Maria do Rosário

Maria do Rosário Nunes (born 22 November 1966) is a Brazilian teacher and politician. She graduated in pedagogy from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, and took a postgraduate degree at the University of São Paulo. From 2011 to 2014, she served as the Secretary for Human Rights under the Rousseff administration. With the exception of her three-year tenure as Human Rights Secretary, she has been a congresswoman since 2003, representing the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul as a member of the Worker's Party.

Early life and education Maria do Rosário Nunes was born on 22 November 1966 in the municipality of Veranópolis. In her youth she was an active member of the student movement. Later, as a teacher in public schools, Maria do Rosário became active in the trade union movement.

On 8 December 2010 President-elect Dilma Rousseff appointed Maria do Rosário to succeed Paulo Vannuchi as head of the Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic for Human Rights, a ministerial-level cabinet office. Although she did not indicate priorities, the press points the battle against homophobia and the establishment of truth and reconciliation commissions to investigate the crimes perpetrated by public office holders during the dictatorship among her top priorities. She was also expected to work for the Brazilian government to fulfill the verdict of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights against the country's amnesty law.