THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RIGHT TO CITIZENSHIP Y FULL PROTCTION OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN BRAZIL: FROM THE MINORS CODE TO THE ECA (1979-1990)

Abstract

This article aims to address the historical transformations that occurred in Brazil between 1979 and 1990, which established the conditions for consolidating new conceptions of rights for this segment of the population. Based on this objective, the following structuring questions were formulated: what are the main transformations in the conceptions of children's and adolescents' rights during the 1979–1990 period, which spans from the enactment of the Minors' Code (Código de Menores) to the promulgation of the Statute of the Child and Adolescent (Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente)? How did these transformations—while resulting from the socio-political changes of the time—help develop new visions of citizenship and contribute to the implementation of fundamental public policies for this group? The investigation presented in this text is the result of doctoral research in Education, conducted through qualitative, documentary, and bibliographic methods. In response to the objective and the guiding questions, it can be stated that the transformations between 1979 and 1990 led to numerous advancements and achievements, removing childhood from the "flip side of citizenship." The full citizenship of Brazilian children and adolescents remains an unfinished historical construction, requiring the preservation of the participatory and autonomous culture inherited from the social movements analyzed here.