Introduction

1.In accordance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Peru hereby submits its replies to the list of issues and questions in relation to its ninth periodic report.

2.In the present document, which was prepared and approved by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, the contributions of various bodies of the executive branch, the judiciary, the Prosecution Service, the Office of the Ombudsman, the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture and civil society are brought together, in accordance with the procedure established in the intersectoral protocol for the participation of Peru in systems for the international protection of human rights. The present document is also viewed favourably by the National Human Rights Council, a body composed of State and civil society institutions.

I.Impact of the pandemic

3.During the national state of emergency, the following laws have been issued: Legislative Decree No. 1470, establishing measures to ensure that victims of violence against women and family members are cared for and protected during the health emergency; Supreme Decree No. 002-2021-MP, approving supplementary provisions for the granting of economic assistance to children and adolescents who lost one or both parents during the health emergency as a result of coronavirus disease (COVID-19); Supreme Decree No. 008-2021-PCM of the Office of the President of the Council of Ministers, declaring the services provided by the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups to be essential to caring for victims of violence against women and family members, and to protecting vulnerable groups against risk, lack of protection and abandonment.

4.The Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups has, through Aurora, the national programme for the prevention and eradication of violence against women and family members, taken the following steps:

(i)Ensured comprehensive care, at 50 women’s emergency centres, for 95 per cent of cases of women victims of violence at moderate or severe risk;

(ii)Continued its round-the-clock response to priority cases through the 100 telephone helpline and the Urgent Care Service;

(iii)Established 3 temporary shelters to supplement the 17 such shelters that are run privately or by subnational governments;

(iv)As of November 2020, distributed 1,084 emergency kits for rape cases, in accordance with the protocol for joint action by women’s emergency centres and health facilities to care for victims of violence against women and family members and the health directive on the use of the sexual violence response kit;

(v)Held a course on gender-based violence during the COVID-19 health emergency and prepared communication brochures (see annex 1);

(vi)Taken various steps to help displaced persons (annex 2);

(vii)Conducted various studies related to the implementation of the national policy for gender equality and the pandemic (annex 3).

5.The Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups has continued to establish women’s emergency centres at police stations and implement a computer application for registering, in the Police Complaints Computer System, protection measures taken by a judicial authority. As of October 2021, there were 178 women’s emergency centres at police stations, providing round-the-clock care every day. There were 45 specialized family police stations in 23 police regions. In 2020, during the national state of emergency, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups, through the Directorate General for Gender Mainstreaming, provided remote technical assistance to the gender equality mechanisms of regional and local governments.

6.The Ministry of the Interior has adopted a police action contingency plan for the care and protection of victims of violence against women and family members, in order to ensure that the National Police provides continuous services.

7.The Ministry of Health has approved various measures related to the health of pregnant women, maternal morbidity and violence against women and family members (see annex 4).

8.The Prosecution Service has adapted technological and logistical tools, and ensured that personnel and vehicles are available, so that it can provide continuous services. It has also approved an inter-institutional protocol for the use of technological tools in preliminary investigations in the districts of Lima, Lima Sur, Lima Este, Lima Norte, Lima Noreste and Callao, to be applied exceptionally during the public health emergency. In addition, at the national level, allegations of violence against women and family members have been received through instant messaging and other technological means.

9.The Commission on Gender Justice of the Judiciary has coordinated with its seven integrated justice units related to violence against women and family members, and with the specialized criminal unit in Lima Este, to handle cases electronically. At the start of the state of emergency, the Executive Council of the Judiciary stipulated that, in the high courts, at least one criminal court, one non-criminal court and one mixed court should operate to hear cases of domestic violence.

II.Women and peace and security

A.Women in mechanisms for reparation and the search for the disappeared

10.The Reparations Board, in accordance with the Comprehensive Reparations Plan (Act No. 28592), had registered 230,383 people in the Central Register of Victims as of July 2021. With regard to the programmes established under the Act and the regulations governing it (Supreme Decree No. 015-2006-JUS), women’s access to reparations was greatest in the housing programme, through which 4,547 people, of whom 52 per cent were women, had received reparations. In addition, 2,368 displaced persons, of whom 60 per cent were women, had received reparations through the education programme.

11.Through Supreme Decree No. 011-2021-JUS, the National Plan for the Search for Disappeared Persons up to 2030 was approved, as was the National Register of Disappeared Persons and Burial Sites (see annex 5). In 2020, the Directorate General for the Search for Disappeared Persons held 3,388 guidance sessions, of which 2,101 (62 per cent) were for women. In 2020, it provided services to 896 new people, of whom 531 (59 per cent) were women.

12.In 2021, in-person and remote psychosocial support has been provided to relatives of disappeared persons. Such support has been provided to 766 relatives, of whom 441 have been women.

13.The Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups has developed the National Register of Displaced Persons, recognizing 62,768 displaced persons, of whom 36,369 (58 per cent) are women.

B.Prosecution of gender crimes

14.From January 2016 to August 2021, 7,769 procedures were initiated to include people in the Register of Victims of Forced Sterilization between 1995 and 2001 (see annex 6).

15.From January 2016 to July 2020, the Directorate General of Public Defence and Access to Justice provided services to 1,565 alleged victims of forced sterilization (see annex 7). From September 2020 to July 2021, it gave 57 virtual talks to raise awareness of and disseminate information on the services related to the Register (see annex 8).

16.In 2020, a multisectoral working group was established to analyse and propose mechanisms to address problems related to victims of forced sterilization between 1995 and 2001 (Ministerial Decision No. 0216-2020-JUS).

17.As of 19 June 2021, 6,131 of those included in the Register of Victims of Forced Sterilization between 1995 and 2001 were members of the comprehensive health insurance scheme and could obtain necessary health care at health facilities. In emergencies, they could receive care at any health facility of the Ministry of the Health or of regional governments, or at health facilities with agreements with the comprehensive health insurance scheme.

18.In 2020, the Constitutional Court declared the appeal of M.R.L.C.B., who had been responsible for the implementation of the 1996–2000 national programme for reproductive health and family planning, to be inadmissible. The Court also ruled that failure to respond for 20 years was incompatible with the State’s duty to investigate and punish serious human rights violations.

C.Terrorism prevention strategies

19.In 2019, the 2019–2023 national multisectoral counter-terrorism policy, in which a gender perspective is applied in the area of promoting a culture of peace and prevention, was approved.

20.In 2021, the protocol for monitoring the care of persons and families rescued from terrorist groups was amended and the Multisectoral Commission for Monitoring the Care of Rescued Persons was strengthened.

III.Legislative framework to combat discrimination

21.The right to equality before the law is enshrined and discrimination is rejected in article 2.2 of the Constitution. Discrimination based on, inter alia, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity is criminalized in article 323 of the Criminal Code.

22.Discrimination on the basis of sex is also criminalized in Act No. 30709, prohibiting wage discrimination between men and women; Supreme Decree No. 002-2018-TR, regulating that Act; and Supreme Decree No. 014-2019-MIMP, regulating Act No. 27942, on the prevention and punishment of sexual harassment.

23.In 2021, guidelines on the mainstreaming of a gender perspective in policies and services were approved.

IV.Access to justice

A.Effective and free access

24.The Aurora programme, through the women’s emergency centres, provides comprehensive care to contribute to protection, recovery and access to justice for victims of violence against women and family members. The State had 346 women’s emergency centres in 2018, 396 in 2019 and 416 in 2020, including 245 regular women’s emergency centres, one women’s emergency centre at a health centre and 170 women’s emergency centres at police stations.

25.The Directorate General of Public Defence and Access to Justice provides free public defence services to low-income or vulnerable people in cases expressly provided for in law. As of August 2020, 390 public defenders were available to defend victims.

26.In 2019, the Directorate General provided services of various types to 106,513 women. In 2020, it provided services to 56,744 women. The services were provided continuously, despite the limitations resulting from the pandemic.

27.In 2019, 2,133 campaigns, talks and megacampaigns were held to provide information on the Directorate General’s services, with 306,443 women attending. In 2020, 2,215 activities, in which 56,129 women participated, were carried out.

B.Measures to uphold women’s rights

28.Since 2019, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups has been implementing a training plan for the members of the round table on Afro-Peruvian women.

29.The Ministry’s round table on the promotion of the rights of indigenous women has developed a virtual course on the right to land and territory, and indigenous peoples from a gender perspective. The round table to promote and ensure women’s political participation, a body for coordination between civil society organizations and public entities, has, since its establishment in 2015, helped to raise the profile, on the public agenda, of equal political participation.

30.In 2020, the Ministry carried out technical assistance and virtual training activities, and held an online course on public policies and the gender perspective (see annex 9).

C.Information on female police officers

31.In 2019, the National Police opened 400 places in the admission process for its officer training school; 30 of those places (8.57 per cent) were allocated to women. In 2020, 300 places were available. Of the 238 candidates accepted, 24 (10.08 per cent) were women. In the public competition for admission to the schools of higher technical-vocational education, 5,050 places were available and 503 (9.96 per cent) were filled by women. In the 2020/21 admission process, 5,000 places are available at the higher technical schools and 300 at the officer training school. Female non‑commissioned officers are trained at a women-only school.

D.Strengthening the capacity of the police

32.The National Police has developed training activities related to violence against women and family members (see annex 10). At its technical training schools, in the specialized courses on order and security and criminal investigation, it has introduced extracurricular activities on the gender perspective (64 academic hours and 3 credits) and dealing with victims of sexual domestic violence (32 academic hours and 1 credit).

33.In terms of officer training, the police intervention module of the specialized course on order and security contains a unit on the gender perspective and gender-based violence in police work. The crime-solving module of the specialized course on criminal investigation contains a unit on the same topic, with a duration of 64 academic hours and three credits. In 2020, 404 students (350 men and 54 women) at the officer training school studied those units. In 2021, a workshop on dealing with victims of domestic and sexual violence was developed and incorporated into the curricula of the National Police schools for officers and non-commissioned officers, with a duration of 64 academic hours.

34.In 2019, the National Police developed a course for female police instructors on women’s rights. Training was provided to more than 160 police units by the directorate responsible for channels for making and responding to allegations.

35.Between 2018 and 2020, the Prosecution Service College conducted training activities. The Directorate General of Public Defence and Access to Justice also carried out academic activities, as did Aurora (see annex 11).

V.Measures to protect women

36.Through Supreme Decree No. 008-2019-MIMP, a national policy for gender equality, the first national multisectoral policy instrument for gender equality, was approved. To implement the policy, a multisectoral strategic plan for gender equality was approved in Supreme Decree No. 002-2020-MIMP. By 2030, it is hoped that the percentage of women who are victims of violence will have been reduced to 2.4 per cent, that the percentage of women using contraceptives will have increased to 84.90 per cent and that 92.25 per cent of women will be economically empowered.

37.As of 2021, gender equality mechanisms have been established in 18 sectors, 25 regional governments and 10 local governments. Ten ministries, or 53 per cent of the total, have mechanisms in all their subsidiary bodies.

38.In 2018, 8 of the 13 commitments related to women’s rights in the 2018–2021 National Human Rights Plan were honoured, while, in 2019, 4 of the 10 commitments were honoured. The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Ministry of Health, the National Elections Board and the National Elections Office are responsible for honouring the commitments (see annex 12).

VI.Action taken to identify stereotypes

A.Measures to raise awareness of gender equality

39.In 2018, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups designed a survey on gender stereotypes to identify the predominant perceptions of gender among the staff of public entities and the main manifestations of those perceptions in the workplace. In 2019, 30 national government entities took part in the survey.

40.Between 2018 and 2020, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups and the Ministry of Education worked on the promotion of proper treatment, and the prevention of violence, teenage pregnancy and trafficking in persons, with an emphasis on the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents (see annex 13). In 2018, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups developed two training programmes on human rights and non-discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, for sectors of the State and civil society, in compliance with the 2018–2021 National Human Rights Plan.

41.In 2019 and 2020, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups conducted the “Quiere sin violencia, marca la diferencia” (Love without violence, make a difference) campaign for adolescents and young people in schools and universities. During that period, a programme to strengthen the management of local education administration units was implemented (see annex 14).

42.A project for the economic empowerment of adolescent girls, launched in September 2020, was implemented to reduce social tolerance of gender-based and sexual violence.

B.Measures taken to tackle sexist attitudes and behaviour in the media

43.The Radio and Television Advisory Board conducted studies in 2018 and 2019 on violence against women and its treatment in the media (see annex 15). The Board also produced information materials related to violence and discrimination, the social responsibility of the media in the face of gender-based violence, and the 25-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. In 2018, the Board held three workshops on gender-based violence in the media, with 296 attendees, including radio and television broadcasters, communicators, journalists, educators and communications students. In 2019, the Board held two workshops on the topic, with 102 attendees.

44.In 2020, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups and the association Calandria trained 253 journalists and communicators from 12 regions in reporting on violence against women.

VII.Gender-based violence against women

A.Information on the National Plan against Gender-Based Violence

45.The following progress has been made in the prevention component of the National Plan against Gender-Based Violence: (i) the National Observatory on Violence against Women and Family Members has been implemented; (ii) the regulations on the use of the certification mark for safe companies, free of violence and discrimination against women, were approved in Ministerial Decision No. 172-2018-MIMP; (iii) 22 firms were awarded the seal for safe companies, free of violence and discrimination against women, and 8 received honourable mentions in 2017; (iv)Supreme Decree No.014-2019-MIMP, regulating Act No. 29742, on the prevention and punishment of sexual harassment, was approved; (v) the national specialized justice system for protection against, and the punishment of, violence against women and family members was established in Legislative Decree No. 1368; (vi) the inter-institutional protocol for action against femicide, attempted femicide and high-risk intimate partner violence was updated in Supreme Decree No. 004-2018-MIMP; (vii) the effects of sincere confession and early conclusion were eliminated in relation to crimes of femicide and crimes against sexual freedom in Legislative Decree No. 1382; (viii) effective punishment for acts of harassment was introduced in Legislative Decree No. 1410; and (ix) protocols for joint action by women’s emergency centres, police stations and health facilities in relation to violence against women and family members were approved in Supreme Decrees No. 006-2018-MIMP and No. 008-2019-SA.

46.In the area of victim care and protection, the Prosecution Service, through its Decision No. 2382-2019-MPFN, approved the 360° Strategy for identifying and protecting at-risk women and monitoring femicide investigations.

B.Measures to address the root causes of gender-based violence

47.The National Observatory on Criminal Policy of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights has published an assessment of criminal conduct against women and also carried out research on sexual assault and femicide (see annex 16).

48.From 2018 to 2020, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups implemented a strategy for the socioeconomic empowerment of women who are, or who are at risk of becoming, victims of violence, through a budget programme related to combating domestic violence. As a result, 1,910 women were informed about the services available under the strategy, 520 completed the related training and 94 found jobs.

49.Under outcome 13A of the Results-Oriented Budget Programme for the Reduction of Violence against Women, a project was implemented to allow women aged from 14 to 24 to develop personal skills (related to physical, sexual and reproductive autonomy, and autonomy in decision-making) and vocational skills related to income-generating activities.

C.Information management

50.In 2018, 7,688 complaints of violence against children and adolescents, of whom 4,447 were girls and 3,241 were boys, were registered in the Police Complaints Computer System. The complaints included 119 concerning violence related to money or property, 1,557 concerning physical violence, 3,637 concerning physical and psychological violence, 2,349 concerning psychological violence and 26 concerning sexual violence.

51.By July 2019, 11,795 complaints of violence against children and adolescents, of whom 6,019 were girls and 5,776 were boys, had been registered in the Police Complaints Computer System. The complaints included 220 concerning violence related to money or property, 1,650 concerning physical violence, 5,336 concerning physical and psychological violence, 4,516 concerning psychological violence and 73 concerning sexual violence.

52.In 2020, 246,709 complaints were registered in relation to cases of violence under Act No. 30364. The complaints included 8,359 concerning violence related to money or property, 120,663 concerning physical violence, 117,089 concerning psychological violence and 598 concerning sexual violence. Of those who filed complaints, 44,142 were female and 19,949 were male; in 59 cases, no data regarding the gender of the complainant were provided.

53.Between January and September 2021, 191,173 complaints were registered in relation to cases under Act No. 30364. The complaints included 7,259 concerning violence related to money or property, 93,607 concerning physical violence, 148,789 concerning psychological violence and 1,045 concerning sexual violence.

D.Legislative framework related to violence

54.In Act No. 30819, article 108-B of the Criminal Code, on femicide, was amended, with the addition of the aggravating circumstance of acting in a state of inebriation, with a blood alcohol content of more than 0.25 grammes per litre, or under the effect of toxic drugs, narcotics, or psychotropic or synthetic substances.

55.Through Legislative Decree No. 1368, the national specialized justice system for the protection and punishment of violence against women and family members was established, comprising the judiciary, the Prosecution Service, the National Police, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, and the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups. The timetable for the implementation of the system was approved in Supreme Decree No. 003-2019-MIMP.

56.A national strategy for the implementation of the system from 2021 to 2026 was approved in Supreme Decree No. 011-2021-MIMP. The implementation goals and the mechanism for following up on the actions funded, for the continuity and progressive implementation of the system, through the Results-Oriented Budget Programme for the Reduction of Violence against Women, were approved in Supreme Decree No. 003-2021-MIMP. Supreme Decree No. 145-2021-PCM, regulating Act No. 30926, enhancing interoperability in the system, was approved.

57.It is established in Act No. 30364 and the regulations governing it that complaints of violence against women and family members can be made orally or in writing to the National Police, the judiciary or the Prosecution Service. In 2021, Act No. 31156, allowing the use of technological channels to report acts of violence, was approved. In Supreme Decree No. 016-2021-MIMP, a single digital platform for the receipt of complaints of violence against women and family members was authorized, and an inter-institutional protocol for handling digital complaints related to cases of violence against women and family members was approved.

58.The Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups issued Supreme Decree No. 022-2021-MIMP, in which it approved a national strategy for the prevention of gender-based violence against women. It also issued Ministerial Decision No. 058-2021-MIMP, in which it approved strategic guidelines for the prevention of gender-based violence against women and established strategic guidelines on coordinated, multilevel intersectoral intervention to prevent gender-based violence.

E.Shelters for women who are victims of gender-based violence

59.The 39 temporary shelters in Peru also receive women with disabilities. In such cases, the women’s emergency centres coordinate with the community mental health centres of the Ministry of Health so that women with disabilities can have access to the shelters (see annex 17).

F.Services for women facing all forms of violence

60.In 2020, Emergency Decree No. 005-2020, establishing economic assistance to contribute to the social protection and comprehensive development of indirect victims of femicide, was approved.

61.In Supreme Decree No. 017-2021-TR, regulating Act No. 31153, the inclusion of women who are victims of all forms of domestic violence in all contexts is regulated through compliance with a quota for the preferential inclusion of such women in programmes for the promotion or generation of employment, or in vocational training programmes.

VIII.Trafficking in persons

A.Measures taken to raise awareness about trafficking in persons

62.Each year from 2018 to 2021, the Ministry of the Interior participated in the Blue Heart Campaign against Human Trafficking. It also conducted information campaigns entitled “Tu denuncia es mi voz” (Your complaint is my voice) (2018), “El enemigo puede estar en casa” (The enemy may be in the home) (2020) and “La trata no es un juego” (Trafficking is not a game) (2021).

63.In 2018 and 2019, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights developed a prevention strategy entitled “Yo le pongo cero a la trata” (I give trafficking nought out of ten), aimed at the school authorities at 10 educational institutions in eight regions of the country. A total of 5,247 secondary school students participated.

64.In 2020, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups developed a communication strategy entitled “Conéctate sin riesgos” (Go online risk-free) to provide children and adolescents with information and recommendations on online risks.

65.From 2019 to September 2020, in accordance with Supreme Decree No. 009-2019-MIMP, approving the guide on the preparation of individual reintegration plans for those affected by the crime of trafficking in persons, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups trained 510 members of the judiciary and of the system for the protection, care and reintegration of victims of trafficking. It also trained police officers from the Lima Este district in relation to the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents online, in coordination with CARE Peru and with the support of the Child Cyberprotection Department of the National Police. In addition, 154 people from health facilities in Lima and Iquitos strengthened their knowledge in the area of detecting the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents.

B.Implementation of early warning, search and identification measures for women, including adolescent girls, who have allegedly disappeared

66.In 2018, Legislative Decree No. 1428, developing measures to address the disappearance of people in vulnerable situations, was approved. In 2019, the regulations governing Legislative Decree No. 003-2019-IN were approved, establishing emergency alerts for children and adolescents, and women who are victims of violence and at high risk.

67.In 2019, by Decision of the General Command of the National Police No. 379-2019-COMGEN/EMG-PNP, a directive on police rules and procedures in the event of the disappearance of individuals and groups in vulnerable situations (children, older adults and persons with mental, physical or sensory disabilities) was approved in order to optimize the search, location and protection activities of the National Police.

68.In 2020, 18,841 disappearances, of which 11,818 (63 per cent) were of women and 7,023 (37 per cent) were of men, were included in the National Register of Disappeared Persons. Between January and October 2021, 16,661 disappearances, of which 10,792 (65 per cent) were of women and 5,869 (35 per cent) were of men, were registered.

69.In 2020, in Supreme Decree No. 002-2020-IN, an inter-institutional protocol for addressing disappearances, including disappearances of people in vulnerable situations, was approved, including the issuance of an emergency alert in the event of the disappearance of children and adolescents, and of women who are victims of violence and at high risk. On 15 October 2020, the Ministry of the Interior launched a system for searching for disappeared persons, comprising the 114 telephone helpline, a web portal related to disappeared persons, a computer system for the issuance of emergency alerts, and the National Register of Disappeared Persons.

70.In July and August 2020, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups held a training workshop for operators of protection services, on disappearances of children and adolescents. In November 2020, it held six web workshops on the issuance of the emergency alert for disappeared children and adolescents, and disappeared women in situations of violence.

71.The Ministry has produced a booklet on how to address disappearances of children and adolescents, and an advertisement entitled “Si apareces, avísanos” (If you appear, let us know), on disappeared children and adolescents, to promote timely reporting and raise public awareness.

72.In 2021, the Ministry of the Interior improved the web portal related to disappeared persons. The portal now contains information on persons located in 2021, disaggregated by age, gender and location status. It also contains information materials.

C.Disaggregated data on the number of victims and survivors of trafficking in persons

73.In 2018, the Ministry of the Interior recorded 734 cases of trafficking in persons. The person trafficked was male in 79 cases and female in 655 cases. Of the male victims, 5 were 11 years of age or younger, 1 was between 12 and 17 years of age, 27 were between 18 and 29 years of age, 30 were between 30 and 59 years of age, and 16 were 60 years of age or older. Of the female victims, 5 were 11 years of age or younger, 37 were between 12 and 17 years of age, 171 were between 18 and 29 years of age, 370 were between 30 and 59 years of age, and 72 were 60 years of age or older.

74.In 2019, 509 cases of trafficking in persons were recorded. The person trafficked was male in 67 cases and female in 442 cases. Of the male victims, 2 were 11 years of age or younger, 6 were between 12 and 17 years of age, 29 were between 18 and 29 years of age, 26 were between 30 and 59 years of age, and 4 were 60 years of age or older. Of the female victims, 5 were 11 years of age or younger, 10 were between 12 and 17 years of age, 150 were between 18 and 29 years of age, 250 were between 30 and 59 years of age, and 27 were 60 years of age or older.

75.In 2020, 372 cases of trafficking in persons were recorded. The person trafficked was male in 50 cases and female in 320 cases. Of the male victims, 7 were 11 years of age or younger, 19 were between 12 and 17 years of age, 18 were between 18 and 29 years of age, 8 were between 30 and 59 years of age, and 1 was 60 years of age or older. Of the female victims, 8 were 11 years of age or younger, 111 were between 12 and 17 years of age, 172 were between 18 and 29 years of age, 27 were between 30 and 59 years of age, and 2 were 60 years of age or older.

76.Up to 2018, the purpose of trafficking was sexual exploitation in 504 of the recorded cases, labour exploitation in 140 cases, begging in 6 cases, forced labour in 9 cases, the sale of children and adolescents in 8 cases, and trafficking in human organs and tissue in 3 cases. In 64 cases, the purpose was not stated.

77.In 2019, the purpose of trafficking was sexual exploitation in 335 of the recorded cases, labour exploitation in 166 cases, begging in 5 cases, forced labour in 5 cases, and the sale of children and adolescents in 3 cases. In 45 cases, the purpose was not stated.

78.In 2020, the purpose was sexual exploitation in 223 cases, labour exploitation in 62 cases, begging in 20 cases, forced labour in 2 cases, the sale of children and adolescents in 4 cases, and trafficking in human organs and tissue in 1 case. In 60 cases, the purpose was not stated. Between January and June 2021, the purpose was sexual exploitation in 148 cases, labour exploitation in 78 cases, begging in 21 cases, forced labour and services in 6 cases, and the sale of children and adolescents in 3 cases. In 21 cases, the purpose was not stated.

79.On the basis of the administrative records of the women’s emergency centres, Aurora has reported, at the national level, on the handling of cases of trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. In 2018, 59 cases were reported. The person trafficked was female in 58 cases and male in 1 case. Of the victims, 42 were between 0 and 17 years of age, 17 were between 18 and 59 years of age, and none were 60 years of age or older. In that year, in addition to Peruvian victims, four Venezuelans and one Ecuadorian were recorded.

80.In 2019, of the 73 female victims reported, 53 were between 0 and 17 years of age, 20 were between 18 and 59 years of age, and none were 60 years of age or older. In that year, in addition to Peruvian victims, one Ecuadorian victim, one Paraguayan and three Venezuelans were recorded.

81.In 2020, of the 320 female victims reported, 8 were 11 years of age or younger, 111 were between 12 and 17 years of age, 172 were between 18 and 29 years of age, 27 were between 30 and 59 years of age, and 2 were 60 years of age or older. From January to June 2021, of the 227 female victims reported, 11 were 11 years of age or younger, 13 were between 12 and 17 years of age, 58 were between 18 and 29 years of age, 15 were between 30 and 59 years of age, and none were 60 years of age or older.

82.In 2020, 23 cases of trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation of children and adolescents were handled. In addition, the 100 telephone helpline responded to 49 enquiries related to trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation of victims between 0 and 17 years of age.

IX.Participation in political and public life

A.Equal participation

83.Act No. 30996 amended the Elections Organization Act on the national electoral system and established that at least 40 per cent of candidates in internal or primary elections and the resulting electoral list must be women and at least 40 per cent must be men, with male and female candidates ranked alternately. In addition, political parties must alternate men and women in the lists of general candidates for the Congress of the Republic.

84.Act No. 30996 was reformed through Act No. 31030, amending rules in electoral legislation to ensure gender parity and alternation in lists of candidates. Under the Act, the lists of candidates for the presidency and vice-presidencies of the Republic, and the lists of candidates for Congress and the Andean Parliament, must contain equal numbers of men and women, ranked alternately. Likewise, in the lists of candidates for leadership positions within political parties and candidates for elected office, neither the number of women nor the number of men shall be less than 50 per cent of the total number of candidates.

85.Pursuant to the new rules, for the 2021 general elections and elections to the Andean Parliament, of a total of 2,572 registered candidates for Congress, 1,295, or 50.3 per cent, were women. As a result, 49 congresswomen took the oath in the current parliament, with terms running from July 2021 to 2026, and another congresswoman was sworn in in November 2021.

B.Equal representation

86.Since 2018, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups has been organizing meetings of women mayors to mark the country’s bicentenary, to strengthen the capacities of provincial and district women mayors with a view to public administration with gender equality.

87.In 2018, 64 women mayors were trained in local administration; gender equality policies; prevention, punishment and eradication of violence against women and family members; and coordination and strengthening for local public administration. In 2019, 74 women mayors were trained in the implementation of the national policy for gender equality; parity and alternation; budgeting and gender; and political harassment. In 2020, the capacities of 44 provincial and district women mayors were strengthened so that local administrations can ensure women’s equality and the recovery of their livelihoods in the context of the pandemic.

88.Between 2018 and 2021, the National Elections Board conducted courses and workshops to strengthen the capacities and political training of women leaders, women political candidates and congresswomen. It also organized political training schools for lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and intersex people, and men and women indigenous leaders.

C.Access to elected positions

89.In 2019, Act No. 30982, amending the General Act on Rural Communities, was adopted to strengthen the role of women in rural communities, setting a minimum quota of 30 per cent for women and 30 per cent for men on community councils.

90.Between 2020 and 2021, the National Elections Board working group for the strengthening of indigenous political participation and the round table for political participation with Afro-Peruvian organizations conducted campaigns to encourage the political participation of these groups. In 2021, it held a forum on indigenous women in the 2021 legislative agenda.

D.Legislative measures taken to address political harassment

91.In 2018, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups adopted Decision of the Executive Director No. 51-2018-MIMP/PNCVFS-DE, on guidelines for the attention in women’s emergency centres of women politicians affected by crimes of political harassment.

92.In 2021, Act No. 31155, preventing and punishing harassment against women in political life, was adopted.

X.Women human rights defenders

93.In 2019, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights adopted a protocol ensuring the protection of human rights defenders, to establish actions, procedures and coordination measures aimed at creating a suitable environment in which such persons can promote, protect and defend human rights.

94.Since the protocol came into effect, a total of 31 requests for its activation have been received. Of the 23 requests granted, early warnings were issued in 16 cases to the relevant State entities and, in 6 cases, an early warning was issued of attacks or threats against women human rights defenders and activists in the fields of gender equality, the environment, the fight against corruption and migrants.

95.In 2020, the Office of the Ombudsman adopted guidelines on intervention by the Ombudsman in cases of human rights defenders. This instrument contains differential gender approaches, in recognition of the different situations of violence faced by women defenders. From 2019 to November 2021, the Office of the Ombudsman dealt with 15 cases of attacks against human rights defenders. Of these, two involved defenders of sexual and reproductive rights, one involved defence of the freedom of expression and gender equality, one concerned women’s rights and one involved the defence of gender equality.

96.In 2021, Supreme Decree No. 004-2021-JUS was adopted, establishing an intersectoral mechanism for the protection of human rights defenders, consisting of principles, measures and procedures aimed at ensuring prevention, protection and access to justice for human rights defenders in the hazardous situations that they face. The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Energy and Mines, the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Irrigation, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs participated in the implementation of the mechanism.

XI.Nationality

97.Between 2017 and 2019, the National Registry Office began handling procedures related to the Central Register for the Identification of Natural Persons free of charge in specific cases, including that of minors and adults registered during documentation campaigns in prioritized districts, and also began issuing national identity documents free of charge to children and adolescents housed in residential care centres.

98.In 2020, during the state of emergency, the Office adopted Directorial Decision No. 000048-2020/JNAC/RENIEC, which guarantees the provision, free of charge, of registration certificates for anyone who loses the national identity document and for people on benefits. In addition, it adopted Directorial Decision No. 043-2020/JNAC/RENIEC, authorizing extensions, in exceptional cases, of the validity of the national identity document, extending the registration period for newborns and also considering live birth and death certificates to have the status of public documents, during the exceptional period provided for in Supreme Decree No. 044-2020-PCM.

99.In 2021, pursuant to the Public Sector Budget Act for fiscal year 2021 and Directorial Decision No. 0002-2021-EF/50, the Office must implement actions, goals and means of verification, including the updating through live and semi-automatic capture of the national identity documents of adolescent mothers, under budget programme 079 on people’s access to an identity. The Office also issued Directorial Decision No. 00015-2021/JNAC/RENIEC to grant national identity documents free of charge to 4,500 adolescent mothers born in 2001, 2002 and 2003, and subsequently extended coverage to adolescent mothers born in 2004.

XII.Education

100.In 2019, the Constitutional and Social Chamber of the Supreme Court ruled unfounded the actio popularis lawsuit filed against the national curriculum, which was adopted through Ministerial Decision No. 281-2016-MINEDU and incorporates the gender approach.

101.In 2020, the updated 2036 national education project was adopted by Supreme Decree No. 009-2020-MINEDU. Under the project’s goal of socio-emotional well-being, it is stated that this area of personal development requires informed and respectful attention to aspects of comprehensive sexuality education.

102.In 2021, the Ministry of Education adopted comprehensive sexuality education guidelines for basic education, through Decision of the Deputy Minister No. 169-2021-MINEDU.

XIII.Employment

A.Formalization of employment

103.During the national state of emergency, the Ministry of Labour and Employment issued Emergency Decree No. 127-2020, promoting the recovery of formal employment and providing cash payments to private-sector employers who meet certain requirements and conditions, in order to encourage hiring and the preservation of jobs in the country, including for women.

B.Training activities

104.In 2018, the Ministry of Labour and Employment held national seminars on equal pay, problems of wage inequality between men and women, and harassment and discrimination at work, and published newsletters on decent work and reasonable adjustments for persons with disabilities. It also prepared outreach materials on discrimination in job offers.

105.In 2019, it held seminars on the labour rights of working women and on the update to the regulations on sexual harassment in the workplace. It also published newsletters on equal pay, domestic workers and gender equality in vacancy announcements, and dissemination materials.

106.In 2020, it conducted a national campaign on sexual harassment at work and a virtual seminar on general aspects of the labour rights of persons with disabilities, and also published a newsletter on sexual harassment in the workplace.

C.Equal pay

107.In 2018, Supreme Decree No. 002-2018-TR, regulating Act No. 30709, banning pay discrimination between men and women, was adopted. Further, Supreme Decree No. 005-2018-TR was issued, developing the activities to be conducted by the Ministry of Labour and Employment pursuant to Act No. 30709 and the regulations governing it. In addition, a manual setting out the criteria for use by employers in evaluating jobs and drawing up tables of occupational categories and functions was adopted through Ministerial Decision No. 243-2018-TR.

108.In 2019, by means of Ministerial Decision No. 145-2019-TR, a methodological guide for the objective evaluation, without gender discrimination, of jobs and the preparation of tables of occupational categories and functions was adopted.

109.In 2020, the Ministry of Labour and Employment trained private-sector human resources managers on job evaluation and compliance with equal pay regulations. In 2020, it provided technical assistance in the area, taking into consideration, in particular, the context of increased vulnerability owing to COVID-19.

D.Social protection of women in the informal economy

110.In 2020, Act No. 31051 was published, extending labour protection measures for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers in the event of a public health emergency. That Act amends article 1 of Act No. 28048, on the protection of pregnant women performing work that endangers their health or the normal development of the embryo and fetus, which provides that working pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers must be permitted to work remotely if their integrity or that of their minor child is endangered by COVID-19.

111.For the agricultural sector, Act No. 31110, on the agrarian labour system and incentives for the agrarian and irrigation, agro-export and agro-industrial sector, was published in 2020, recognizing the need for special conditions for women and underage workers. It also provides that the executive branch shall amend the regulations governing Act No. 28806, the General Act on the Labour Inspectorate, to make non-compliance with special working conditions for women and children and adolescents a violation of labour law.

E.Reconciliation of family and work responsibilities

112.In 2019, the tripartite working group on promoting and strengthening women’s participation and the effective exercise of their rights in the social and labour sphere was established through Ministerial Decision No. 073-2019-TR.

113.In 2020, Legislative Decree No. 1499 was adopted, establishing measures to ensure and monitor the protection of the social and labour rights of men and women workers during the state of emergency. In August 2020, during Breastfeeding Week, the Ministry of Labour and Employment promoted training and outreach activities on social networks.

114.In 2021, Supreme Decree No. 023-2021-MIMP was adopted, regulating Act No. 29896 and providing for the implementation of facilities in public- and private-sector institutions to promote breastfeeding.

XIV.Health

115.The Ministry of Health ensures equal access to health services for women, adolescent girls and older adult women, and improves comprehensive health throughout women’s lives through social strategies with the participation of local governments, social actors and community health workers.

116.In addition, it has implemented papilloma vaccination campaigns for girls aged 9 to 13, through primary health-care facilities in the 35 regions; maternal waiting homes, to promote institutional childbirth and access for pregnant women in remote geographical areas to health services that ensure the safety and well-being of mothers and unborn children; and a programme of municipal incentives to promote adequate nutrition and to prevent and reduce anaemia in mothers and children under 36 months, through home visits by social workers to supervise the use of nutritional supplements in 873 municipalities prioritized nationwide. In 2019, 20,030 social workers made home visits to reach 147,452 children aged 4 or 5 months and 79,145 children aged from 6 to 11 months.

117.Various instruments were also issued to ensure that sexual and reproductive health services were provided for the duration of the pandemic: (i) Ministerial Decision No. 217/2020/MINSA, adopting a health directive related to pregnant women and continuity in family planning in the context of COVID-19 infection; (ii) Ministerial Decision No. 249-2020/MINSA, adopting a health directive on surveillance of extreme maternal morbidity in health facilities; (iii) Ministerial Decision No. 649-2020/MINSA, adopting Technical Health Standard No. 164-MINSA/2020/DGIESP, on comprehensive care for women and family members affected by sexual violence; (iv) Ministerial Decision No. 450-2021/MINSA, adopting a directive on sexual and reproductive health-care services during the COVID-19 pandemic and setting out activities for the provision of contraceptive methods at such services and elsewhere; (v) Ministerial Decision No. 653-2021/MINSA, adopting Technical Health Standard No. 174-MINSA/2021/CDC on the epidemiological surveillance of extreme maternal morbidity.

XV.Rural women

118.In 2019, Act No. 30982, amending Act No. 24656, the General Act on Rural Communities, was adopted to strengthen the role of women in rural communities. Act No. 30982 provides that at least 30 per cent of the members of the community council must be women and at least 30 per cent must be men. It also promotes the gender quota to ensure that rural women have the right to participate in decision-making spaces at the community level and the right to be elected to the council.

119.The Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups organized the “Rural Women, Women with Rights” campaign with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Irrigation, to establish a lobby to promote and uphold rural women’s rights, with the involvement of 65,000 people.

120.The Ministry of the Environment held a meeting of Amazonian and Andean women on their participation in the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on Traditional Knowledge and Access and Benefit-Sharing.

121.In 2020, the Ministry of the Environment held an event on the key points of access and benefit-sharing, aimed at children and young people, and mothers who are members of the National Confederation of Rural, Artisan, Indigenous, Native and Salaried Women of Peru, in order to link the indigenous worldview and biodiversity. A workshop on national regulations on access to genetic resources was also held, with the participation of indigenous women from 14 regions of the country.

122.In 2021, by means of Ministerial Decision No. 0080-2021-MIDAGRI, the integrated text of the regulations on the organization and functions of the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Irrigation was adopted, establishing the Directorate for the Promotion of Women Agricultural Producers, responsible for promoting the participation of women in the development of family farming.

XVI.Groups of women

A.Indigenous women and women of African descent

Education, health and employment

123.According to the 2017 national population and housing census, the proportion of Afro-Peruvian women who enter higher education is lower (23.9 per cent) than the proportion of Peruvian women overall (33.9 per cent). A high proportion of Afro-Peruvian women (32.6 per cent) are employed in service jobs and/or as sales workers in shops and/or markets, compared with the figure for Afro-Peruvian men (12.2 per cent), and are in jobs that are more vulnerable and have less job stability. In addition, more Afro-Peruvian women work in elementary occupations (29.9 per cent) than Afro-Peruvian men (26.0 per cent), in proportional terms.

124.Health insurance is held by 603,486 Afro-Peruvians, equivalent to 72.8 per cent of this population group. By sex, coverage in absolute figures is higher among men, of whom 310,596, or 69.1 per cent, have some insurance; however, coverage in relative terms is higher among women, 77.1 per cent of whom have some insurance (292,890 Afro-Peruvian women).

125.According to the 2017 census, 5,771,885 people self-identify as indigenous Andean people and 212,823 as members of indigenous Amazonian peoples. Of the indigenous Andean people, 2,970,473 (51.5 per cent) are women, while, of the members of indigenous Amazonian peoples, 107,640 are women.

126.4,135,383 self-identified Andean indigenous people, equal to 71.6 per cent of this population group, have health insurance. Of the total, 2,218,693 women (74.7 per cent) said they had insurance. In the Amazon region, 170,351 people (80 per cent) have access to some form of health insurance, with higher coverage among women, 88,131 (81.9 per cent) of whom have some form of insurance.

127.With regard to educational level, 1,270,695 people from Andean communities, including 714,193 women, have primary education, and 2,203,472 such people, including 980,869 women, have secondary education. In Amazonian communities, 66,899 people, of whom 36,025 are women, have primary education, and 70,009, of whom 30,703 are women, have secondary education.

Free, prior and informed consultation

128.The regulations governing the Prior Consultation Act state that the participation of women, particularly in representative functions, shall be carried out with respect for the uses and customs of indigenous peoples. They also establish that the consultation plan must contain measures to facilitate the participation of indigenous women in the process. In addition, the consultation process must be conducted in a gender-sensitive manner.

129.To date, 58 consultation processes have been conducted, 24 in the period from 2018 to 2021, when 6,554 members of indigenous peoples participated, 2,523 women and 4,031 men. Of those 24 processes, 17 reached the dialogue stage, with the participation of 148 women and 455 men of indigenous origin.

130.In these processes, the Ministry of Culture provided technical assistance to 6,984 indigenous people, of whom 2,578 were women and 4,020 were men.

131.As of July 2020, the Ministry of Culture found that the gender approach was applied in 45 consultation plans, accounting for 89 per cent of the total. In six processes, the consultation plans set a given number or proportion for the participation of indigenous women as accredited representatives at the dialogue stage. In 18 consultation plans, the participation of indigenous women in the process was provided for in a general manner, while 3 contained specific measures to promote the participation of indigenous women. In six of the plans, there was a recommendation that indigenous women be accredited as representatives for the dialogue stage.

132.As part of the prior consultation processes, the Ministry of Culture held workshops for indigenous women. These activities provided for spaces and personnel for the care of children and adolescents. In addition, as of July 2020, 103 interpreters participated in the consultation processes.

B.Women and girls with disabilities

Measures to promote inclusion and combat discrimination

133.In 2018, Legislative Decree No. 1384 was issued, recognizing and regulating the legal capacity of persons with disabilities on equal terms. The rules for this legislation are contained in Supreme Decree No. 016-2019-MIMP, regulating the granting of reasonable accommodation, designation of support and implementation of safeguards for the exercise of the legal capacity of persons with disabilities.

134.In 2021, through Supreme Decree No. 005-2021-MIMP, the regulations governing Act No. 29973, the General Act on Persons with Disabilities, were amended to specify the powers and functions of the governing body of the national system for the integration of persons with disabilities.

135.In addition, the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups adopted a national multisectoral policy on disability for development to 2030, through Supreme Decree No. 007-2021-MIMP.

Accessible facilities

136.Pursuant to article 18 of Act No. 29973, the General Act on Persons with Disabilities, the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation promotes and regulates preferential access for persons with disabilities to the public housing programmes for which it is responsible, and awards grants to such persons. These programmes provide for the construction of accessible housing for persons with disabilities.

137.In that vein, the national multisectoral policy on disability for development to 2030 has as its primary objective ensuring that the environment is accessible for persons with disabilities, making the urban environment and buildings accessible and strengthening the planning and response strategy for emergencies and disasters in line with the needs of persons with disabilities.

C.Migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking women

138.With regard to the repatriation of women and girls, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its programme of legal and humanitarian assistance and consular services and through the provision of financial assistance, enforces Supreme Decree No. 063-2016-RE, which regulates and establishes limits on the financial assistance granted to nationals abroad who are indigent or in extreme need. Cases are brought to the attention of the Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups to ensure that repatriated women and girls are cared for and safe. In 2019 and 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs handled 148 cases.

139.Regarding cases of asylum seekers, 52,560 applications were received in 2020, the vast majority from people aged between 18 and 59. With regard to those over 60, 288 men and 458 women sought asylum. In addition, 2,620 boys and 2,557 girls aged under 12 were identified as asylum seekers. Between 2017 and April 2021, on average, 53 per cent were male and 47 per cent were female.

D.Women deprived of liberty

140.As of March 2021, the National Penitentiary Institute managed 24 men’s prisons, 13 women’s prisons and 30 mixed prisons. The country’s prison population comprised 4,331 women and 82,462 men. Of the female population, 433 were between the ages of 18 and 24, 2,043 were between 25 and 39, 1,666 were between 40 and 59, and 189 were over 60. The number of women tried and awaiting sentencing was 1,742, while 2,596 had been imprisoned following conviction.

141.In relation to the crimes committed, the highest proportion of women inmates had been tried or convicted for offences related to illicit drug trafficking (53 per cent), crimes against property (21 per cent) and crimes against life, body and health (11 per cent). 32 per cent of all women inmates participated in a work programme and 22 per cent in a study programme, while 46 per cent did not participate in any such programme.

142.The national policy on prisons to 2030 was adopted through Supreme Decree No. 011-2020-JUS, prioritizing guidelines aimed at ensuring respect for the rights of the prison population. The Bangkok Rules are among the international standards underpinning that policy.

XVII.Climate change and disaster risk reduction

A.Gender mainstreaming

143.The Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups participated in the design and validation of the draft methodology for gender mainstreaming in climate change mitigation and adaptation activities, to mainstream gender in adaptation and mitigation measures identified as nationally determined contributions.

144.The draft methodology contributes to gender mainstreaming and climate change in 14 State agencies.

B.Involvement of women

145.The Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Groups, coordinating with ministries and regional and local governments, trained women in positions of authority in local and regional governments, and women officials of public agencies, to strengthen their leadership in resource management.

146.The Ministry implemented a programme on women’s leadership in water management for women in positions of authority in local and regional governments, women officials of public agencies and young women academics, linked to the management of water resources in six regions prioritized by the natural infrastructure project.

147.The following two experiences of gender mainstreaming are worth highlighting: (i) “Regional and local coordination for gender mainstreaming in public administration in the regional government of Ucayali and the provincial municipality of Atalaya”, which lasted two and a half years (from 2017 to 2019); and (ii) “Gender mainstreaming in environmental governance to strengthen the participation of indigenous women: experiences in Ucayali and Atalaya”.

148.In 2019, the Ministry of the Environment adopted Supreme Decree No. 013-2019-MINAM, regulating the Climate Change Act and ensuring women’s participation in the formulation and implementation of, inter alia, climate change strategies and plans.