Brazilians.
Anielle Franco also mentioned the strengthening of the national policy for the integral health of the black population, and the need to guarantee the rights of quilombola and gypsy communities.
The assumption of office ceremonies of Anielle Franco and Sônia Guajajara, which would be held separately, had to be rescheduled in a single ceremony after the coup acts on Sunday (8), which destroyed the buildings of the Republic, including the destruction of the Planalto Palace.
This time, the ministerial assumption was attended by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva himself, who did not accompany those of other assistants over the past week. He was accompanied by his wife, Janja da Silva, vice president Geraldo Alckmin and ministers.
