THE STATUTE OF CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE: THE FIGHT FOR EQUAL RIGHTS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN BRAZIL

Abstract

This artic/e was written based on material presented to undergraduate students at the School of Education at "Campinas State University" (Unicamp), as we/1 as to professionals in the fie/d of early childhood education, namely caregivers in public day care centers in Campinas. The content revea/s a generic approach as to the character of neutrality and concreteness attributed to the /aw, after a brief historical background into childhood in Brazil and discussion of the Chi/d and Adolescent Statute (Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente - ECA), a /aw considered wor/dwide as one of the most advanced of its kind. ln parai/e/ with the earlier Código de Menores (code for underage children) which was in force forover sixty years in ourcountry, from its creation in 1927, the main concepts ofthe ECA lead to the idea that if this new /aw is to be effective in the defense of children and youth, there must follow a change of va/ues, more than knowledge of the /aw per se. Finally, this article underlines characteristics of some of the major instruments of the Statute of the Chi/d and Ado/escent, such as the Council for Rights and the Tutelary Council, and eva/uates present conditions, as the Statute completes 13 years, with ever increasing social challenges.