RA 2006 abrinq.indd - Fundação Abrinq

Funding PartnerAlso as a form of stimulating social responsibility, the Abrinq Foundation has developedthe Projeto Jovem Empreendedor e Microcrédito (Young Entrepreneurship and Micro-CreditProject), in partnership with the Citigroup.Considering that a major part of Brazil’s adolescents and youths face difficulties in enteringthe formal job market, the generation of income and the development of small businessesappears as an alternative.To this end, the project was designed to give support to those young people who alreadyhave businesses up and running or who intend to start their own businesses. The idea is tosystematize this experience to serve as a reference for those who are interested in workingwith youths, entrepreneurship and micro-credit.The project is intended to benefit 720 youngsters between 2006 and 2009. In 2006, 104youngsters participated in the course “Market Analysis and Business Plans”, developed by theEconomic Solidarity Group at the University of São Paulo, which is a partner in the project.The support for the young people takes place in a number of ways, such as:Access to micro-credit for those interested youths who had their business plans approved;Individualized accompaniment for those who still need to perfect their business plans;Support from Citigroup consultants and referral for technical and managerial coursespromoted by partner institutions; andMeetings between the young people supported in order for them to exchangeexperiences and to stimulate the development of joint actions.The project has the support of an Executive Committee formed of representatives fromCitigroup and the Abrinq Foundation, Ashoka Empreendedores Sociais, Sebrae-SP and theIncubadora de Cooperativas Populares at the University of São Paulo.SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ARTICULATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEFENCE OF THERIGHTS OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTSIn a complex and unequal society such as we have in Brazil, where the State lacks articulated andefficient public policies and civilian society still participates little, one of the main dimensionsinherent to defending the rights of children and adolescents is the articulation of all the significantactors to carry out all the necessary changes. The perfecting of the actions, programs and publicpolicies that directly affect our target public also constitute the object of special attention.The Abrinq Foundation acts in this area, carrying out actions of advocacy and participatingin rights counsels and forums, such as Conanda, the National Forum for the Rights of Childrenand Adolescents – FNDCA (Fórum Nacional dos Direitos da Criança e do Adolescente),and the National Forum for the Eradication of Child Labor and the Youth Counsel, as well associal movements and networks.In 2006, the Abrinq Foundation was re-elected as one of the 14 member organizations ofConanda for the 2007-2008 administration.The main actions carried out at Conanda were the mobilization and articulation for approval ofthe National Social-Educational Services System – SINASE (Sistema Nacional de AtendimentoSocioeducativo) and the mobilization and articulation of the National Plan for the Promotion, Defenseand Guarantee of the Rights of Children and Adolescents to Family and Community Living.SINASE should contribute to qualifying the service provided to more than 65,000 Brazilianadolescents fulfilling social-educational measures.The National Plan to Guarantee the Rights of Children and Adolescents to Family and CommunityLiving, in turn, according to the estimate made by the Institute of Applied EconomicResearch (IPEA) in 2004, is likely to reach 80 thousand Brazilian children and adolescents.As a member of the executive department of the National Forum for the Rights of Childrenand Adolescents, the Abrinq Foundation participated in important actions:Structuring of the 2006-2007 Plan of Action for the NFRCA. The action strategies forthe plan to consolidate the movement for childhood are: the strengthening of thestate forums, the expansion of the affiliated organizations, the construction anddisclosure of political positioning, actions for sustainability and investment in actionsof communication and the monitoring of Conanda.Meetings for the formation and strengthening of 14 State Forums and Fronts for theRights of Children and Adolescents, held in the states of Pará, Paraíba, Alagoas, Amazonas, Bahia, the Federal District, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso,Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, São Paulo and Sergipe.Empowerment, via public budget, of around 80 members of the State Forums for theRights of Children and Adolescents and of Conanda.Election of Conanda, 2007-2008 administration.Coordinated by the National Youth Department, the Youth Counsel is a space for the proposalof youth oriented public policies, composed of representatives from the governmentand from civilian society.In 2006, the Abrinq Foundation contributed to the production of the book “PolíticaNacional de Juventude: Diretrizes e Perspectivas” (National Youth Policy – Directives andPerspectives). This publication is designed to subsidize the efforts of the State and society inthe promotion of youth citizenship.Besides these spaces, the Abrinq Foundation also participated in major national articulationsinvolving important matters relating to defending the rights of children and adolescents,such as the inclusion of crèches in the Fundeb, the eradication of child labor, the fightagainst abuse and sexual and commercial exploitation of children and adolescents,the eradication of physical and humiliating punishments, the qualification of the socialeducationalmeasures and the regulation of the Lei do Aprendiz (Apprentices Law).The Abrinq Foundation forms part of the National Directive Committee and theCoordination of the São Paulo Committee in the National Campaign for the Right to Education,which unites more than 120 institutions throughout Brazil, including national andinternational NGOs, unions, universities, departments and secretaries of education and studentand youth organizations.65