The MPF (Federal Public Ministry) questions the absence of questions that identify the LGBTQIA+ population in the 2022 Census. The agency established a procedure to analyze the matter.
In the order, to which the sheet had access, the regional attorney for Citizens’ Rights, Lucas Costa Almeida Dias, requests verification of the non-inclusion of the fields referring to gender identity and sexual orientation in the basic and sample questionnaires of the study.
According to the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), responsible for the Census, these points were never included in the questionnaires, and the topic has already been the object of analysis by the Justice.
The MPF responded to a representation made by the CAV (Victim Assistance Center) of the Public Ministry of Acre.
In the representation sent to the MPF, prosecutor Patrícia de Amorim Rêgo, general coordinator of the CAV, argues that the lack of information in the methodology puts LGBTQIA+ people in the darkness of the policies, plans, programs and projects promoted by the State.
“If the 2022 Census does not consider these people in the household survey of Brazilian municipalities, once again people who do not identify themselves in the female-male binary will be invisible and public policies aimed at the fundamental rights of Brazilian citizens will hardly reach these people”, it says.
“No group of population can be excluded from the sample, under penalty of showing an incomplete picture of reality”, he adds.
In a statement, the IBGE stated that the Demographic Census questionnaire was completed in 2019 and it never contained questions about the sexual orientation or gender of the residents.
According to the institute, the subject was already the object of analysis by the Court in 2018, in an action that asked for the inclusion of a question aimed at counting the transsexual population.
At the time, the IBGE stated that identification issues, which require you as a respondent, are not compatible with a census operation.
“Gender investigation is considered a sensitive question, that is, a question that can be considered invasive and personal by the respondent, which may impact the collection of all other information.”
IBGE’s arguments were accepted and the public civil action was dismissed.
According to IBGE, the definition of the questions contained in the survey is a complex process that involves meeting society’s need for information. Furthermore, it must consider factors such as the need to maintain the historical data series, the assessment of new information needs, and the available alternatives for obtaining the data.
The Census is considered the most detailed work on the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of Brazilians.
In practice, the data collected by the IBGE serve as the basis for a series of public policies, in addition to company investment decisions.
The survey is usually done every ten years. The most recent edition took place in 2010.
Initially, the new survey was scheduled for 2020. However, the pandemic ended up preventing the institute from working on the streets of the country last year.
In 2021, the Census was again postponed. This time, the reason was the cut in resources allocated to research.
According to IBGE calculations, the production of the survey requires the sum of R$ 2.29 billion.
The information from the Census, for example, guides the transfers from the FPM (Municipal Participation Fund), a source of resources for city halls.
Since the beginning of November, the 27 units of the federation have been receiving a round of tests for next year’s survey.
One of the goals is to check information-gathering systems and equipment. To carry out the work, IBGE selected neighborhoods, communities, districts and municipalities in all states and the Federal District.
The tests must take place throughout the month of November and part of December, with a team of 250 enumerators.
In the state of São Paulo, the place chosen to receive the preparations is the Prosperidade neighborhood, in São Caetano do Sul, on ABC Paulista.
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