Scielo RSS http://socialsciences.scielo.org/rss.php?pid=1806-644520060001&lang=en vol. 1 num. SE lang. en http://socialsciences.scielo.org/img/en/fbpelogp.gif http://socialsciences.scielo.org http://socialsciences.scielo.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1806-64452006000100001&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en The purpose of this article is to analyze the information obtained from a survey entitled "Human Rights in the comarca of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: conception, application and qualification", which proposes to investigate the extent of the justiciability of human rights in adjudication by trial court judges from the comarca* or the judicial district of the city of Rio de Janeiro. The survey concludes that the type of vara,** or trial court, the color of the judge and the amount of knowledge the judge has about the OAS and UN international human rights protection systems are all key variables in determining the way judges apply international human rights instruments as grounds for their sentences. The empirical explanation of the aforementioned variables is extremely valuable when it comes to implementing programs designed to broaden judges’ knowledge of the subject. The survey was conducted with the support of FAPERJ (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro). http://socialsciences.scielo.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1806-64452006000100002&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en Taking the statements of two Brazilian jurists as a starting point, this article reveals what makes even educated people qualified in law reject granting of equal rights to homosexuals. It also reflects on the absence of moral and legal discussion on this social stigma in Brazil, both generally and, more specifically, among jurists, who tend to develop an irrational or traditionalist (another form of irrationalism) understanding of the fundamentals of moral life and who present arguments that are misinformed and erroneous from a contemporary philosophical and scientific point of view. By adopting this stand, they hinder physical and psychological damage inflicted on homosexual children and youngsters from being considered a form of violence, encouraged by a legal framework that harbors specific religious prejudice. From these two pivotal points, the article attempts to show how the law can be applied so as to end social discrimination of gays and lesbians. http://socialsciences.scielo.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1806-64452006000100003&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en This essay deals with social, economic and cultural rights and political and civil rights within the context of international law on human rights. To this end, it reviews the contemporary conception of this issue in the light of the international system of protection, evaluating its profile, its objectives, its logic and its principles, and questioning the feasibility of an integrated vision of human rights. This is followed by an evaluation of the main challenges and prospects for the implementation of these rights, claiming that facing this challenge is essential to ensure that human rights will take on their central role in the contemporary order. http://socialsciences.scielo.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1806-64452006000100004&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en The structures of the multilateral trade system, redefined during the Uruguay Round (1986-1994), have advanced demands for participation by non-state actors, among them non-governmental organizations. This article analyzes World Trade Organization regulations on direct participation by these actors and their evolution in recent years, with brief critical observations on the topic. http://socialsciences.scielo.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1806-64452006000100005&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en The Family Grant has become one of the major programs for reducing hunger in Brazil; for a significant number of poor families, the benefits of this Program are the only possible source of income. From the human rights perspective, however, this Program still presents a series of obstacles, which are reviewed in this essay.