Going to Rio in the next few weeks? Get ready to experience one of the most amazing parties of the world. Rio’s Carnival celebrations officially kick off last weekend, along with monitoring efforts to ensure the safety of revelers.
Rio Operations Center (COR) should have a Situation Room with 60 agents per shift. In addition, drones will transmit images of the main parades in downtown Rio in real time to operators. Another new feature will be the addition of 30 cameras with an exclusive view of parade routes.
Government plans efforts to protect women during Carnival
The Ministries of Tourism and Women are planning a series of measures to ensure greater safety for women during Carnival, especially against harassment and sexual harassment. The measures are part of the Brasil sem Misoginia (Brazil without Misogyny) campaign for Carnival.
Among the main measures is the implementation of the No Means No protocol (Não é Não in the original Portuguese), sanctioned in December by President Lula.
The initiative will include the collaboration of tourism establishments, from lodging (hotels, inns) to food (bars, restaurants), as well as transportation and nightclubs.
The protocol
The No Means No protocol was created to prevent embarrassment and violence against women in environments wherever alcoholic beverages are sold, like nightclubs and indoor music venues or concerts.
The law establishing the protocol details some of the rights of women in these environments and the duties of the establishments. Among them is the right for women to be immediately taken away from aggressors and be protected by people of their choice while in the establishment or as they wait for transportation if they want to leave. It also stipulates it is up to the woman to define whether she has suffered embarrassment or violence.
“Brazil is known as a highly hospitable nation, but we cannot allow this trait to be confused with our women being indiscriminately permissive or available—a misconception that many tourists still believe to be true,” the tourism minister, Celso Sabino, said.
When is Carnival in Rio this year?
The Rio Carnival is scheduled to run from Friday February 9th to February 17th.
Source: Agência Brasil