Brazil: Decree No. 9.937 creating a Protection Programme for Human Rights Defenders, Communicators and Environmentalists

On the 24th of July 2019, Brazil adopted Decree 9937. This decree “establishes the protection programme for human rights defenders, communicators and environmentalists and the deliberative council of the protection programme for human rights defenders, communicators and environmentalists under the ministry of women, family and human rights”. As stated in Article 1 of the decree:

“This decree provides for the Protection Program for Human Rights Defenders, Communicators and Environmentalists – PPDDH of the Ministry of Women, Family and Human Rights, which aims to articulate measures for the protection of persons threatened as a result of their work in defense of human rights, and establishes the Deliberative Council of the Protection Program for Human Rights Defenders, Communicators and Environmentalists, within the Ministry of Women, Family and Human Rights.”

The decree includes several modifications applied in 2021 that modify the scope of the decree, generally broadening it and including articles that add more detail to the implementation process.

Find the original document here in Portuguese (Presidência da Repúblic a Brasileira).