GNV News, February 9, 2025

In Brazil, police violence is a serious problem. In 2023, more than 6,300 people lost their lives—shot by police or otherwise—while under some form of suspicion, with it unclear in many cases whether they were suspects in any specific crime; of these, 82.7% were classified as “Black.” In response to this situation, mothers of young male victims, mainly from low-income communities, are joining forces and beginning to push for policy reforms to address racially discriminatory police violence.

Since September 2024, a project involving 100 mothers who lost children to the police has been launched by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and the Network for People Affected by State Violence (RAAVE). The project aims to present to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security proposals for public policies that include guarantees of the rights of people affected by police violence. Over this one-year project, the mothers will receive monthly stipends and, as “researchers,” will discuss and propose public policies.

The bereaved families, in addition to the psychological pain of losing their children, are often placed in economically unstable, impoverished circumstances. In fact, more than half of the program participants lack formal employment. However, no financial or legal assistance had been provided to those who lost family members.

Learn more about Brazil’s social issues → “Behind the World Cup Fever: Brazil’s Unreported Social Problems”

Learn more about the relationship between human rights issues and the media → “Exploring the Current State of Human Rights Reporting”

Police conducting an aerial patrol over favelas (Photo: A.PAES / Shutterstock.com)