On Thursday (April 3rd), the Federal University of the state of Tocantins (UFT) held a ceremony to honor the coordinators of the actions selected for the ODS Education 2024 Seal. The Superior School of the Judges of the State of Tocantins (Esmat) attended the event in recognition of the work of Professor Paulo Sérgio Gomes Soares and graduate Letícia Cristina Amorim Saraiva dos Santos Moura, both linked to the Professional Master's Degree in Judicial Provision and Human Rights (PPGPJDH), offered in partnership between UFT and Esmat.
The recognized project, entitled on “Itinerant assistance as a public policy to guarantee the right to access to justice for the Iny-Karajá communities of the Bananal Island”, was developed as an extension activity. The proposal, which had a strong social impact, involved an unprecedented collaboration between the public defenders' offices of the states of Tocantins, Mato Grosso and Goiás, as well as the Federal Public Defender's Office, to provide legal assistance to indigenous communities in areas that are difficult to access.
From June 15th to 22nd, 2024, more than 120 state and federal civil servers took part in the concentrated action at the Fontoura Village, located on the Bananal Island, in the municipality of Lagoa da Confusão (TO). On that occasion, 428 legal services were provided.
The initiative fulfills the goal 16.3 of the SDG 16 of the 2030 Agenda, by promoting access to justice, especially for vulnerable populations, in accordance with the guidelines of the Hundred Rules of Brasilia.
For Professor Paulo Sérgio, who supervised the project, the experience represented valuable learning for the academic field and for the construction of inclusive public policies.
Public defender Letícia Moura, a graduate of the master's program, celebrated the achievement as a symbol of the commitment of the university extension to human rights.
"So it's with immense joy that we receive this certification, this award here, because it's exactly what the professional master's program set out to do, right? The project arose precisely from the Master's benches. Being here today is of an immense importance - not only for the indigenous peoples we serve, but also for Esmat, for UFT, for the Ombudsman's Office... for all of us," she said.
For those who want to learn more about the initiative, the authors have published an article analyzing the experience, available at the LINK: https://ojs.revistacontribuciones.com/ojs/.
With 17 actions selected, UFT stood out nationally in the SDG Education 2024 Seal, an award promoted by the Social Seal Institute, which recognizes projects in the areas of teaching, research, extension and management aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
The performance of the PPGPJDH graduate and professor reinforces the relevance of the professional master's degree in fostering transformative projects, connected to the real demands of society and aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
Another project awarded at the ceremony was the Cinedebate, coordinated by Professor Ingrid Assis, from the Journalism course of UFT. The initiative promotes film screenings followed by thematic debates focusing on human rights, communication and citizenship, bringing together students, researchers and representatives of public institutions and civil society.
During the ceremony, Professor Ingrid highlighted the importance of institutional coordination for the success of the project, pointing out that the Cinedebate is the result of a collective effort and partnerships, such as the one made with Esmat, which provided the auditorium space last year for one of the sessions.
