The COVID-19 pandemic has only made matters worse. The first year of this crisis was devastating for women and girls: the use of modern contraception fell 20%, maternal deaths increased 42%, and the number of ‘child girls’ (under-11s) giving birth grew fourfold.
The 2020 annual report from Peru’s human rights office lists 5,500 reports of disappeared women (most of them under 18), 138 femicides and 208 attempted femicides.
The number of people calling an official hotline to ask for help with domestic and sexual violence almost doubled in 2020, compared with 2019.
In addition, Peru has been a major hub for decades for Latin American ‘anti-rights’ groups campaigning against sexual and reproductive rights. It’s the homeland of the growing ‘anti-gender’ platform Don’t Mess With My Children, which has tried to ban comprehensive sexual education.
No good options in June
Pedro Castillo currently has a slight lead in the polls for the presidency. A teacher, union leader and self-described “radical leftist” from the Free Peru (Perú Libre) party, he has support in rural and poor areas.
He proposes to dramatically expand public spending on health and education, but has also declared himself to be “absolutely against” schools teaching such topics as gender equality, respect for sexual diversity and non-discrimination.
Castillo says that the legalisation of abortion could be debated by a new constitutional assembly that he will set up if elected (2020 figures show that 48% of Peruvians want to legalise abortion, 40% don’t). On the subject of abortion, Castillo has said: “Personally, I’m against it”. On same-sex marriage: “That’s even worse; family first.”
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