MEC participates in campaign against child exploitation

11/02/2003 - 21h26

Brasília, February 12, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Ministry of Education is ready to take on the challenge of erradicating the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents in Brazil. This affirmation was made yesterday (11) by Minister Cristovam Buarque following the first meeting of the forum created by the Ministry of Justice to deal with this problem. "We can guarantee school-grants and provide special school accompaniment for these children," Buarque affirmed.

According to the Minister, the government will operate on three action fronts: repression, which will put in jail those responsible for these "barbarous crimes"; the system of subsidies for families in situations of risk; and the guarantee of education and special accompaniment for children and adolescents who are victims of sexual exploitation and abuse. "The schools are prepared for this effort, and the ones that are not, will be made fit for the task," Buarque informed. (DAS)