The World Organization for Early Childhood Education, known worldwide as OMEP, an international non-governmental organization, was founded in Prague-Czechoslovakia, with the purpose of bringing together people who, in any country, were interested in children and their quality of life , especially in creating the best structural conditions for them to have access to education.
In Brazil, in 1952, Brazilian educators founded the World Organization for Preschool Education – OMEP / BR and, since then, this organization has always acted on the front line in defense of children, their lives and rights, as well as professionals who work with children.
Historically, in all national movements for the recognition of children’s basic needs, social protection, benefit from better living conditions, the recognition of their rights and that children are an absolute priority in all social public policies, OMEP-BR, was active through representations in various states, acting imperatively and vertiginously, taking the first line to affirm the recognition that children are subjects of rights, as expressed in art. 227 of the Federal Constitution:
It is the duty of the family, society and the State to guarantee the right to life, health, food, education, leisure, professionalization, culture, dignity, respect, freedom and coexistence of the child with absolute priority. family and community, and keep them safe from all forms of neglect, discrimination, exploitation, violence, cruelty and oppression. (Draft given by Constitutional Amendment No. 65, 2010)
Adverse situations momentarily took away from OMEP/BR its leadership role, repealing the status of organization of greater national representation in the struggle in defense of children. But gradually, even slowly, OMEP/BR is once again being put on the front line to make Brazilian society commit to itself a commitment to make children’s right to a dignified, healthy and quality life an imperative.
And in this time of public calamity, in which the world and especially, Brazil is affected by the Pandemic COVID-19, in which capital, economic development is being highlighted as priority by the government of Jair Bolsonaro, to the detriment of human life, in which ethics is being set aside, we who still believe in the important role of OMEP/BR gather our forces, and we call on all those who, in one way or another, contributed to this role in order to guarantee the lives of children professionals who work with them in educational institutions.
Together we fight for the full lives of all children and all professionals working in public and private educational institutions.
OMEP-BR requires that state and municipal leaders be taken to keep educational institutions completely closed across the country until this COVID-19 pandemic that plagues the country is resolved.
We defend the healthy lives of children and cannot allow them to be exposed to the COVID-19 virus, which they spread and then infect the elderly, leading to their death to a large extent.
Let us all be ethical, that it is urgent to respect the constitutional principle that every person has the right to life;
Let us all be responsible at the moment and we do not want to give children a responsibility that is everyone’s;
Let us all be supportive, Brazil needs to preserve the lives of its citizens since childhood.
WORLD ORGANIZATION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION – OMEP / BR
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