Peru News

Chirapaq Director Appointed to New UN Women Civil Society Advisory Group

Sara Wilson — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:55:06 +0000

In May 2012, UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet announced the members of her Global Civil Society Advisory Group. The group will facilitate regular consultations and dialogue between civil society and UN Women. We are proud to announce that Tarcila Rivera Zea, Director of Chirapaq, The Hunger Project's partner organization in Peru, has been appointed to the consultative forum. Congratulations Tarcila!

In May 2012, UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet announced the members of her Global Civil Society Advisory Group. We at The Hunger Project are proud to announce that Tarcila Rivera Zea, Director of Chirapaq, our partner organization in Peru, has been appointed to the consultative forum.

The UN Women advisory group was established earlier in the year at the 56th session of the Commission on the Status of Women — at which our Executive Vice President John Coonrod served as the first-ever male U.S. Public Delegate — and will facilitate regular consultations and dialogue between civil society and UN Women.

Tarcila will serve with the group for two years, along with influential leaders from around the world, with the main objective of "dialogue and engagement to advance global goals of gender equality and women’s empowerment."

About the advisory group, Ms. Bachelet had this to say:

"I am delighted that a group of outstanding international women’s rights advocates and experts on gender issues have agreed to serve on my Global Civil Society Advisory Group. They will play an important consulting role, and provide strategic perspectives on advocacy on gender equality and women’s empowerment and on UN Women’s thematic priorities. They will also help strengthen UN Women’s engagement and partnerships with civil society at all levels. I look forward to working together towards our common goals."

Tarcila is well recognized throughout the development and women's empowerment community and, in July 2011, was honored with a Visionaries Award from the Ford Foundation for her work on "lifting the voices of indigenous people." We look forward to hearing about her continued work with the Global Civil Society Advisory Group.

From Orphan to National Advocate for the Rights of Entrepreneurial Women

Sara Wilson — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 23:27:01 +0000

Juana was orphaned at the age of 11 and in between working at a local bakery to support her younger siblings, she studied at night to be a medical assistant. In 2008, Juana joined THP partner organization, Chirapaq, in Peru and, together with women from her community, began a small business selling guinea pigs. She was so successful in business that she has since advocated at a national forum for the rights of entrepreneurial women.

At the age of eleven Juana was orphaned and spent most of her childhood caring for her younger siblings. She worked during the day at a bakery to support her family and spent nights studying to be a medical assistant. Juana’s extended family did not approve of her studies and ambitions and refused to help with even basic housework.

Undeterred, Juana continued her studies and, after she married and had children, opened a small bakery in her home – but she says it was a lonely struggle.

Juana joined Chirapaq in 2008. There, she and other women in her community began a small business, raising and selling guinea pigs. Though it was difficult to gain the support of local government necessary to expand their business to new markets, Juana was eventually elected President of her cooperative and has since spoken at national conferences about her efforts.

Juana has even advocated nationally at the Ministry of Labor to expand the rights and opportunities of women entrepreneurs in her region.

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Indigenous Communities and Chirapaq Celebrate 25 Years of Partnership in Peru in 2011

Sara Wilson — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:36:00 +0000

Indigenous women and men in rural regions of Peru celebrated 25 years of partnership with Chirapaq this year – 25 years of indigenous rights, gender equality and income generation.

Update to the Global Board

October 2011

THP has a strategic alliance with the Center for Indigenous People’s Cultures (Chirapaq) in Peru to promote the empowerment and organization of Amazonian and Andean indigenous groups. This partnership supports indigenous women as they build their capacity to develop social, economic and political rights with aim to eliminate poverty and hunger in their communities. During this reporting period THP, represented by John Coonrod, Executive Vice President, joined Chirapaq in Peru to celebrate their 25th anniversary.

In Peru, Chirapaq has continued to build and strengthen the knowledge and skills of indigenous groups to better influence local and regional governments; improve indigenous women’s access to economic development opportunities; and create new partnerships with civil society groups to advocate for indigenous issues.

Accomplishments

THP and Chirapaq celebrated 25 years of empowering indigenous communities at their Anniversary Event in March.
Fifty-eight women participated in the Departmental Federation of Mothers Clubs and Women Ayacucho’s proposal writing workshops and the Federation of Women Farmers in Anta Province’s (FEMCA) advocacy trainings to improve their influence in the regional participatory budgeting process. More than 90 percent of participants have utilized their skills after the programs.
FEMCA has expanded their guinea pig breeding project to involve participation of 330 women across eight districts in Anta. Women in the Cuzco region have partnered to form their own business to market the sale of their guinea pigs under the Alta brand.
Chiripaq and other indigenous organizations, in partnership with the United National Population Fund-Latin America and the Caribbean (UNFPA-LACRO) and UNFPA Peru, have submitted proposals to the National Development Plan on issues of sexual and reproductive health rights.

Download the full report (.pdf 341.68KB)