In Brazil, a new decree establishes that 30% of all public trust positions in the federal government are to be occupied by black people

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced today a new decree establishing that at least 30% of all Executive Commissioned Positions (Cargos Comissionados Executivos/CCE) and Executive Commissioned Functions (Funções Comissionadas Executivas/FCE) in Brazil’s direct, autarchic and foundational federal public administration are to be occupied by black (black and brown) people.

The measure intends to strengthen the government’s affirmative actions towards racial equality by valuing racial diversity within public administration. The decree encourages the presence of black people in positions of leadership and decision-making, considering their role in the development and implementation of public policies focused on all segments of society.

To the norm, black people are those who declare themselves black or brown – according to the color or race item used by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística/IBGE) – and whose phenotypic traits characterize them as such.

GOALS AND TERM — The decree establishes that Brazil’s public administration must occupy these minimum stipulated vacancies by December 31, 2025. The country’s Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services (Ministério da Gestão e da Inovação em Serviços Públicos/MGI) and Ministry of Racial Equality (Ministério de Igualdade Racial/MIR) must establish intermediate targets for each group of CCE and FCE levels stipulated by the decree. They may also establish specific goals for each body or entity so as to reach the stipulated percentages. Alongside a minimum occupancy by black people, gender parity must also be observed for each group of levels.

As for the remaining public trust positions, both ministries must establish minimum occupation of these positions and functions, as well as the way this occupation is to be monitored. The racial criterion should not be taken into account whenever there is a specific law concerning selection of public trust position occupants.

The decree also establishes that, in the event of complaints concerning self-declaration irregularities, a hetero-identification commission will be installed to verify the facts and respect the right to full defense. Complaints should preferably be made on the Fala.BR platform, or by means of a system integrated therein.

PACKAGE OF MEASURES — President Lula also announced a package of measures towards racial equality in Brazil. Among these measures is the new Aquilomba Brasil program to promote the rights of Brazil’s quilombola population; the granting of land titles to five quilombola associations; the New National Affirmative Action Program (Novo Programa Nacional de Ações Afirmativas); the Plano Juventude Negra Viva to address violence against young black people; a working group for Combating Religious Racism (grupo de trabalho para o Enfrentamento ao Racismo Religioso); and a working group towards preservation of the Valongo Wharf (grupo de trabalho de Preservação do Cais do Valongo).

MARCH 21 — The date evokes a number of crucial efforts towards racial equality in Brazil and the world. March 21 is International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and Brazil’s National Day of Traditions of African Roots and Candomblé Nations. It’s also the day Brazil’s Special Secretariat for the Promotion of Racial Equality (Secretaria Especial de Políticas de Promoção da Igualdade Racial) was founded in 2003, during the first term of the Lula government. The secretariat is the first government body with ministry status to be focused on racial issues within the country.