The characterisation of HRDs as ‘enemies of the state’ has increased the risks for many, particularly those working to protect the rights of landless workers, environmental activists, and those seeking to expose human rights violations committed by the authorities.

Due to the diversity of the population, human rights defenders in Brazil come from varied backgrounds including human rights organisations, the clergy, families of victims, community leaders, trade unions, environmental movements, student movements, academia, lawyers' and journalists' associations, and sometimes the public service. Some public employees who are considered to be human rights defenders have been subjected to intimidation and harassment.

The work of Brazilian human rights defenders encompasses many different issues, in particular the defence of economic, social and cultural rights which includes the promotion of agrarian reform in particular the land rights of rural workers, indigenous rights, the rights of people of African descent, the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals and labour rights, as well as defending civil and political rights and monitoring and reporting on human rights abuses and corruption.

Defenders of LGBT rights are a particularly vulnerable group in Brazil as they face threats to their physical integrity. In some instances defenders working on this issue have been tortured and killed as they have drawn attention to discrimination against LGBT individuals and the continuing impunity for crimes against them.

New actors have emerged who are particularly active in using judicial procedures against human rights defenders and social movements: transnational companies and powerful economic groups (national and international) involved in the development of large projects, such as dams and mines, infrastructure projects and agribusiness. As the demands of those who protect the environment often conflict with those of large landowners, defenders often find themselves in situations of intimidation, threat of physical violence and death. The risks that environmental activists face are more intense in the Amazon region. However, environmental defenders working in urban areas also face considerable risk.

Despite ratification of several international and regional human rights instruments and the inclusion in the 1988 Federal Constitution of provisions on the protection of human rights, a huge gap exists between applicable norms and their implementation. International human rights norms incorporated into Brazilian law have rarely been applied by Brazilian courts or cited by legislators and representatives of the executive branch in drafting bills. Perpetrators of human rights violations, including police officers, private security firms, large landowners and powerful industry leaders, often remain free from any investigation or prosecution. Brazilian organisations have increasingly used the Inter-American Human Rights System to seek protection for human rights defenders at risk.