President of Human Rights Committee asks for higher legislative integration in Mercosul

The president of the Human Rights Committee of Mercosul Parliament, Uruguayan Adriana Peña, proposed on Thursday (4) a higher level of integration between its member states regarding the implementation of human rights policies. At the opening of a public hearing promoted by the committee, in Brasília, she reminded that Argentina and Brazil have already elaborated annual reports on the theme, while Paraguay and Uruguay - the two other permanent member states of Mercosul - have not yet adopted the same policies.

- There is not a single country in the word respecting adequately all human rights, but we can have improvements. We need to harmonize our laws, taking into account the diversity of each country, so that we all have quality of life - said Adriana Peña, while she was presiding the first public hearing destined to debate the annual report on human rights in Brazil, which will be elaborated by the committee.

According to the 3rd article of the Constituent Protocol of Mercosul Parliament, among the competences of the organ is the elaboration and publishing of an annual report on the situation of human rights in the member states, "taking into account the principles  and norms of Mercosul." The task should be taken by the Committee on Citizenship and Human Rights, which will have to present a report on the theme to the Plenary.

The meeting was opened by the president of the Parliament, deputy Dr. Rosinha (PT-PR), who recognized the challenge of elaborating the committee’s first report on the situation of human rights in each one of the members of the bloc. According to him, this document will help granting credibility to the new institution.