Nine more Brazilian states will start using a tool created to help find missing children and teenagers in the country. Entitled Amber Alerts Protocol, the initiative is the result of a partnership between the Ministry of Justice and Public Security and the technology company Meta.
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How It Works
The tool works based on an alert that is sent on Instagram and Facebook to internet users who are within a 160 km radius of the disappearance site.
Which States
Piauí, Acre, Espírito Santo, Paraná, Rio Grande do Norte, Santa Catarina, Amapá, Rio Grande do Sul, and Pernambuco joined the protocol on Tuesday (04). Distrito Federal, Minas Gerais, and Ceará have already been using the tool since the project was launched in August 2023.
Case Solved
The Ministry of Justice says that there has already been a case solved with the help of the novelty, of a two-month-old child who was found and returned to her mother in Ceará, in February this year. The device has already been used ten times in the Federal District, four in Ceará, and once in Minas Gerais.
Disappearances
From January to April this year, 6,498 cases of disappearances of people up to 17 years old were registered in Brazil. In 2023, this number was 20,416, according to data from the National Public Security Information System.
Analysis:
The implementation of the Amber Alerts Protocol in Brazil aligns with successful international practices in combating child disappearances. This type of system has been used in several countries with positive results, demonstrating that the combination of technology and social mobilization can be a powerful tool in resolving these cases.
In the United States, Amber Alert was created in 1996, following the tragic kidnapping and murder of Amber Hagerman. Since then, more than a thousand children have been rescued thanks to these alerts. In Europe, countries such as the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands have implemented similar systems.
The key to the success of these programs is the rapid dissemination of information and broad community participation. These initiatives not only increase the chances of finding and rescuing children but also promote a culture of community vigilance and social solidarity.
Sources: Folha de SP.
