Quilombola Youth Protagonism in Scene

The only quilombola from the Northeast to participate in the Human Rights Training Course promoted by the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner Program, Franciele Silva, 24, a law student at the Federal University of Bahia, was one of ten selected for the course that also counts on the participation of indigenous peoples and other quilombolas from Brazil.

Since 2019, Franciele has been part of the activities developed by the Extension Program "Bahiana in Defense of Life", a partnership between Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública and the Association of Remnants of Quilombo Rio dos Macacos, located in the municipality of Simões Filho/BA.

Franciele represents youth in the residents' association and in recent years has been active in the Quilombo Youth Emancipation and Protagonism Project, with the aim of encouraging the strengthening of identity and culture through the historical, social, ethnic and racial dimensions of Quilombo Rio dos Macacos, as well as how to awaken critical thinking and empowerment. She is currently one of the field coordinators of the research "Living and health conditions of quilombola communities in Bahia and Sergipe", a partnership between the Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, at the Federal University of Bahia, and the School Bahiana and the Federal University of Sergipe.

Franciele's participation in UN activity represents not only an individual achievement, but a collective victory for the community that has faced a complex social, political, health and human rights violation context for decades. We wish you success on your path and that this course can enhance the association's fight against the situation of social vulnerability and exclusion in access to public policies.