(...) Working for only three years in the area of sexual violence, the organization became ECPAT’s official representative in Brazil in 1997. ECPAT is an organization from Thailand for the end of sexual tourism in Asia, which acts in more than 50 countries. In this role, CEDECA/BA organized three large national meetings, bringing together almost all of the non-governmental and governmental organizations which act in the prevention and combat of abuse and sexual exploitation of children and young people in the country, from which the proposal to formulate a National Plan was formed.

Between 1999 and 2000 they suggested, articulated and participated in the preparation of the National Plan to Oppose the Sexual Violence of Children and Adolescents and also prepared a proposal to create 18th May as the National Day to Combat Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents. Sent to the National Congress, the proposal later became law.

All of the activities developed by CEDECA/BA, legitimized them as the Technical Coordinator of the Sentinela Program in Bahia, together with the State Government. In 2001, in fulfillment of the National Assistance Plan, the Sentinela Program was formulated and introduced in Brazil by the National Ministry for Social Assistance/Ministry for Welfare and Social Assistance.

n recognition for the work that they had developed, CEDECA/BA was invited to technically coordinate the Integrated and Referential Action Program to Oppose Sexual Violence Against Children and Adolescents, developed by the Federal Government, in partnership with POMMAR/USAID-PARTNERS. The program looks to diagnose the situation of infant-juvenile sexual violence in seven Brazilian local authorities - Pacaraima (Roraima), Rio Branco (Acre), Manaus (Amazonas), Campina Grande (Paraíba), Corumbá (Mato Grosso), São Paulo (São Paulo) and Feira de Santana (Bahia), to organize an information system in each location and promote mechanisms for quality rights for victims of sexual violence, among other objectives.

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