A medida protetiva de acolhimento institucional a adolescentes grávidas: proteção ou violação de direitos?

Abstract

The protective measure of institutional shelter for pregnant adolescents in Belo Horizonte has been used as a response to contexts of vulnerability, despite its legal designation as an exceptional and temporary measure. In many cases, this intervention produces ambiguous effects: while it provides physical protection, it also reinforces feelings of punishment, abandonment, and rupture of affective and family bonds. Considering the intersectionality of structural inequalities that shape these trajectories — such as poverty, racism, gender-based violence, and family dysfunction — significant impacts are observed on emotional health, autonomy, and the formation of mother-infant bonds. The study employed a qualitative approach, based on the examination of records from the Vacancy Coordination Center of the Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS) in Belo Horizonte between 2020 and 2024, as well as in-depth interviews with sheltered adolescents. These data were examined through content analysis and Controversy Mapping, grounded in the Actor-Network Theory. The results reveal the absence of qualified listening, shortcomings in intersectional coordination, and the insufficiency of place-based public policies. Also noteworthy are the lack of reliable background data on the adolescents and the high dropout rate both before and after sheltering, indicating weaknesses in the effectiveness of the measure. In the absence of planning, sustained technical support, and the active participation of these adolescents in decision-making processes, institutional sheltering tends to aggravate pre-existing vulnerabilities. This reiterates the urgency of integrated public policies that take into consideration the specific needs of this population, ensuring dignified conditions for motherhood and the fulfillment of fundamental rights.