1. The International Refuge and the Impact on Public
Policy of Brazil
By Camila da Silva Lima Rodrigues
The life in a suitcase. This is a scene that well represents the refugee status. Next to the luggage
are stories of violence, persecution and pain. Dramas sometimes unnoticed before the routine of
a country like Brazil, which lives in freedom. But the search for refuge in Brazil has
increased. From 2010 to 2014 the number of refugees who arrived in Brazil increased
1466.78%. Besides the difficulty of understanding the meaning of the refuge and the
implications of conflicts around the world, since the impact is not nearly perceived by Brazilians,
government institutions find themselves facing another problem - identify the impact of the
arrival of these refugees in policy public.
The large migration flows have gained prominence and attracted the attention of the whole
world. In the news published by televisions, magazines, radio, newspapers and Internet portals
are thousands of stories that intersect and connect. The displacement of populations inside and
outside the Brazilian continent are vectors that show stories, crises, feelings and international
changes in the past, present and future. The displaced people are present in human history since
the world began. They recreate continually territories, extending narrow boundaries that were
previously marked.The condition of being a refugee presupposes that such displacement
automatically exists.
The arrival of this population poses contact distant realities bring us between us and bring us
closer to ourselves. In this new convivial atmosphere, are stories, emotions, wounds and scars
that give life to distant realities of fear stories, persecution, conflict, pain and violation of human
rights.
Worldwide, the nation of displaced people is growing. According to data from report "Global
Trends" United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of refugees
and internally displaced persons in the world in 2014 reached a record level of 59.5 million
people, the largest number in the post 2nd world World War, of which 19.5 million are refugees,
38.2 million are displaced within their own countries, and 1.8 million are asylum seekers. At the
end of 2013, the number recorded for the previous version of the report was 51.2 million. This
shows that in just one year, the growth was of 8.3 million people had to move.
This steady growth is visible mainly from 2011, when it started the war in Syria. - Recognized as
one of the biggest events generator of displaced people In 2014, an average of 42,500 people
became internally displaced persons, asylum- refuge or refugee per day in the world.

2. We need to consider the influence of globalization on international migration flows. Currently,
the horizon of the person who needs to escape from their reality or country is not restricted to the
nearest region. The new horizon is the whole world, printed every day on television, in movies,
on the Internet and photos of friends. Globalization always dismissed borders, stimulating
dreams and expectations of a better life. No wonder that refugees from countries such as Syria,
Eritrea and Somalia, for example, cross oceans to get to Brazil. They want to rebuild their lives
with new stories and new perspectives.
According to the document "Refuge in Brazil: A Statistical Analysis - January 2010 to October
2014" UNHCR Brazil, the total number of asylum applications in the country increased more
than 1,466% between 2010 and 2014, as follows: 566 requests in 2010; 1,138 in 2011; 2,008 in
2012; 5,882 in 2013 and 8,302 by October 2014.
Among the recognized refugees, Syrians have become the main nationality of refugees in Brazil,
representing 20% of the total, 1,524 recognized refugees until October 2014. However, the
figures reveal mixed flows, coming also from countries such as Colombia, Angola, Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Liberia, Palestine, Iraq, Bolivia, Sierra Leone,
among others.
With regard to Syria, Brazil has taken a supportive attitude towards the victims of the conflict
and adopted in September 2013, the Normative Resolution # 17 of the National Committee for
Refugees (CONARE), which facilitates the entry of Syrian refugees, automatically issuing a visa
"tourist" valid for 90 days, thus explaining the number of such people in the country. According
to United Nations data (UN), 86% of the world's refugees are in developing countries.
REFUGEES IN BRAZIL
Although the "majority" of these conflicts happen across the world, Brazil has never been so
close to these realities. The number of asylum applications in the country has grown
exponentially, with more significant data in recent years. Until August 2015, the CONARE,
registered record numbers in the Brazilian scene. According to the latest figures released by the
Ministry of Justice - in August 2015 - the Brazil currently has 8,400 recognized refugees and
12,666 asylum claims pending analysis. The numbers underscore a greater presence of Brazil
internationally.
In Brazil, the procedure for the recognition of refuge status, regulated in 1997, is through a series
of stages: when the foreigner arrives in Brazil he needs to submit to the Federal Police, Brazilian
authority that regulates the entry of foreigners in Brazil, to say you want to apply for recognition
of the Brazilian State as a refugee; then you should look for an institution that helps to make the

3. proceedings of the case by the CONARE; then proceeds to analyze the procedure, which lasts an
average of 6 months to 2 years, and then leaves a favorable decision or not given by
CONARE.Depending on the case, for example, a high vulnerability, the processing can be
speeded up. If the refuge request of the decision is unfavorable, the applicant can to appeal to
reassessment on appeal.
But how does a country, often far from the conflict, have to deal with an issue as the refuge so
closely? It all starts with the position of the foreign policy of a country through various
international agreements.
After entering into international commitments, the country needs to bring the issue to public state
policies, so that they are applied in various spheres of society. The art. 48 of Law 9.474 / 97
emphasizes that responsibility when he says:
"The provisions of this Law shall be interpreted in accordance with the Universal
Declaration of 1948 on Human Rights, the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees
of 1951, with the Protocol on the Status of Refugees 1967 and with all relevant device
international instrument protection of human rights with which the Brazilian Government
is compromised. "
With this, Brazilian institutions have to deal with the issue, especially with regard to the planning
and implementation of specific public policies for refugees. After the creation of CONARE,
some Brazilian states have established State Committees, made up of public authorities, political
and civil society institutions in order to facilitate the access of asylum seekers and refugees
recognized the state and municipal public policies. So far have been established State
Committees in the states of Amazonas, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Parana, Rio Grande do Sul
and São Paulo. It is currently in negotiations to create the Federal District and in the Holy Spirit.
Brazil is a country that has been built and made up of people who needed to start over. Only in
São Paulo live more than half of the refugees are in Brazil. In addition, the 12,666 asylum
applications in progress, 36% left the State of São Paulo.
How to build a life between two countries and two cultures? The answer to that question must be
asked on a daily basis not only for refugees, but by state officials who need close to deal with a
new issue on a daily basis.
After checking the history of Brazil and current characteristics at the front desk and reception of
refugees, come now needs to deepen the debate on the challenges ahead. We found that there is a
need to implement public policies that dialogue among federal, state and local levels to ensure

4. that there is an effective guarantee of social, cultural and economic rights for refugees. This can
be done in two ways: new policy formulation and adaptation of existing policies.
According to the events of recent years, it is clear that Brazil seeks to be a regional leader in the
area of refuge. In a statement of President Dilma Rousseff, released on social networks to
celebrate the day September 7, 2015 - Independence Day of Brazil, the President stressed that the
country can receive some of these refugees seeking shelter "Even in times of difficulty, crisis
such as we are going through, we will have our arms open to welcome the refugees. I take today
to reiterate the government's willingness to receive those who, driven from their homelands, here
want to come, live, work and contribute to the prosperity and peace of Brazil, "he said.
Four days later, on September 10, 2015, President Dilma Rousseff published the article
"Refugees and hope" in the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo, addressing the issue of refuge and
reaffirming Brazil's position in this context. "Respectful of human rights, Brazil is a land of
welcome," he said. At the end of the article, the President reiterated the message said in the video
posted on September 7 "Brazil, even in this moment of overcoming difficulties, has open arms to
welcome refugees. I reiterate the willingness of the Brazilian government to receive those who,
driven from their homelands, to Brazil want to come, live, work and contribute to the prosperity
and peace. We want to offer them this hope, "he emphasized.
Such political discourse "solidarity" took place in a week in which the world is shocked by the
scene Syrian refugees dead at sea, especially after the publication of the photo Aylan Kurdi, a
three-year-old killed in a Turkish beach. They lost their lives while trying to reach Europe in
search of a new opportunity. With regard to foreign policy, Brazil arises again of "Open Arms"
to the world.
But it must remember that receive refugees and immigrants means more than having good
intentions. These populations shift and high degree of socioeconomic vulnerability, but need
assistance, work, housing, health, education and security. But this must be done responsibly
through the state and should ensure the inclusion and social integration. Unfortunately, there is
still no public policy with national policy on the issue of refuge and also there is an immigration
law that is capable of dealing with such population of immigrants living in Brazil today.
It is evident that the quest for international protection and asylum request are contemporary
issues and full development. The international community and States have an important role in
the protection of refugees and the search for an end to these conflicts that generate the great
human dislocations. In Brazil, we can identify a gradual change, based on the guarantee and
effective compliance with international agreements to which we are signatories. Our country
received many immigrants and refugees Japanese, Italians, Africans, Arabs, among other people,

5. who have contributed in building a country that currently claims on the international scene, a
place of leadership.
Regarding the challenges and development of specific public policies for this new population
that falls within the Brazilian territory, Brazil seems headed in the right direction, but there is
still long way to go. This is a continuous process of improvement and reflection of the role of
states and municipalities on these and other issues arising in international problems.
Start a new life is never simple or easy task. When crossing borders, the difficulties of the
refugees do not disappear, and the sufferings and struggles do not end. The State therefore needs
to ensure that these refugees develop and explore their potential as human beings, enriching the
local culture and contributing to the formation a welcoming society.
As I said Clarice Lispector "which extends a person's life are impossible dreams". That Brazil is
increasingly a country that is willing to be a land where dreams become realities and lives to be
rebuilt.