The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) reported this Thursday (24th) that it will release in May indicators related to self-declared sexual orientation in the National Health Survey, carried out in 2019 in partnership with the Ministry of Health. In an unprecedented way, the indicators were collected in the module on sexual activity of the national survey.
The PNS, which includes topics related to the health of the population, as well as the impacts on Brazilian health services, will be released on May 25th. The second edition updates data from the first survey conducted in 2013 and includes new topics, such as the question on sexual orientation aimed at people aged 18 and over.
LGBTQIA+ health promotion
According to the IBGE, the collection of this information in the PNS is part of the scope of the National Policy for the Comprehensive Health of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transvestites and Transsexuals (National Policy for Comprehensive LGBT Health), established in 2011.
The policy’s general objective is to promote the integral health of this population, eliminating institutional discrimination and prejudice and contributing to the reduction of inequalities.
The inclusion of the topic in the PNS contributes to the elaboration of public policies aimed at this population and to the monitoring of potential inequalities in social and health aspects, according to different sexual orientations. In addition to promoting the construction of scientific knowledge related to the topic.
MPF asked for the topic to be included in the census
The Federal Public Ministry (MPF) filed a public civil action in the Federal Court in Acre, for the IBGE to include fields for identification of gender identity and sexual orientation in the 2022 Census questionnaires, as well as in the next demographic censuses.
The action was filed by the Regional Attorney for Citizens’ Rights Lucas Costa Almeida Dias, after representation by the Victim Assistance Center (CAV) of the Public Ministry of the State of Acre. For the MPF, statistical information plays a significant role in the implementation of public policies by highlighting social issues that are still latent.
However, the IBGE argues that the Demographic Census, carried out every 10 years, is not the appropriate survey for probing or investigating gender identity and sexual orientation, since the methodology for collecting census information allows a resident is responsible for him and for the other residents of a household. The institute states that due to the sensitive and private nature of the information, questions about sexual orientation can only be answered by the individual himself.
The IBGE also reported that the Federal Public Defender’s Office requested the count of the transsexual population through the 2020 Census, postponed to 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and lack of resources, and that the request was considered “unfounded” in Justice, which accepted. the institute’s arguments.
Source: CNN Brasil
