Brazil
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Brazil: Statement made at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (2009) (Portuguese and English)
An Official Statement made by H. E. Ivone Maria Valente, National Secretary of Civil Defense, Ministry of National Integration, Federative Republic of Brazil, at the second session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, June 2009.
(Source: Official statement to the Global Platform 2009)
HFA National Reports
National Report 2007: National Report on the Implementation of the HFA (2007) - Brazil (Portuguese)
National Report 2006: no reported
National Report 2005:
National Report 2004: National Report in preparation for WCDR (2004) - Brazil (Portuguese)
National Platform
No National Platform reported
HFA National Focal Point
National Secretariat of Civil Defense (Secretaria Nacional da Defensa Civil - SEDEC)
Ministério da Integração Nacional
Address: Ministerio de Integración Nacional, Esplanada dos Ministérios Bloco E – 7º Andar, Sala 787 - Brasília DF
Postal Code 70067-901
Tel:+55 61 3414-5805; Fax:+55 61 3414-5967
Contact Person: Ivone Maria Valente, National Secretary
E-mail: ivone.valente@integracao.gov.br
URL: http://www.defesacivil.gov.br/index.asp
Technical Focal Point:
N/D
Other contacts
Permanent Mission of Brazil to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva
Chief:
His Excellency Mr. Clodoaldo Hugueney
Ambassador
Permanent Representative
Address: Avenue Louis Casaï 71, 1216 Cointrin
Tel: +(41-22) 929-0900, Fax: +(41-22) 788-2505
Email: brazil.mission@delbrasgva.org
UN System Coordination
UN Resident Coordinator:
Mrs. Kim Bolduc
UN Resident Coordinator / UNDP Resident Representative
Address: EQSW 103/104 Lote 1 Bloco D, Setor Sudoeste, C.P. 07 - 0285, 70670 - 350 Brasilia, DF
Tel: +(55-61)3038-9300, Fax: 00(55-61) 3038-9009
E-mail: kim.bolduc@undp.org, registry.br@undp.org
Inter-Agency Support
Ms. Nina Sales, Personal Assistant to RC/RR
Tel: +(55-61) 3038-9102 Fax: +(55-61) 3038-9009
E-mail: nina.sales@undp.org.br
UN Country Team
Ms. Kim Bolduc: Resident Coordinator
Mr. Renato Baumann: Director in Brazil, CEPAL
Mr. José Tubino: Representative in Brazil, FAO
Mr. Cecilia Martinez: Director in Brazil, HABITAT-LAC
Ms. Laís Abramo: Director in Brazil, ILO
Mr. Juan Zavattiero: Representative in Brazil, ITU
Mr. Giovanni Quaglia: Regional Representative, UNODCCP
Mr. Vincent Defourny: Representative a.i. in Brazil, UNESCO
Ms. Alanna Armitage: Representative in Brazil, UNFPA
Mr. Giancarlo Summa: Director in Brazil, UNIC
Ms. Marie Pierre Poirier: Representative in Brazil, UNICEF
Ms. Ana Falu: Regional Programme Director, UNIFEM
Mr. Javier Lopez-Cifuentes: Representative in Brazil, UNHCR
Mr. Paulo Medas: Representative in Brazil, IMF
Mr. Lucien Muñoz: Deputy Resident Representative in Brazil, UNDP
Mr. Pedro Chequer: Country Coordinator, UNAIDS
Ms. Cristina Montenegro: Coordinator in Brazil, UNEP
Mr. Diego Victoria: Representative in Brazil, PAHO/WHO
Mr. John Briscoe: Director in Brazil, IBRD
Mr. Jean-Philippe Bernardini: Coordination Officer, UNDP System
Ms. Nina Sales: Coordination Support, UNDP System
Updated: 6 May, 2008; UNDG: UNCT Brazil
PAHO/WHO Field Office
Mr. Diego Victoria
PAHO/WHO Representative
Address: Setor de Embaixadas Norte, Lote 19, 70800-400 - Brasília, D.F., Brasil / Caixa Postal 08-729, 70312-970 - Brasilia, DF, Brasil
Phone: (+11-55-61)3426-9595/3426-9550/3426-9500 / Fax: (+11-55-61) 3426-9591
E-mail: e-mail@bra.ops-oms.org
Others
Ministerio de Intergraçao Nacional
Ministro: Guedel Vieira Lima
Secretaria Nacional de Defensa Civil
Secretario: Coronel Policia Militar Roberto Costa Guimarães
Staff do Gabinete:
Secretária - Luíza Carla Waldrick: 3414-5736
Secretária - Olivia Soares Barboza: 3414-5869
Assessora Técnica - Danielle Gomes Lontra Heller: 3414-5714
Assessora Técnica - Taís Werner Maia Bandeira: 3414-5714
Assistente - Edilza Souza Fernandes: 3414-5915
Assistente - Maria Helena Batista Policeno: 3414-5915
Departamento de Minimizaçao de Desastres
Diretor - Marcos Antônio Moreira dos Santos: 3414-5536
Secretária - Carla Pessoa de Farias Fernandes: 3414-5536
Coordenador General - Sérgio José Bezerra: 3414-5842
Psicóloga/Assistente Social - Daniela da Cunha Lopes: 3414-5842
Assessor Técnico - Lélio Bringel Calheiros: 3414-5851
Setor de Diárias e Passagens - Ana Cláudia Avena da Cruz: 3414-5850
Gestor - Evaldo Cabral da Silva: 3414-5806
Agente Administrativo - Maria Hosana Bezerra André: 3414-5847
Agente Administrativo - Wallace Leite Lopes: 3414-5742
Assistente - Luís Felipe Lopes de Lima Lins: 3414-5672
Estagiária de Pedagogia - Julce Costa e Silva: 3414-5742
Estagiária de Geologia - Priscila Ernesto Aragão: 3414-5742
Agente Administrativo - Adália Florentino Cavalcante: 3414-5834
Assistente - Mesaque de Oliveira dos Santos: 3414-5834
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografía e Estatística (IBGE)
Tel: 0800-218181
E-mail: ibge@ibge.gov.br
Website: http://www.ibge.gov.br/
Red Cross Brazil:
Address: Praca Cruz Vermelha No. 10, 20230-130 Río de Janeiro RJ
Phone: (+55-21) 2221-0658 / 507-9277 / Fax: (+55-21) 507-1538 / 507-1594
Email: cvdobrasil@ig.com.br / cvbrasileira@terra.com.br
Website: http://www.cvb.org.br/
Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF): Oficina Nacional
Address: Ed. Business Point, SAU/SUL, Quadra 03, loto 02, Bloco C, salas 203 a 208, 70070-934 Brasilia - DF
Phone:(+55) 61-226-8414 / Fax: (+55) 61-225-0633
E-mail: brasil@caf.com
Inter-American Institute Global Change Research (IAI): Mr. Holm Tiessen, Director
Address: Sao Paulo
Phone: (+55) 12-3945 6854
E-mail: htiessen@dir.iai.int
Country profile
Official name: Federative Republic of Brazil
Capital: Brasilia
Population: 176.3 million
Density: 68 people per sq km
Total area: 8,511,965 sq km
Languages: Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
Religions: Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%
Ethnic groups: White (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish) 55%, mixing blacks and whites 38%, black 6% , other 1%
Government: Federative republic
Positión in HDI: 63°
Geographic description
Brazil covers almost half of South America and shares borders with all South American countries except Chile and Ecuador. Due to the country’s geographical characteristics and its size, a variety of climates can be found ranging from tropical to temperate, semi-arid to wet. Around half of the country’s area is part of the massive Amazon basin or watershed. In the Northeast, drought poses a recurrent problem while the South suffers from frequent flooding and, occasionally, cold (freezing) spells.
Man-made disasters have become more frequent due to economic and technological development and it is easy to spot that in many industry centers much harm has been done to the environment and ecosystems, thus contributing significantly to increased vulnerability. Brazil has seen numerous economic difficulties since the sixties and it is recognized that Brazil is one of the countries with the most uneven distribution of income, negatively affecting social development and vulnerability. Virtually uncontrolled growth of cities has reduced the availability of safe land area. Consequently, a large proportion of people, especially those living in poverty, have had no other option but to migrate to risk-prone areas.
Institutional arrangements
Brazil has a National Civil Defense System (SINDEC). A major re-structuring took place on base of official decree 5,376 of 17 February 2005. Presently, SINDEC is made up by offices and entities of the federal government, state (equivalent to ‘provinces’ or departments) governments, offices of the federal district, Civil Defense, and the Ministry of Regional Integration. It has therefore a national coverage. Main objectives of SINDEC are related to planning and promoting preparedness vis-à-vis natural or man-made hazards, and act when needed to prevent or minimize damage. SINDEC is also involved in response and recovery.
SINDEC is structured as follows:
The National Council of Civil Defense (CONDEC), made up of representatives of government ministries. This is the organism that is in charge of the formulation and follow-up of policy. 1. The National Secretariat of Civil Defense (SEDEC), which is the central office of the overall national System of Civil Defense. 2. Regional coordination bodies (CORDEC) that are responsible for coordinating each of the five main regions. 3. Coordination offices at the state level (CEDEC). These coordinate civil defense related activities at the state or federal districts level. 4. Municipal coordination offices (COMDEC). 5. Sectoral bodies in which several governentment offices may participate. 6. Additional entities which have a helper function in order to carry out public awareness or other defined activities. These entities include other government offices as well as NGOs, private agencies and other civil society actors.
On a local level, Civil defense has set up a large number of community-based (small) organized groups. In this way, a much broader commitment from local level organizations and communities can be sought. A main goal of these organized groups is to foster public awareness as regards social and environmental issues in the country.
Recent public awareness activities are certainly a stong indicator that disaster reduction awareness raising is becoming a more important issue. In this connection, almost 14,000 persons received training on disaster reduction. Of those, almost half received their training and information through distance-learning.
The federal government is promoting the incorporation of disaster risk reduction in several sectors. The Ministry of Environment will carry out a national plan for response to events that involve the environment. Furthermore, within the Ministry of Regional Integration the secretariat for hydric infrastructure will implements activitirs aimed at risk reduction.
In short, Brazil is attaching importance to disaster reduction in both prevention and mitigation as well as response. There seems to be sufficient political will to further additional action. The main structures are in place on a general scale. However, many localities will be far from any type of real and practical resources or government-led community activities. Additionally, the country does not have a full-fledged or comprehensive (or moe holistically oriented) national platform as not enough social actors exert real nor lasting influence on policy development.
(Source: UNISDR The Americas)
In 2009
In Brazil, the body responsible for the coordination of the system of disaster response and disaster reduction is the National Secretariat of Civil Defense of the Ministry for National Integration. Since the mid-1990s, this system has been regulated by the “National Policy of Civil Defense”, which contains aspects later outlined in the Hyogo Framework for Action.
Due to its geographical extension, Brazil is subject to a high number of disasters that provoke losses of lives and livelihoods. With this in mind, the Civil Defense has been working thoroughly with special emphasis on prevention, mitigation and planning, against natural and anthropogenic disasters; helping affected groups; and rehabilitating and recovering disaster scenes. Experience has shown that the Brazilian municipalities which are more resilient to calamities are the ones which have better knowledge and are able to take effective protection measures.
This system passed a severe test in 2008, when floodings hit hard the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, and on the last two months as the Northeastern area was struck by severe rains. These disasters demonstrate the importance of the oceanographic monitoring of the region and the need to invest in disaster risk reduction. As part of the Federal Government’s Growth Acceleration Program, funds have been made available to enhance drainage systems which will reduce hazards in the areas most prone to flooding.
Brazil works towards disaster risk reduction under the twin-track approach of emergency and structural actions. Part of the food stocks distributed in assistance to those affected by disasters are acquired from family agriculture. This contributes to reducing food insecurity in vulnerable population touched by emergencies as well as to strengthening rural livelihoods, as part of the “Zero Hunger” strategy.
If on the one hand investment in disaster risk reduction is important, on the other hand it is also necessary a strong commitment to development policies which respect local priorities. Both perspectives must be under the framework of international solidarity and sustainable humanitarian assistance, which Brazil has diligently pursued. In an effort to help mitigate disasters abroad, Brazil inaugurated last February the International Humanitarian Depot, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The Rio Depot can rapidly supply food items to countries of Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa which ask for emergent support.
Brazil has also pursued regional and subregional coordination for disaster risk reduction. The First Mercosur Meeting for Civil Defence and Humanitarian Assistance was held in the capital city of Brasília last November. The meeting was an opportunity for Mercosur Member States to develop a wider knowledge of the challenges and opportunities for coordination of disaster risk reduction and humanitarian assistance.
In the Summit of the Caribbean and Latin America on Integration and Development, held in the city of Salvador, in Brazil in 2008, all Heads of States of the region agreed to seek ways to ensure the coordination of mechanisms for disaster risk reduction and disaster response, in coordination with international and subregional organisms and committees.
Urban indicators
Statistical Overview
- Urbanisation:
- Total Population: 173 million
- Urban population: 82%
- Slum to urban population: 37%
- Annual population growth rates:
- Urban: 2%
- Slum: N/A
- Annual population growth rates:
- Slum Indicators - % urban population with access to
- Safe water source: 95%
- Improved sanitation: 76%
- Sufficient living area: 90%
- Durable housing: 97%
(Based on UN-Habitat 2001 estimates)
| Indicator | 2030 |
| Total population (thousands) | 236,480.2 |
| Population in urban (thousands) | 215,492 |
| Population in slums (thousands) | N/A |
| Population in urban areas (% of total population) | 91.1 |
| Population in slums (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Annual urban population growth rate (%) | N/A |
| Annual slum population growth rate (%) | N/A |
| Population with access to improved sanitation (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population with access to improved water (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population with sufficient living area (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population with durable structures (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population in rural (thousands) | 20,988.2 |
- Source: UN-Habitat - The data presented here is extracted from UN-HABITAT's Global Urban Indicators database.
- The data is drawn from different sources and based on 2030 estimates.
Sao Paulo
The following is taken from Slum Upgrading Up Close: Experiences of Six Cities, a Cities Alliance publication:
The São Paulo Metropolitan Region consists of 39 separate municipalities.
The state capital has a population of almost 10.9 million, amounting to 6% of Brazil’s total population of about 187 million. Together with
the inhabitants of the other 38 municipalities forming the São Paulo Metropolitan Region, the total population amounts to 19.8 million and one of the world’s largest conurbations.
Apart from being Brazil’s most densely populated city, São Paulo is the country’s foremost wealthproducing city, responsible in economic terms for
around 9 percent of national GDP.
Unemployment, currently running at around 30 percent (although gradually declining) tends to be more prevalent among the poorer sectors of the São Paulo population, which comprise around 40% of the total population of the municipality.
Limited access to formal employment opportunities coupled with low and unstable incomes effectively limit access of families of poor households to the housing finance available in the private market. Such people are generally unable to obtain assistance from the majority of public sector housing finance providers. With no indebtedness capacity and ineligible for conventional housing credit, these families have no other alternative but to occupy informal, precarious settlements in favelas (slums), irregular land subdivisions, and tenements. The favelas and irregular subdivisions are predominantly located in the peripheral areas around the city, which currently house about 30% of the municipality’s population.
Favelas and irregular subdivisions have tended to be established with no regard for proper infrastructure — in some cases occupying fragile land subject to erosion and, equally seriously, land that is neither officially registered for human occupation nor within the purview of planning legislation. These
settlements have produced flooding, erosion, silting up of water courses, and negative environmental effects on drinking water production.
All in all, the need to provide decent housing for this population segment is a basic constitutional principle and is regarded as the main challenge of the municipality’s housing policy. It is essential to link housing provision with policies that are targeted at work training, employment and income generation, and are associated with environmental sanitation.
Housing and Slum Upgrading Policy
The housing policy of the São Paulo municipality has given priority to the upgrading and titling (tenure) regularisation of slums. The Cities Alliance technical cooperation project with the Municipal Housing Secretariat seeks to design an information system to track the various settlements (favelas, irregular subdivisions, and tenements) in order to provide a more up-to-date and broader view of the overall housing situation, as well as of the main housing provision targets that form part of the strategic housing plan.
- São Paulo’s Informal Settlements/Slums:
- Favelas - 1,573 settlements, 377,236 dwellings, 1,539,271 inhabitants and 14.21% of the total population
- Overall slums - 3,030 settlements, 892,277 dwellings, 3,448,234 inhabitants and 31.83% of the total population
- Total population of São Paulo: 10,834,244 inhabitants
See also: Social Housing in São Paulo: Challenges and New Management Tools; Cities Alliance
Climate change
Progress
Official country statement presented to the Global Platform 2009:
- Brazil - H. E. Ivone Maria Valente, National Secretary of Civil Defense, Ministry of National Integration, Federative Republic of Brazil
To mitigate disasters abroad, Brazil inaugurated the International Humanitarian Depot, in Rio de Janeiro. It can rapidly supply food items to countries of Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa which ask for emergent support.
In the Summit of the Caribbean and Latin America on Integration and Development (2008) all Heads of States of the region agreed to seek ways to ensure the coordination of mechanisms for DRR and disaster response, in coordination with international and subregional organisms and committees.
Brazil, will host the II Regional Meeting of International Mechanisms of Humanitarian Assistance, from 2-4 September, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, in partnership with OCHA.
In Brazil, the body responsible for the coordination of the system of disaster response and disaster reduction is the National Secretariat of Civil Defense of the Ministry for National Integration. Since the mid-1990s, this system has been regulated by the “National Policy of Civil Defense”, which contains aspects later outlined in the Hyogo Framework for Action.
- Experience has shown that the Brazilian municipalities which are more resilient to calamities are the ones which have better knowledge and are able to take effective protection measures.
- Brazil works for DRR under the twin-track approach of emergency and structural actions. Part of the food stocks distributed in assistance to those affected by disasters are acquired from family agriculture. This contributes to reducing food insecurity in vulnerable population touched by emergencies as well as to strengthening rural livelihoods, as part of the “Zero Hunger” strategy.
- Brazil has also pursued regional and subregional coordination for DRR. The First Mercosur Meeting for Civil Defence and Humanitarian Assistance was held in the capital city of Brasília in November 2008. The meeting was an opportunity for Mercosur Member States to develop a wider knowledge of the challenges and opportunities for coordination of DRR and humanitarian assistance.
HFA P1 - Institutional and legal framework
Establishment of a national risk management center
Prevention and preparedness program for emergencies and disaster to support the creation and implementation of provincial and municipal civil defense agencies, coordinated with the national civil defense system
The decree n.5.736 (17 February, 2005) to the agencies and entities of the federal public administration of the States. The Federal district and the cities, the private entities and the community, responsibilities for the actions of civil defense in all the domestic territory.
The Decree n.26 (September 2005),institutes the national week of reduction of disasters
HFA P2 - Risk identification and EWS:
Extensive risk mapping initiative
Enhancement of the EWS
HFA P3 - Knowledge and education:
Continued education program led by civil defense
HFA P4 - Risk applications:
Family basket program that benefits families in poverty conditions in hazardous areas (with monthly income for person of R$60.01 R$120,00) and extreme poverty (with monthly income for person of until R$60,00)
HFA P5 - Preparedness and response:
Capacity building for emergencies and disaster relief operations in the Amazonas
(2007) (Source: Matrix Final - based on national progress report for the Global Platform)
Others Documents:
National Policy National Policy of Civil Defense - Brazil. 2007. (Portuguese)
Disaster General Conference - Brazil. 2007 (Portuguese)
Natural Disasters and Impact Priorities for Assessment in Brazil. October 2006
Web Links
PreventionWeb Data and Statistic - Disaster Profile Brazil
Brazil Coordination Profile; United Nations Development Group (includes Common Country Assessment - CCA, United Nations Development Assistance Framework - UNDAF, MDG Reports, UN Country Team, Resident Coordinator's Office and more)
EM-DAT Country Profile - Natural Disaster Brazil
UN/ISDR Hazards Profile Brazil
ReliefWeb Countries and Emergencies Brazil
Offioial Website República Federativa do Brasil
Website Ministry of Environment
MDG Profile: Brazil
