Racial Inequality
Brazil was the last country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery and was the world’s largest importer or African slaves. Of which, blacks are major victims of human rights abuse. Today, discrimination practices is subtle, occurs in the form of racial insults, jokes and comments.
Middle class and elite families are made up mostly by the whites. Blacks were rarely found in the country's top universities, and were less likely to experience upward mobility in their careers than whites of the same occupation or class. As such, they earn about 20 to 25 per cent less than whites with the same background, age, working experience, education level, gender. In families, siblings of different skin colours have different levels of education, where darker siblings are more likely to drop out of school at earlier ages.
This occurs because there are insufficient anti-racist laws in Brazil until in 2001, Brazilian institutions established race-based affirmative action.
For example, the Federal law defines acts of discrimination or prejudice on account of race, color, religion, ethnic group, or nationality of origin by the communications media or publications of any kind and prescribes penalties for these crimes.
The National Human Rights Plan (PNDH) provides measures taken to deal with racial discrimination, with the underlying purpose of advancing the cause of the black population.
Middle class and elite families are made up mostly by the whites. Blacks were rarely found in the country's top universities, and were less likely to experience upward mobility in their careers than whites of the same occupation or class. As such, they earn about 20 to 25 per cent less than whites with the same background, age, working experience, education level, gender. In families, siblings of different skin colours have different levels of education, where darker siblings are more likely to drop out of school at earlier ages.
This occurs because there are insufficient anti-racist laws in Brazil until in 2001, Brazilian institutions established race-based affirmative action.
For example, the Federal law defines acts of discrimination or prejudice on account of race, color, religion, ethnic group, or nationality of origin by the communications media or publications of any kind and prescribes penalties for these crimes.
The National Human Rights Plan (PNDH) provides measures taken to deal with racial discrimination, with the underlying purpose of advancing the cause of the black population.
Last year, a Brazilian film maker, Joel Zito Araujo and American Megan Mylan, tackled the issue of racial inequality in Brazil. The new documentary titled "RACA" (race) documents the lives of three black Brazilians, with the hope to encourage discussions on " repairing the historical injustices against blacks, the poor and the other minorities in the country". (Obenson, 2013)
Spike Lee also produced a feature documentary titled "Go Brazil, Go!". It focuses on Brazil's social and racial inequalities with regards to Afro Brazilians and discusses deep concerns that are seldom mentioned on films.
We also recently stumbled across two extremely educational documentaries that provoked thoughts and made us look at the racial inequality issue in a different light. You can read more about it here or watch the documentary below.
Spike Lee also produced a feature documentary titled "Go Brazil, Go!". It focuses on Brazil's social and racial inequalities with regards to Afro Brazilians and discusses deep concerns that are seldom mentioned on films.
We also recently stumbled across two extremely educational documentaries that provoked thoughts and made us look at the racial inequality issue in a different light. You can read more about it here or watch the documentary below.
Another documentary worth watching is "Brazil: A Racial Paradise?". PBS created a new series called "Blacks in Latin America" hosted by Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr, a well-known African American scholae and writer. The Brazil episode focuses not only on the history of the blacks, but also on the identity, culture and stereotypes. The YouTube link is attached below.