Country Context

Over 50% of Peru’s population is poor, with nearly 20% being identified as extremely poor. Poverty goes hand in hand not just with high levels of violence, but with exclusion and discrimination against children and women (particularly those in/from rural contexts). These issues are compounded when women and children migrate to urban areas and lose traditional socio-protection networks. The Caicay district in the province of Paucartambo is situated only two hours from the city of Cuzco. The communities in the district are isolated and there is widespread inequality, reflected in high levels of violence and abuse suffered by women and children, and largely tolerated. The urban communities in the district of Santiago receive many of these women and children migrating from the Caicay District. There is widespread poverty, exclusion, marginalization, exploitation, violence and high crime rates. Both rural and urban communities lack appropriate services for the provision of psycho-social support to victims who suffer this abuse.

The project

Since its founding, Amhauta has focused on the difficulties and challenges faced by girls and women in urban and rural sectors. This has allowed the organisation to be in contact with the social and cultural reality of women, as well as to have a good understanding of their needs and interests. This pilot project is focusing on providing children with the skills that they need to succeed in terms of their education and functioning within society. Moreover, through various cultural and social events with the communities, Amhauta aims to educate young people about social behaviour and to reject and speak out against violence and sexual abuse.

The project provides community leaders and local authorities with training and support, in order to guide them to develop their own protection strategies for victims of violence or abuse and to aid in the strengthening of community protection networks ChildHope and Amhauta are working to tackle some of the factors which cause women and children to migrate from remote communities, and to address some of the effects of this migration in urban areas. The aim is to raise awareness amongst Quechuan children and adolescents of their rights and responsibilities and strengthen communities to reduce the incidence of violence which can contribute to women and children migrating to the cities where they may face even greater abuse and exploitation.

The project focuses on:

Strengthening the capacity and self-esteem of children and women to understand and defend their rights; through offering educational and emotional support. This will give children an opportunity to also recognise their cultural worth and help them to develop strategies themselves which reject sexual abuse and violence;

• Children will become peer educators and a source of information for others in the prevention of violence and sexual abuse;
• Children will be encouraged to take part in community life by being given the opportunity to actively participate in local cultural events and radio broadcasts which will be used to raise awareness;
• Networks that exist to support women and children who suffer from or are at risk of suffering violence and abuse will be established and/or strengthened; and,
• Children and their families who have been identified by the community as at ‘at-risk’ will be supported and monitored to prevent potential abuse, and offered access to other relevant services where possible.

Please note all names and other sensitive information has been changed to protect children’s identity