Democratization of Justice

Terra de Direitos undertakes actions aimed at the democratization of justice, taking public debate, monitoring of public policies and grassroots participation as a strategy. We seek to broaden the debate on the political agenda of justice with society, pressuring for the building of a new model that is more democratic, transparent and prepared to respond to the social and human rights demands that reach the justice system.

The Brazilian justice system is, even today, distant from dialogue with society and appears to be impervious to any social monitoring mechanism.

The composition of the Judiciary Branch reveals just how much it is distant from the reality of the population. For the most part it is comprised of judges who do not represent the diversity and plurality of Brazilian society. Suffice it to say that 64% of the Brazilian judiciary are White males, aged 45 years on average, married and with children. This singularity in the profile of justice practitioners along with a judiciary system organized with structures that are hierarchical, lacking in transparency and social monitoring mechanisms, are reflected in decisions far removed from fulfilling the rights of the majority of the population.

Terra de Direitos believes it is necessary to develop collective strategies for bringing influence to bear on the political agenda of the justice system. Terra de Direitos is a member of Articulação Justiça e Direitos Humanos (JusDh), a national network comprised of legal aid entities and organizations and social movements that works to demand the democratic adjustment of the structure, organization and culture of the justice system institutions and agents.