The Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) to join efforts and share knowledge to combat forced labor in the state of Pará, Brazil.
The “Combatting Forced Labor in the Cattle Ranching Industry” program was launched by PADF in 2022. It aims to improve institutional mechanisms to reduce the incidence of forced labor violations in the cattle ranching industry in Pará, with three main objectives: prevention, protection, and prosecution.
Today, UFPA runs the Human Rights Clinic of the Amazon linked to the Institute of Legal Sciences’ (ICJ) Graduate Law Program, which works to train legal professionals to build a fair, inclusive, and sustainable society through the defense of human rights and the development of the Amazon.
Cooperation between these two institutions will enable the creation of the Forced Labor Clinic at UFPA, an extension project for research and community work. ICJ students and lawyers will provide support services to rescued workers, while law students will create petitions and conduct research to tackle the macro problem.
PADF and UFPA will also continue to exchange information and research through events, lectures, courses, seminars, and publications. In June 2022, the partners co-organized the first International Colloquium on Forced Labor in the Cattle Ranching Industry in the state of Pará.
The MoU will facilitate the production of studies and research on important topics for Pará related to human and labor rights. In addition, the agreement will strengthen UFPA’s capacities by offering support for research and extension projects at the Institute of Legal Sciences, with the opening of the legal clinic.
Published on January 20, 2023.
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