Belo Monte Dam: a case for third generation rights abstract legitimacy

Abstract

With the increasing threats that climate change represents, environmental preservation needs to be urgently addressed. Economic growth and increasing energy demand have been pushing the Brazilian government to expand energy generation. The construction of the Belo Monte Dam in the Amazon promises to solve the problem. Nevertheless, the dam has caused great environmental and social impact and harmed local people livelihood which has made them engage in the struggles for their rights. MAB is the representative body of this population and has put forward the new agenda of third-generation rights. Over the years, the movement has grown into a national organization but still has not been able to enforce policies to protect the rights of dam-affected people. Since the beginning of the construction of the dam in 2011, entire communities have been displaced while an enormous contingent of workers and immigrants have moved to the area. As a result, there has been an increase in social problems, such as unemployment, drug abuse, prostitution, etc., in the urban periphery around the dam site. Without much governance, these problems together with high violence rates have become a threat to human rights.