It seems that President Dilma Roussef has decided to smarten up to the gay community. By her determination, the Secretary of Human Rights brought forward the launch of the 2nd National Plan for the Promotion of Citizenship and Human Rights for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transvestites and Transsexuals.
Scheduled to be released in December, Palácio do Planalto decided to launch it in August. The second edition of the plan will focus on combating homophobia. Minister Maria do Rosário is expected to present the initial part of the project at the beginning of July. Dilma wants to know what the costs, the main actions and the role of each of the 18 ministries involved in the project will be.
It is not yet known what the practical actions of the Plan will be. However, it is worth remembering that August coincides with the election campaign season.
The 1st LGBT Plan was launched in 2009, during President Lula's government, when the Human Rights Secretariat was headed by Paulo Vannuchi. The project was a continuation of the Brazil Without Homophobia Program, implemented in 2004.
The Plan at the time said it aimed to implement public policies "with greater equity and more in line with the imperative of eliminating discrimination, combating prejudice and building a consistent culture of peace, seeking to eradicate all types of violence." In actual terms, little was accomplished.
