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MADRE's Sister Organizations in Peru

CHIRAPAQ

CHIRAPAQ (The Center for Indigenous Peoples' Cultures of Peru) was formed 1986 in Ayacucho, Peru by a group of Andean and Amazonian women. Their goal was to increase cultural representation of Indigenous Peoples, defend Indigenous rights and strengthen Indigenous identities in their communities. Today, CHIRAPAQ investigates violations of Indigenous Peoples' rights, offers women and youth human rights trainings and works to document and preserve Indigenous culture. The organization also works to eradicate poverty and hunger in the Andean region through community self-help programs that increase self-sufficiency and access to food and expand the community's economic base.

Indigenous Women's Human Rights

A central aspect of CHIRAPAQ's work is the Human Rights Radio program, through which CHIRAPAQ trains and employs Indigenous women as radio communication/promotion specialists and producers. Human Rights Radio is a bilingual (Spanish/Quechua) radio program that records 40 shows per week, reaching approximately 70,000 people in Ayacucho. Topics of CHIRAPAQ's shows include: human rights of Indigenous youth, women and children; prevention of domestic violence and sexual abuse of children; intercultural and democratic rights; political participation; racism and discrimination; sexual health; and reproductive health. CHIRAPAQ makes these programs available to community radio stations in other rural areas as well, greatly increasing the size of their audience.

Human Rights Radio aims to:

• Ensure that Indigenous Peoples (especially young women) have access to culturally appropriate reproductive healthcare and family planning information in their own languages.
• Encourage safer sex and provide information about sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS.
• Share information about domestic violence and sexual abuse and offer tools to combat them.
• Build the capacity of Indigenous communities to understand and protect themselves against human rights abuses and exclusion and demand justice; and Increase the political participation of Indigenous women and girls.

Youth

CHIRAPAQ's youth programs focus on raising self-esteem and strengthening Indigenous identity. Through workshops on drawing, painting, dance, pottery and music, CHIRAPAQ works with children who have been displaced by political violence in Peru to overcome the trauma of displacement and learn to express themselves through art.

Food Security and Sustainable Development

Peru has the third highest child malnutrition rate in Latin America. In response to the problem of malnutrition in the Ayacucho province, CHIRAPAQ has developed a food security program to increase self-sufficiency in the region. In keeping with CHIRAPAQ's commitment to Indigenous leadership development, the program encourages active participation of Indigenous families and organizations and focuses on sustainable development.

Human Rights Advocacy

To support Indigenous women's leadership development, CHIRAPAQ has created a leadership program that serves as a unique space where Indigenous women can come together to exchange ideas and share knowledge. Indigenous women leaders from more than 20 organizations around Peru have taken part in the program. As a result, they have created a national network to promote Indigenous Peoples' rights.

CHIRAPAQ has also done important work on the international level, bringing the perspective of Indigenous Peoples of Peru to key UN conferences and participating in international Indigenous Peoples' forums.

LUNDU

LUNDU, the Center of Afro-Peruvian Studies and Promotion, is an organization of Afro-Peruvian youth working to promote recognition and respect for Peru's Afro-descendant population and combat racism and sexism in Peruvian society. LUNDU provides skills training and leadership development for young Afro-Peruvians, facilitates their political participation and offers cultural programs to help people reconnect with their Afro-Peruvian identities. LUNDU also works to build networks between Afro-descendant communities throughout Latin America.

At its office in Lima, LUNDU offers forums, trainings and a center with videos and publications on Afro-Peruvian culture and experiences. LUNDU's trainings focus on building self-esteem among Afro-Peruvian young people, promoting positive models of Afro-Peruvian womanhood and spreading knowledge about sexual and reproductive health.

Recently, LUNDU held a workshop with Afro-descendant organizations from Chile and Bolivia where Afro-Peruvian, Afro-Chilean and Afro-Bolivian youth came together to exchange ideas and build relationships. The workshop, which culminated in a diverse presentation of cultural traditions, gave the youth an important opportunity to meet and learn from each other.