Bamidelê — Women’s Organization of Paraíba

Contributing to the political organization of black youth, collaborating to strengthen their actions to confront institutional racism and decrease the vulnerability of this population to extermination/genocide and all forms of rights violations.

– Workshops on sensitivity and equalization of information and content.

– Black youth state plenary — in preparation for Enjune (National Black Youth Meeting).

– Black youth plenary — in preparation for the Black Women’s March against Racism and Violence and for Well-being.

– Black Dialogues — training, strengthening of ties and mobilization.

– Ethnic blitz to work on positive content about the black population.

– Blackness Campaign — black attitude against genocide on social networks and community radio.

– State-wide Meeting of Black Youth: Black Attitude against the Racism that Kills us.

Data from the last ten years shows an increase in the number of youth (15-29 year-old) deaths in Brazil. According to the Map of Violence 2014, youth that died of external causes (homicides, suicides or accidents) represent 71.1% of the total number of deaths, while for the remaining population, the number was 8.8%. For black youth, the data is even more alarming. From 2002 to 2011, the number of black youth murdered in the country grew from 63% to 76.9%. During the same time, the number of black victims grew from 79.9% to 168.6%. To be young and black in Brazil means a likelihood of dying two and a half times greater than it is for white youth.

Paraíba places at the top of ranking of states with the highest number of black youth homicides — youth there have the highest risk, 13.4 times greater than that of whites.

The city of Santa Rita, located in greater João Pessoa, is considered the most violent in the country for black youth. In the metropolitan region the homicide rate for black youth is 384.1 per 100,000 inhabitants.

These alarming numbers are the result of a series of other violence suffered by this segment of the population, with the public authorities unable to offer equal access and rights to all.

The data confirm what the black movement has maintained for decades: the problem of social inequality in Brazil isn’t just about socioeconomic issues, but also involves sociocultural, ethnic and racial dimensions.

Bamidelê was founded in 2001 with the mission of contributing to the elimination of racism and sexism and the quest for racial and gender equality, toward a democratic, socially just society. It carries out activities to combat mechanisms that produce and reproduce racism and racial, sexual and gender-based discrimination, promoting social control of public policies and advocacy campaigns.

– National Network of Black Women’s Organizations (AMNB).

– Brazilian Women’s Network (AMB).

– Black Women’s Network of the Northeast.

– Network of Organized Women of Paraíba.

– Organized Black Movement of Paraíba.

– Black Youth Forum.

Workshops on sensitivity and equalization of knowledge were held in the municipalities of Guarabira, Sapé, João Pessoa, Campina Grande and Gurinhém. The workshops were preceded by meetings for planning. Together these activities were called “Blackness Workshop Circle” with a methodology based on popular education. The goal was to present themes that could lead to critical reflection on major issues facing black youth, especially in the outskirts of the cities, and also contribute to the formation of identities, as well as the empowerment of the participants as regards political advocacy. The Second State Meeting of Black Youth – 2nd Paraíba Enjune was held in October with the aim of expanding the dialogue about the reality of black youth state- and countrywide. The meeting was also preceded by meetings for planning.