Today, the UN Human Rights Council is meeting in Geneva for its 23rd session. At the same time, Brazilian activists are launching the international “World Cup for Who?” campaign for a World Cup that is compatible with social and human rights at a side event.
A press release from terre des hommes schweiz
Games, fun, joy: that’s what the 2014 World Cup in Brazil should bring people. However, many Brazilians will hardly be able to concentrate on the joys of football, as they are already suffering from the existentially threatening consequences of the World Cup preparations. At least 200,000 people have already been forcibly relocated from their homes and neighborhoods in the host cities due to construction work on the stadiums, sports facilities and infrastructure.
Resistance to abuses
The Brazilian network of civil rights committees ANCOP, which mobilizes civil resistance to the abuses of the state and investors, is therefore launching the international campaign “Copa para quem?” (World Cup for whom?) together with the human rights organization CONECTAS at the Palace of the League of Nations. (World Cup for whom?). (More on this in the PDF below.)
Appeal to the Human Rights Council
The campaign aims to draw global attention to human rights violations in the course of preparations for the World Cup (and the Olympic Games two years later). During the meeting, ANCOP will call on the Human Rights Council to urge the Brazilian government to stop the forced evictions. ANCOP is also calling for a program for compensation payments for those affected, as well as a protocol that guarantees respect for human rights in the event of evictions in connection with major events.
terre des hommes schweiz supports the Civil Rights Committee of Salvador, Brazil.
