The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has launched the project "Unleashing Her Potential: Empowering GAYW for the Exercise of Their Rights," with financial support from the Government of Canada. This initiative, which will run from April 2024 to March 2031, will focus on the regions of Ayacucho and Piura, and in Lima in the district of San Juan de Lurigancho, areas identified for their critical needs in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
Project Context and Justification
Peru faces significant challenges in ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and eliminating inequalities in a context where discriminatory social and gender norms prevail. These challenges manifest in high levels of unintended pregnancies, gender-based violence, and harmful practices that affect the life plans and full exercise of rights of girls, adolescents, and young women.
In 2023, the Women's Emergency Centers attended to 30,837 people for sexual violence, 49.1% of whom were girls aged 12 to 17, with 12,524 cases involving sexual assault. Additionally, one in four Peruvian women has suffered physical violence by their intimate partner at some point in their lives. The increasing trend of forced pregnancies and motherhood is alarming, with 1,357 births to girls under 15 in 2023, a figure that has been rising since 2019.
This situation is even more difficult for those in the lowest income quintile, with lower educational levels, and living in rural, urban-marginal, and peri-urban areas, as well as for the Indigenous, Afro-descendant, disabled, LGBTQ+, and refugee and migrant populations. The significant gap between desired and observed fertility, especially among adolescents aged 15 to 19, highlights the urgency of intervention.
"This project aims to contribute to improving the well-being, health, and exercise of the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls, adolescents, and young women, especially in rural, indigenous, Afro-descendant, and refugee and migrant populations in vulnerable situations, in an egalitarian and violence-free environment," highlighted Dr. Hugo González, UNFPA Representative in Peru.
Project Strategies
The project's strategies include policy advocacy and dialogue, capacity development, knowledge management, and direct provision of essential services. Priority is given to human rights-based approaches and the transformation of discriminatory gender norms, as well as inter-institutional coordination and the generation of reliable data.
"Every adolescent, young woman, and girl should be able to decide what to do with their body, their life, and their future. Canada supports the Peruvian state's efforts to address the challenges they face,” added the Canadian Ambassador, Louis Marcotte.
Project Launch
The launch event for the project "Unleashing Her Potential: We All Move Forward," named for dissemination purposes, was held on July 11 and inaugurated by the Minister of Women, Teresa Hernández. The event was conducted in two parts. The first part consisted of a dialogue on the relevance of the project, involving young leaders from Ayacucho and Piura, alongside the Deputy Minister of Women, Elba Espinoza; the Canadian Ambassador, Louis Marcotte; and the UNFPA Representative in Peru, Hugo González.
The second part included a presentation on health, sexual and reproductive rights, and gender-based violence, delivered by journalist Manuela Camacho. During her speech, Camacho emphasized the importance of comprehensive sexual education to prevent abuse and foster bodily autonomy. “Naming things by their true names, though it may seem simple, harbors immense power. Comprehensive sexual education is not only necessary; it is urgent so that girls and boys can identify and report abuse situations,” she stated.
The panel following Camacho's presentation included Tarcila Rivera, President of the Center for Indigenous Cultures of Peru CHIRAPAQ; Sofía Carrillo, Afro-Peruvian journalist and activist; and Tania Vila, Vice Governor of the Regional Government of Ayacucho.
Rivera, a prominent social leader focused on indigenous communities, emphasized: "It is crucial to understand that culture should not be a barrier to respecting human rights. We need programmes that value the knowledge and capabilities of our communities and include everyone in the change." Carrillo, a recognized social activist and advocate for women's and minority rights, remarked: “Intersectionality should extend beyond speeches. We need concrete actions that recognize and value the diverse identities and conditions of Afro-descendant women to guarantee their rights and empower them truly.”
Vila, representing an institutional perspective from a high Andean region, highlighted the importance of public investment projects with a gender approach: "When a girl becomes a mother during her adolescence, not only is her development hindered, but her chances of leading a fulfilling life are also compromised. This project is essential to ensure that our girls can live free from violence and fully exercise their rights."
30th Anniversary of the ICPD
The launch event was held in the framework of World Population Day, commemorated every July 11. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), a milestone in recognizing the importance of human rights, including reproductive rights, for sustainable and inclusive development.
For more information about this project and details of the launch event, visit UNFPA Peru or contact zeballos@unfpa.org / 988 504 765.
