Opinion – Cida Bento: ‘A warm up’ for the time of reconstruction

The robust study “A Conta do Desmonte – Balanço Geral do Budget da União”, produced by Inesc (Institute of Socioeconomic Studies), which analyzed federal government spending in 2019, 2020 and 2021, offers updated and essential information so that , in this year of 2022 —electoral year—, social movements and networks of civil society organizations dialogue with parties, campaigns and candidates for Parliament and the Executive on the urgency of a public policy agenda that removes the country from the delay in which it has been plunged and promote economic, social and environmental justice.

The Inesc study shows that, in the worst year of the pandemic, 2021, when we already counted hundreds of thousands of deaths, the resources to face Covid-19 decreased by 79% compared to 2020. Health lost R$ 10 billion between 2019 and 2021, precisely at a time when we needed to strengthen the SUS, a system that, despite being scrapped, was the structure that made it possible for Brazil to face the pandemic.

The financial execution of education, between 2019 and 2021, fell by R$ 8 billion, despite the increase in inequalities in the period of the pandemic, due, among other reasons, to the difference in access to the internet and equipment between public and private schools, expanding the school delay and the already high dropout rates. The study also highlights that the area of ​​assistance for children and adolescents also lost a lot – R$ 149 million.

Resources for the promotion of equality decreased in 2021 to 1/8 of what they were in 2019, and they are essential to support states and municipalities in the fight against racism, in a period when states like Rio de Janeiro reach the highest rate of lethal violence against the black population of the last 30 years.

Funds for actions aimed at women fell by 46%, but the majority of Brazilian women (86%) perceive an increase in violence against women during the pandemic, according to DataSenado.

In the case of indigenous peoples, the money executed by Funai, which was supposed to guarantee territorial protection and advance the demarcation of lands, was used to benefit the invaders of these lands, according to the Inesc study.

In a period when thousands of families were thrown into extreme poverty and unemployment and went to live in the squares and viaducts of the cities, social housing did not spend any resources, even in the face of a housing deficit of more than 6 million homes in the country. .

It is a priority to fight poverty, hunger and inequalities, as well as expanding access to justice and digital inclusion. It is urgent to structure actions in the field of climate change, remembering that the budget executed for the environment in 2021 was the lowest in the last three years.

In this election year, let’s make time for reconstruction possible. We will take advantage of the precious databases to focus on government programs, discuss with candidates the role of the State in the defense of democracy, the environment and human rights.

We have solid systems built over the years, torn down in the last six years that can be resumed and improved, in the areas of education, health, work, housing, etc. historically excluded from its effective exercise.

And to spread the critical debate about political systems that have among their purposes the overthrow of rights to transform them into services to be sold.

We can collectively structure proposals and reach agreements in a development perspective that includes all segments of the population and that is sustainable. Warm up, Reconstruction!