Brazil's Child and Adolescent Statute celebrates 36 years

On 13 July 2026 Brazil marked the 36th anniversary of the Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente (ECA), the 1990 law that established the principle of absolute priority for children and adolescents. The statute is credited with major gains such as a drop in child mortality, universal access to primary education, improved adoption rules and a nationwide network of municipal child‑protection councils (conselhos tutelares).

Experts note persistent gaps: Maurício Cunha of ChildFund Brasil says budget monitoring for child programmes is weak and a third of Brazilian children still lack access to daycare. Social worker Andressa Ferreira Cândido stresses that protection must extend to both homes and the digital sphere. The 2025 “ECA Digital” law (Law 15.211/2025) seeks to curb online sexual abuse, cyber‑bullying and data‑privacy risks by obliging platforms to verify users’ ages, but its implementation and verification mechanisms remain unsettled.

Stakeholders call for stronger funding, professional training and safety for council members, as well as clearer regulation of digital safeguards, to ensure the statute’s promises are fully realized for Brazil’s children and adolescents.