UNICEF slams Brazilian plan to lower age of criminal responsibility

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Monday criticized a proposed constitutional amendment in Brazil to reduce the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16.

Gary Stahl, UNICEF's representative in Brazil, said that an approval of this amendment by Brazil's Congress would represent a "step back."

Speaking at a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the ECA, a landmark Brazilian act to protect the rights of children and adolescents, Stahl warned that the country risked losing international credibility over the issue.

"I see this project as a serious step back for children and adolescents in Brazil as well as for Brazil's standing in the world," he said.

Stahl also urged reconsideration of another proposal that suggests lengthening the time juvenile delinquents spend in correctional facilities. The bill has received government support.

Stressing that Brazil needs to abandon the idea that young people are to blame for domestic violence, he urged the country to focus on the positive effects of socio-educational approaches.

The proposal for a constitutional amendment was approved by the Chamber of Deputies last week and is to be voted by the Senate. It has sparked controversy among the public given the fact that it was first rejected and then revoted on.

President Dilma Rousseff has spoken out publicly against the proposal, saying that she saw no need to create a new legislation on this topic. She called instead for the existing law to be better carried out.

Under the current law, adolescents convicted of a crime in Brazil can only be jailed for three years or until they turn 21. And the crime will not be recorded. Endi