Brasília, 7/14/2004(Agência Brasil) – At a meeting organized by the NGO, Visão Mundial (World Vision), a number of youths were invited to comment on their lives and the role of the Brazilian Child and Adolescent Statute (ECA). Known as the First Youth Conference, it was part of celebrations of the 14th anniversary of the ECA.

Lourisvanda Alves de Souza, 18, from Bodocó, Pernambuco, told the meeting that she heard of the ECA only last year at another youth conference. She declared that what she has observed is that many laws just exist on paper."The laws are not part of our lives, although they deal with our rights and obligations," she said.

Dayana da Silva, 15, from Rio de Janeiro, reported that the ECA actually changed her family's life. When her older brothers got involved with drugs, her mother went to a youth tutelage board (Conselho Tutelar), which was set up by the ECA, and got assistance. Today, Dayana and her younger sister study, while her brothers abandoned drugs, got married and have jobs.

At the conference, it was announced that one million copies of the ECA will be distributed in schools and other civil organizations. Meanwhile, the secretariat has set up a partnership effort with the Federal Police to disarm youths, making it possible for them to grow up in an environment where there is less violence and more peace.

Repórter:Luciana Vasconcelos
(Translator: Allen Bennett)