Invisibilization of the Most Vulnerable: Child Labour in Brazil in Times of Pandemic

Abstract

The main objective of this research article is to highlight the constitutional and legal norms that, in Brazil, came to structure the system of integral protection of children and adolescents, as well as the context of public policies instituted to give them concrete effectiveness in the social environment to which they are directed. The method used concerns the legal and doctrinal analysis, as well as criticism of the dismantling of such public policies by governmental determinations, in actions that are inconsistent with these fundamental norms, notably with regards to the vulnerability of the conditions of child labor and the exposure of these boys and girls, now, to contagion by the coronavirus due to the current pandemic. The guiding question can be expressed as follows: in what way is it possible to reverse or, at least, minimize such a scenario of aggression against the fundamental human rights of children and adolescents? As a finding, it is emphasized that the solution to confront the problem is made up of public policies of the State, which must distance themselves from political and ideological injunctions of governments. It is presented, as a final conclusion, that, for this purpose, organized civil society entities that deal with the subject should be involved in this context.