Passo Fundo Human Rights Commission (CDHPF)

Promoting the empowerment of leaders and organized groups that fight for the right to urban land as part of the guarantee of the right to the city. The goal is for these leaders to develop the conditions to address the logic of land concentration and speculation.

– Reformation of the Beira Trilho working group to hold meetings to plan mobilization, organizing and debate.

– Report on occupations and “empty” urban spaces.

– Popular training

Passo Fundo has approximately 200,000 inhabitants, with 98% of its population urban. The city has a history of problems related to the poor’s lack of access to land, as a consequence of the accelerated urbanization that has occurred since 1950 (when only 30% of the population was urban) and 1970 (when 75% was urban). The mechanization of agriculture and latifundios caused a contingent of 50,000 former rural workers to migrate to the city during a period of 30 years. These former workers were concentrated on the margins of the city. Families living on occupied land are the victims of institutional violence such as: police violence; threats of removal; legal insecurity; forced evictions; lack of public safety; criminalization and imprisonment of leaders.

The Passo Fundo Human Rights Commission was founded in 1984 and brings together professionals from various areas, social and religious leaders, professors and others interested in developing proposals in defense of human rights. Its goals are promoting, raising awareness, assisting and defending people, families, groups and associations to aide in their organization and their human rights, maintain collaboration with human rights entities and others aligned with these goals.

– National Human Rights Movement (MNDH).

The project was developed in the community of Beira Rail, in Passo Fundo, with a dynamic toolset that included approximation strategies vis-à-vis the locals. Seminars, public hearings, visits and training activities were held. The mobilization effort and awareness-raising of new people to the cause were principally conducted through visits and by building bonds of trust between the project team and the residents. The University of Passo Fundo’s commitment to the project was important in mobilizing and raising the awareness of communication professionals, which resulted in TV and newspaper reports that enabled the scope of the project to expand significantly. It is also important to note the awareness raised with the Federal Prosecutor, who reopened a civil lawsuit concerning the matter.