There are broad spaces for participation that go beyond the space of management councils. Convened in a more episodic manner than councils, they normally have the function of constructing subsidies or even determining the basic lines of a policy, not being merely consultative spaces, but determining the decisions on the direction of a policy.

Some of these conferences are provided for in the laws that regulate public policies, such as in the areas of health and social assistance, and their holding is a government obligation. Others are from Initiative governments, and may be regulated by decree or not.

In order to highlight the different nuances of the rights under debate and insert a plural character in the definition of principles and guidelines, the Conferences try to guarantee the representation of different social groups so that they speak for themselves, as well as, ordinarily, municipal and states in order to take into account the diversity of the Brazilian population.