What we do
Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) in Brazil is a huge and invisible problem. The majority of those who fall victim to CSEC are Afro-Brazilian girls from poor and marginalised communities. Those facing extreme poverty may provide sexual services to afford food, drugs or small amounts of money. The issue is rooted in traditional gender norms, domestic and gender-based violence and high socioeconomic inequality and facilitated by impunity for traffickers, normalisation of CSEC and weak child protection networks.
Our program in the Recife Metropolitan Region of Pernambuco state—Com.Direitos (“With Rights”)—works in direct partnership with frontline civil society organisations, as well as in collaboration with local government and businesses, to drive changes in policy, government performance, public awareness, and attitudes.
A new generation of leaders
In my street, domestic violence is commonplace. When I came here, I had suffered violence. But people should be able to talk about that, you know? Here they give you the opportunity to say what you’re feeling, or aren’t feeling. That’s why I think the Collective is so important. For teenagers to speak to other teenagers. Change is made generation after generation. And every little seed is worth planting when we reap the results.
Céa is part of the team at Coletivo Mulher Vida, a Freedom Fund partner working to prevent domestic, sexual or sexist violence in the state of Pernambuco.
Our team
Débora Aranha
Senior Program Manager
Luciano Cristovam
Program Advisor, Brazil
Ana Cecília Cuentro
Program Advisor, Brazil
Gabriela Guida
Program Manager, Brazil
Havanna Marques
Financial Manager
Douglas Souza
Financial and Administrative Assistant
