APRIL 2004

Update on our work in Peru

Background

Peru is a country with approximately 28.5 million people in the Andean region of South America. Approximately half the country is indigenous, belonging to a wide variety of ethnic groups with Quecha and Aymara being the largest groups. Approximately one-third of the population is mestizo, or of mixed lineage, and about 15 percent are white and primarily Spanish descendents. Indigenous women in Peru are a particularly disadvantaged group, enduring among the worst conditions of poverty, illiteracy, lack of health care and ignorance of fundamental rights. This condition in large part stems from the fact that indigenous women are doubly discriminated against in Peruvian society since indigenous people are marginalized within Peru, and women are marginalized within the indigenous society.

Chirapaq

Chirapaq is an organization in Peru dedicated to the empowerment of indigenous women that has distinguished itself by being the only organization that brings together, trains and empowers women from all the indigenous groups of the country to exercise control over their condition. Chirapaq provides a forum for indigenous women throughout Peru to create a dialogue and identify priorities and strategies for change. The capacity building of indigenous women and promotion of civic engagement with local and regional decision makers enhances democracy and the potential for partnerships among government agencies and local community organizations that can potentially effect positive change.

Chirapaq realizes its mission through training, communication, investigation and distribution of information within the specific cultural context of the populations served. A core activity of Chirapaq is to bring together indigenous women leaders from all the languages groups of the country on a quarterly basis, for training and advocacy in the capital city of Lima. Workshops cover a vast range of issues affecting the lives of indigenous women including women’s health, human rights, poverty alleviation, and political participation. Each participant then returns and re-creates this training at least three times in her local areas - thus mobilizing and empowering thousands of grassroots women leaders.

Activities

The Hunger Project’s support of Chirapaq has allowed the organization to enhance the quality and impact of their activities, facilitate communication with other organizations, and strengthen their institutional base and outreach capacity. The Hunger Project has also presented at conferences organized by Chirapaq in the past. The organization’s activities and related outcomes over the last year have included the following:

National Workshop Series

These workshops bring together women indigenous leaders from different indigenous groups throughout Peru in order to facilitate a national dialogue on the rights and priorities of indigenous women and create proposals to be presented to local and regional governments. Themes in the past have been “Indigenous Women, Participation and Citizenship,” October 2003, and “Indigenous Women and Human Rights” June/July 2003. Typically female indigenous leaders representing over 20 organizations from the Andean and Amazonic region participate. These women learn and practice concepts relating to understanding and exercising their rights and duties in their communities using culturally appropriate methodologies. Major outcomes of the national conference include:

· The identification of a priority agenda of indigenous women of Peru.

· The creation of proposals to present at national ministries meetings and the parliament and to local level officials.

· The training of direct beneficiaries of the conference, including hundreds of female leaders from the 22 organizations represented and female guest participants from other organizations.

· The capacity building of indirect beneficiaries, including approximately 150,000 indigenous women members of the Permanent Workshop of Andean and Amazonian Indigenous Women, members of guest organizations and the general population of the area where the event will take place.

· Increased visibility of indigenous women leaders enhanced in their communities and nationally and increased awareness in Peruvian society of issues related to indigenous women.

· Organizational capabilities strengthened at local and national levels.

· General encouragement of participation among indigenous women in democracy in Peru.

Fourth Continental Forum of Indigenous Women in Lima, Peru (April 4-7, 2004)

The fourth continental conference will bring together hundreds of women from over twenty different countries throughout the Americas. (The previous continental conferences were held in Mexico, Equador and Panama). The conference will strengthen a cross-country dialogue and the organizational mechanisms for implementing broader strategies to promote women’s indigenous capacity and participation in society. The larger conference will directly benefit a broader range of indigenous women including the representatives of indigenous women spanning over twenty countries throughout the Americas and the members of their respective organizations and communities.

Major outcomes expected of the continental conference include:

· The identification of priorities and strategies to implement change and analyze global themes as they impact indigenous women.

· The building of alliances, strengthening of organizational ties and exchange of ideas among indigenous organizations and communities across the Americas.

· The training of direct beneficiaries of the conference, including hundreds of female leaders from over twenty countries across the Americas.

· The capacity building of indirect beneficiaries of the conference, including members of the organizations represented and local indigenous communities of the countries represented.

· The coordinated creation of proposals to present at respective national government decision making bodies.

· Increased visibility of the leadership and organizational capacity of indigenous women enhanced at the regional level and increased awareness internationally of issues related to indigenous women.

Documentation of Information Concerning Indigenous Women

Chirpaq support the documentation and distribution of information concerning indigenous women. Chirapaq has published its training module, Participation and Citizenship of Indigenous Women, for use by other organizations. They also distribute a newsletter, Wayra, dedicated to disseminating information of concern to indigenous women, which is estimated to have over 4,000 readers.

Institutional Strengthening

Chirapaq has been able to strengthen their institutional activities through expanding their communication networks with other organizations, thereby enlarging alliances and strengthening their organizational capacity. They have also been able to purchase new computer equipment in 2003.

Future

Chirapaq looks forward to continuing their tireless work with the indigenous women of Peru and playing an integral role in the movement for the rights of indigenous women. They will also continue to expanding their organizational networks both nationally and internationally.