Association denounces government persecution against UN rapporteur

The Association of Women, Mothers and Workers of Brazil (Matria) denounced the existence of “political persecution by government sectors and bodies” against Reem Alsalem, who is the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Girls and Women.

According to the complaint sent to President Lula (PT) on January 10, 2024, Reem Alsalem became the target of “trans-activist organizations and pro-trans lobbies” after expressing criticism of transhumanist theories.

In the document, Matria cites a note published on the government website in which the National Council for the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transvestite, Transsexual, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and Other People (CNLGBTQIA+) accuses Reem Alsalem of “instrumentalizing” the its mandate and to adopt “positions aligned with what the extreme right and radical social segments that flirt with transphobia and the demonization of trans bodies and subjectivities defend”.

According to the Council, despite presenting herself as a feminist, the UN rapporteur’s stance “contributes to maintaining harmful effects in relation to the rights of trans people, thus contributing to the growing escalation of discrimination, attacks on rights, misinformation and speeches of hate across the world.”

The Council is part of the Participatory Brazil Platform, a program created by the federal government that reports directly to the National Secretariat for Social Participation of the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic (SNPS/SGPR).

The Council’s reaction was due to an official statement in which Reem Alsalem denounces “intimidation and threats against women and girls for expressing their opinions and beliefs regarding their needs and rights based on their sex and/or sexual orientation”.

In the complaint sent by Matria to the Lula government, the association says that the UN rapporteur “has always been attentive to discussions and problems that affect Brazilian children and women”.

Matria also mentions the cancellation of a visit by the rapporteur to Brazil last year. At the time, the invitation was canceled by the government without explanation.

“Since March 2023, with an invitation from the Brazilian government (management 2018-2022), the rapporteur called on the entire Brazilian society to send contributions on topics and situations of lack of protection for women and girls, so that they could be aware and contribute to their preparation, whose visit was scheduled for July 31 to August 10, 2023. There were several calls on their social networks for the contribution of Brazilian civil society. But without any plausible explanation, the current government, represented by the Ministry of Women, canceled the rapporteur’s visit to Brazil, without any explanation”, says an excerpt from the complaint.

After the cancellation of the invitation, according to Matria, the UN rapporteur became “the target of political persecution by trans-activist organizations and pro-trans lobbies, who understand the rapporteur’s public notes regarding the defense and protection of women and girls as ‘anti-trans’.”

Among the organizations that have constantly criticized the rapporteur, Matria highlighted publications from the National Association of Transvestites and Transsexuals of Brazil (Antra), one of the signatories of the note issued by CNLGBTQIA+ against Reem.

As compiled attached to the complaint made by Matria, Antra’s publications against Reem Alsalem on social media are recurring.

“Although the federal government has reestablished the Ministry of Women, and with this now has a minister exclusively for women’s issues in the government body, we see the collusion of this government body with this scenario of political persecution of the UN rapporteur. It was expected that the Ministry of Women would be the body most committed to ensuring the rapporteur’s visit. On the contrary, what we saw was silence and a lack of explanation to women as to why they did not want the rapporteur to come to assist Brazilian women and girls”, says another excerpt from the complaint.

Matria concludes the document defending the right of women to defend their rights in the face of the influence of trans groups with the Lula government and demands action from Congress.

“Faced with this scenario of persecution of the special rapporteur, Reem Alsalem, which illustrates the political persecution in particular of women, but not only, but of the entire Brazilian society that does not subscribe to the beliefs and ideology of ‘Queer Theory’ so ‘well represented’ in the examples we exposed in this complaint, we demand that the Brazilian Congress becomes aware, accepts and intervenes according to its power and design, as we are facing an attack not only on a woman carrying out her work, nor only on women in her ‘ place of speech’, but to the Rule of Law and Freedoms itself”, says the association.

The entity wants Congress to guarantee the rapporteur’s visit to Brazil, as well as investigate the “negligence” of government bodies in the face of the attacks on Reem Alsalem. Finally, it asks the Ministry of Women to explain its silence in relation to the “political attack on women who do not subscribe to the beliefs and ideology of ‘Queer Theory’”.

In a note sent to People’s GazetteMatria said that it does not accept “that half of the country is gagged and prevented from talking about itself because it could hurt the feelings of some”.

Read the association’s note in full

“We, at Matria, are attentive to the Government’s actions and reactions, which appear to be orchestrated with entities that promote hate speech against women. Therefore, we systematized the information that points in this direction, with regard to the cancellation of the visit of the UN rapporteur on violence against women and girls, and we officiated at various government bodies, including the Civil House.

When we learned about the cancellation of Reem Alsalem’s visit just a few days before its start date, we were surprised and sought information from the Ministry of Women, which was evasive. After gathering the information that appeared in our letter, it became clear that the reason for the cancellation was an ideological disagreement, despite the Government positioning itself as open to dialogue, unity and strongly in defense of women.

Well, this rapporteur has done an excellent job giving voice and visibility to various women’s causes, such as the repeal of the Parental Alienation Law and the more than legitimate concern with the conflicts surrounding the idea of ​​the existence of gender identities, which has been dominating women’s spaces and struggles and imposing who can say what a woman is.

We consider that it is the Government’s duty to at least listen to representatives with opinions contrary to its own, as well as to ensure the freedom and defense of women’s rights, all important pillars in a democracy. We cannot allow half the country to be gagged and prevented from talking about themselves because it might hurt the feelings of some. Defending the mandate and freedom of action of the Special Rapporteur is defending Brazilian women in this scenario.

The Brazilian Government cannot hide, using Councils and Entities to exempt itself from its own positions. We demand explanations, transparency and respect“.