The workshop on food security at Curitiba was the 18^th meeting of a series of already done at other region in Brazil on 2003. The meeting was promoted by non governmental entities related with Federal Government Ministries and State Secretaries, bank institutions and civil society organizations, among them Pastoral da Criança. Almost 40 people participated at the meeting.

History

There is nowadays the prevalence of malnutrition at many Indian areas. Thus, Food Security has deserved special attention from the Comissão Intersectorial de Saúde Indígena (Indian Health Intersectorial Commission) – CISI, at the last two years. This Commission is coordinated by Dr. Zilda Arns Neumann, Pastoral da Criança national coordinator. In Brazil, they are being done 19 Regional Workshops on implementation of foods self-reliable at Indian territory, programmed for 2003. At Curitiba happened the 18^th. The meeting main goal is to listen from the Indians the today’s situation of Brazilian Indian populations at the areas of health, education, food, agriculture, fishing, transportation, housing, culture, territorial legalization and others. The result of the 19 workshops will be debated by Indian representatives elected at each meeting, at the National Forum, on November 24^th to 28^th 2003. The conclusions will be present to the Federal Government and it will serve as base for the construction of a national policy of food security and ethnical-development of Indian populations.

The Brazilian Indian population is almost 370,000 people, of almost 210 populations, that speak 170 identified languages, according to Funasa/MS. This number can get to 450,000 people, when counted those that live out of the village. At South of Brazil, we can find two of the biggest Indian groups of the country, Guaranis e Kaigang, that together sum almost 34,000 Indians, according to Funasa/MS research. From this total, 13,000 live at Paraná State. Each one of this population have its own way of understanding and organizing at the world, that manifest at its different forms of social, political and economic organization and of relation with the environment and occupation of its territory.

Since August 1999, like the approval of Lei Arouca – Arouca Law, the Indian health actions, that before were at FUNAI - Fundação Nacional do Índio (Indian National Foundation), Justice Ministry organism, are today under the responsibility of Fundação Nacional de Saúde (Health National Foundation) – Funasa, Health Ministry organism. The health actions are done at tuning with Health Ministry, Conselho Nacional de Saúde (National Health Council) – CNS, and of its Comissão Intersetorial de Saúde Indígena (Indian Health Intersectorial Commission) - CISI. This Commission advise the CNS at the Indian Health Policy and articulate intersectorially the reach of its goals. It constitute by representatives of Indian Organizations, Fundação Nacional de Saúde - Funasa, Fundação Nacional do Índio - Funai, Conselho Indigenista Missionário (Missionary Indian Council) - CIMI, Universities and Anthropologists. Its coordination is done by one member of the Health National Council.

1. Pastoral da Criança National Scope at Indian Lands, at the 2^nd Quarter 2003.

States ............................................................................................................. Dioceses with Pastoral da Criança ....................................................... Parishes with Pastoral da Criança ...................................................... Follow up communities ............................................................... Active community leaders ............................................................. Followed up Families monthly average.......................................... Followed up Children below 6 years old monthly average........... Followed up Pregnant women monthly average............................... Ratio of Deaths per thousand born alive at Pastoral da Criança........ Unnourished Children Percentage.................................................... Unnourished Pregnant women Percentage......................................... Pregnant women that went to Prenatal ................................ Source: FABS - Folhas de Acompanhamento e Avaliação das Ações Básicas de Saúde, Nutrição e Educação (Education, Nutrition and Health Basic Actions Evaluation and Follow up Sheets) that arrived at the National Coordination in Curitiba, until September 10th 2003.

17 37 56 92 387 3,675 6,098 404 85 por mil 11% 5% 89%

2. Indian Children below 6 years old, Families and Pregnant women followed up by Pastoral da Criança Monthly Average, by State, at 2^nd Quarter 2003.

Source: FABS - Folhas de Acompanhamento e Avaliação das Ações Básicas de Saúde, Nutrição e Educação (Education, Nutrition and Health Basic Actions Evaluation and Follow up Sheets) that arrived at the National Coordination in Curitiba, until September 10^th 2003.

More information with Clóvis Boufleur, Juliana Kuwano and Annalice Del Vecchio,
telephone: (+55041) 336-0250 or
E-mail: juliana@pastoraldacrianca.org.br, annalice@pastoraldacrianca.org.br e lilian@pastoraldacrianca.org.br

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