Brasília, November 3, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The federal government adopted a preventive stance so that, during the visit to Brazil by the special United Nations (UN) reporter on the sale of children, pornography, and child prostitution, Juan Miguel Petit, there will be no repetition of the assassination of individuals who testify before the Judiciary. This information comes from the special secretary for Human Rights, Minister Nilmário Miranda, who met with Petit for about two hours this morning in Brasília.

According to Miranda, the deaths of two witnesses who testified about the acts of death squads to the special UN reporter on summary executions, Asma Jahangir, who visited Brazil from September 16 to October 8, left the government more aware of the need to protect victims, victims' relatives, and witnesses who give testimony. Miranda informed that, during Petit's 13-day trip, which began today, teams from the Itamaraty (Ministry of Foreign Relations) and his Secretariat will provide permanent accompaniment to the mission in the five federal units included in the itinerary: the Federal District, Pará, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo.

At his meeting with the Minister, Petit received a study showing that there are 241 national and international routes in Brazil for trafficking children, adolescents, and women for purpose of sexual exploitation. Miranda elucidated how the government, in partnership with states, municipalities, and civil society, has endeavored to resolve the problem, with an emphasis on the integration of preventive and repressive politicies. Petit said that it is still early to have an idea of the dimensions of the problem in the country, and he stated that, in his report, he will not only focus on accusations but will also make suggestions. He intends to assign priority to child and adolescent prostitution and to the construction of preventive social networks for youngsters and adolescents who find themselves in all kinds of situations of risk. (DAS)