Peru

 

19 03, 2026

These Glacier Guardians Are Women

2026-10-30T16:51:41-04:00Tags: |

‘Guardians of the Glaciers’ is a photography series by Ángela Ponce that focuses on the Phinaya women of the Peruvian Andes. They live at the foot of the largest tropical glacier in the world—the Quelccaya Ice Cap—which has lost 37% of its total area in the last 40 years. Allison Cain, an Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology at the University of Wyoming, who conducted research just 12 miles west of Phinaya noted that “women and girls…are the true knowledge keepers of this region. They are the primary pastoralists, with incredibly rich, detailed, specialized knowledge about animals, grasses and waterways.” Therefore, scientific literature and development efforts need to recognize the wisdom of people like park ranger Yolanda, elder Salome, and shepherd Diane. Because with the glacier set to reach irreversible decline by the mid-2050s, we need every guardian’s voice at the table.

7 03, 2025

Advancing women’s rights and empowerment in climate adaptation

2025-12-03T23:47:51-05:00Tags: |

Despite women’s central importance to environmental management, they continue to face pay gaps, gender-based violence, and exclusion from entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities. In the realm of climate change, land grabbing, pollution, and climate displacement affect women disproportionately in uniquely difficult ways. Aiming to address this crucial overlap of women’s rights and climate rights, Profonanpe, a Peruvian environmental fund, is spearheading a variety of projects that incorporate women’s perspectives and local knowledge into adaptation responses and planning. Women are the backbone to Perú’s fishing industry which accounts for approximately 10% of all fish captured around the world. However, with fish stocks plummeting, the women responsible for processing and marketing catches are facing difficult circumstances and significant changes to their livelihoods. In response, Profonanpe launched projects that would not only utilize aquaponic plants to cultivate fish stocks, but also create activities, roles, jobs, and leadership opportunities exclusively for women. Since actively including women in strategies to adapt to and mitigate climate change, project leaders such as Claudia Godfrey have observed improved economic, political, and social mobility for women as well as generational effects in the community. Daughters are not only feeling inspired to become leaders but also have equitable access to resources and inclusive decision-making that can support their aspirations. 

23 10, 2024

Legal rights for nature boost biodiversity conservation

2026-03-29T18:08:57-04:00Tags: , |

Indigenous leader Mari Luz Canaquiri and other Kukama Indigenous women secured a landmark ruling that recognised the Marañón River, a freshwater river in Perú that links the Andes to the Amazon, as a living entity with inherent rights to be protected and to flow free from pollution. This decision was the first of its kind in Perú and was a win that existed within the context of the United Nations COP16 summit in Colombia that same year. Latin America leads the way in enshrining legal rights to nature, and environmentalists at COP16 were urging the eight countries that are home to the Amazon basin to view it as a single entity with nature rights. In Colombia, where more than 20 rivers have won the legal right to exist and flourish, the Constitutional Court recognised the country’s portion of the Amazon as an “entity subject of rights,” granting the rainforest the same legal rights as a human being in 2018. However, a 2023 study noted that government authorities “shirk responsibility” by not complying with the court rulings. While there has been progress on reducing deforestation rates in the Brazilian and Colombian parts of the Amazon, protecting this fragile and vital ecosystem is more urgent than ever. Many environmentalists believe that successful litigation in Latin America can help win rights for the Amazon as a whole. Natalia Greene, the Director of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature, noted that “People are ready to go to court for this,” and “If the Amazon reaches a tipping point we are doomed as a species. There is no way we can cool the planet if we don't take care of the biome.”

22 08, 2024

How a fun women’s gathering led to small wildcat conservation in Peru’s Andes

2026-10-29T23:55:51-04:00Tags: |

It is no small feat to improve public opinion of small wildcats in a village where wildcats have killed much of the livestock. This is exactly what conservation biologist Merinia Mendoza Almeida’s program has done in Licapa, a rural village in the Peruvian Andes. Extensive deforestation in the nearby forest has led species like the Andean cat, puma, and Peruvian desert cat to come into closer contact with humans and their livestock. This range overlap means the livestock have become one of the most available food sources to the small wildcats. Mendoza Almeida has earned the trust of local women and went on to co-found Mujeres Quechua por la Conservación, a program where Indigenous women can join her in conservation activities, such as setting trail cameras to track wildcats. The program has also planted pastures closer to Licapa, so livestock do not have to graze in the expanding wildcat territory. The wildcats have become incorporated into the local culture through murals and a new textile cooperative where women weave designs of wildcats for fair-trade sale. The cooperative also gives women a personal source of income, helping them achieve greater economic independence. The women have extended the program beyond themselves, bringing their children to conservation activities. Passing down respect for the wildcats will help ensure the next generation grows up with a more positive association with these species.

25 07, 2023

In Peru’s Amazon, Indigenous women lead the way on conservation

2025-04-24T17:10:53-04:00Tags: |

Ema Tapullima, a member of the Kukama Kukamiria community of Puerto Prado, is an Indigenous Peruvian woman and forest guardian. As a community leader, she is fighting to ensure biodiversity protection along the Marañón River in North Western Peru. Named ‘Irwato Natural Paradise,’ the 100 hectares of land constitute a private environmental conservation area under community protection and custodianship, forming part of Peru’s system of protected natural areas. The women of Puerto Prado are fighting an ongoing battle against environmental crime with their land threatened by illegal loggers, wildlife poaching, and extractive mining. Armed with ancestral knowledge and community leadership, the women and families of Puerto Prado are ensuring the active and ongoing care for the territory and ecosystem that their children will inherit. This frontline work against extraction, prejudice, and exploitation is filled with ongoing challenges, but it will not stop Indigenous communities like Puerto Prado who are taking conservation into their own hands.

25 07, 2023

In Peru’s Amazon, Indigenous women lead the way on conservation

2024-02-20T10:52:09-05:00Tags: |

Currently in Peru, more than 394,000 hectares of land are protected under 139 PCAs, or private conservation areas, that aim to not only conserve nature, but to value and encourage its protection. However, due to a lack of government support, such initiatives are under threat. Despite women’s vulnerability and connection to the land, more PCA owners are male than female. These gaps have left women out of important decision-making despite research that shows that women’s leadership in natural resource management has better environmental outcomes. Peru has also been named the third most dangerous country in South America for land defenders, leaving women with an increased risk of harm while speaking out or protecting the land.  Indigenous women leaders throughout Peru continue to educate on the importance of women defenders, protecting women's voices, and passing critical policies, such as the Escazú agreement. Photo Credit: Sally Jabiel/Dialogo Chino

20 07, 2023

The Artist Demanding Accountability and Restoration for Peru’s Worst Oil Spill

2025-04-18T10:57:47-04:00Tags: |

Amidst the devastation caused by Peru's worst oil spill, artist Lizeth Lozano Palomino’s project "Orilla Negra" emerges as a powerful beacon of accountability and restoration. Through a fusion of raw imagery and intimate storytelling, "Orilla Negra" amplifies the voices of those impacted, demanding justice and action from both Repsol and the Peruvian government. Triggered by Repsol's catastrophic mishap off the coast of Lima, Palomino’s poignant documentation captures the profound human and environmental toll exacted by corporate negligence. Her recognition as the winner of #CreateCOP27 underscores the urgent need for climate-related discourse, especially as fossil fuel interests continue to wield undue influence. In spite of corporate indifference and governmental inaction, Palomino's unwavering commitment to her cause remains undeterred—a testament to the enduring power of art in the face of ecological crisis and systemic apathy.

20 04, 2023

The Forest Beyond

2025-02-13T13:30:17-05:00Tags: |

The Shipibo people of the Peruvian Amazon have lived symbiotically with the rainforest for thousands of generations. The Shipibo people are caretakers of the jungle, and in recent years have begun fighting against loggers, colonizing farmers, palm plantations, and massive deforestation efforts that are swallowing their ancestral lands. Senen Kasi, a young woman from Santa Isabel de Bahuanisho, has never seen the large, virgin trees or forests that her elders spoke of. On a mission to reconnect to her ancestral lands, Senen links with elder Sanken Kena to journey into the retreating forest. Once stretching to her village, now barren, Senen reconnects to the healing, medicinal, and ecological magic of the Amazonian jungle. She aims to bring the wisdom of the forest back to her community, and call others to action in the protection and regeneration of her lands.

17 08, 2022

Recovering biodiversity in Brazil’s pioneering Atlantic Forest through conservation and ecological restoration

2025-03-24T18:42:00-04:00Tags: , |

Lake Titicaca is home to the giant Titicaca water frog, an endangered species that is rapidly dying due to poaching and pollution. Indigenous women scientists and community leaders are spearheading the initiative to protect it and treat Lake Titicaca to restore its resilience and health through various organizations, including research organizations and Mujeres Unidas, a group of women committed to saving the lake. Teresa Camacho Badani, a herpetologist studying the Titicaca water frogs, has rescued frogs to hold in captivity, ensuring the species does not go extinct. Elvira Chicani, a community leader in Perka Norte, helps maintain the local frog population by preventing poaching and educating community members about the species’s importance. Environmental engineer Elizabeth Zenteno emphasizes that Lake Titicaca cannot heal from pollution and degradation without people’s help. These women have committed themselves to protecting the various facets of the lake, its health, and its ecosystem.

28 06, 2022

Peruvian Women Demand Accountability for Toxic Water Contamination

2025-04-18T11:42:21-04:00Tags: |

Peruvian women are urging action against Glencore, the Anglo-Swiss mining giant, for contaminating their drinking water with toxic heavy metals. Esmeralda Larota and others in the vicinity of Glencore’s Tintaya-Antapaccay mine have high levels of arsenic, manganese, cadmium, lead, and mercury in their bodies, causing severe health issues. Despite scientific evidence of water contamination, neither Glencore nor the Peruvian state has taken responsibility. The community faces environmental degradation, social conflict, and health crises, with increasing calls for legislative action and corporate accountability to protect their rights and environment.

15 06, 2021

Liz Chicaje: Activist whose Fight Created a National Park

2025-04-18T11:21:47-04:00Tags: |

Liz Chicaje Churay, a member of the Indigenous Bora community in Perú, has emerged as a beacon of grassroots activism, earning global recognition for her pivotal role in establishing the Yaguas National Park. This pristine expanse of Amazon rainforest, spanning over two million acres, stands as a testament to Chicaje's unwavering dedication to protecting her ancestral lands. Alongside fellow Indigenous leaders, Chicaje spearheaded a decades-long campaign to secure official designation for the park, fending off threats from illegal loggers and miners. Their efforts culminated in a landmark victory in 2018 when the Peruvian government formally established the park, safeguarding its rich biodiversity and cultural significance. For Chicaje and her community, this achievement represents more than conservation; it symbolizes a triumph of resilience and solidarity against forces of exploitation. As a recipient of the prestigious Goldman Prize, Chicaje continues to advocate for indigenous rights and environmental stewardship, inspiring others to safeguard the natural heritage that sustains us all.

8 03, 2018

“The river is a mother”: 4 indigenous women water protectors from Peru’s amazon

2025-04-09T20:30:23-04:00Tags: |

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, four Indigenous women who are part of the movement demanding justice for communities affected by the North Peruvian Pipeline near the Marañón River Basin spoke out about the injustices they have faced. They called for an independent study of the pipeline, a Truth Commission, and full remediation of oil blocks. The women emphasized the importance of the Marañón River, describing not only the consequences of its pollution on their health but also affirming its role as a mother of life. No longer able to rely on the river for sustenance, they urged the Peruvian government to supply food and water, highlighting the urgency of the situation. To them, the responsibility lies with both the state-owned Petroperú company, which operates the pipeline, and the Peruvian government. As long as the pipeline remains unsecured, there is no guarantee that Indigenous communities will not continue to suffer harm. They demand increased respect for their communities and their health. Women are particularly affected—witnessing the deterioration of their children’s health and often bearing the responsibility of collecting rainwater to ensure access to safe drinking water.

9 06, 2017

Indigenous Women Protect The Amazon Rain Forest

2017-10-14T16:08:58-04:00Tags: |

As climate change intensifies, Peru's Indigenous women are losing valuable opportunities to protect the forests due to the insufficient protection of their rights. Ketty Marcelo, a native from the Pucharini community, advocates for changing legal frameworks that discriminate against Indigenous women in Peru. Despite the fact that women play a fundamental role in the conservation of biodiversity, the national government is not doing enough to ensure women's role as the protectors of the lands that belong to Indigenous communities. In addition, a new report highlights that when women's rights are not respected within the communities, the environment can suffer. Marcelo and her peers are making their voices heard to challenge the patriarchy. Photo credit: Marco Garro/AFP/Getty Images

26 03, 2017

Making Women Proud: Rosa Palomino Chahuares And The Women Of Uma

2017-10-26T16:16:59-04:00Tags: |

Advocate for women’s and Indigenous rights, Rosa Palomino Chahuares of Peru, works as a radio-broadcaster and activist with the Network of Indigenous Communicators of Peru and UMA (Union of Aymara Women of Abya Yala) - working to protect the Aymara culture and language, and confront patriarchy in her community. Through her work with UMA’s women’s radio program, Wiñay Pankara (“always blooming”), Chahuares helps brings to light the situation and voices of Aymara women who are working for sustainability and justice in their communities. The women leaders continue to face challenges in gaining access to broadcast time and space on Peru’s national channels, but continue ceaselessly in their growing efforts. Photo credit: Rosa Palomino Chahuares

26 10, 2016

Maxima Acuña Under Attack For Her Resistance Against Mining In Peru – Interview With Sian Cowman

2017-10-26T18:01:33-04:00Tags: |

Environmental land defender Maxima Acuña faces physical attacks for her resistance against a mining company in Peru. In this interview with the Democracy Center, she explains why extractivism means more violence for women and what we can do to support vital efforts to stand with her and her colleagues and community members. Photo credit: The Democracy Center

26 10, 2016

In Peru, This Young Activist Is Sparking A Movement For Climate Justice

2017-10-26T17:59:32-04:00Tags: |

Majandra Rodriguez Acha is a young climate woman of Peru uniting urban and Indigenous communities across her country for vital dialogue and action around issues of resource extraction, Indigenous Rights violations, violence against women and the Earth, and much more. Photo credit: Global Greengrants

9 08, 2016

Ancestral Farming Techniques Resurge In Peru

2017-07-17T17:12:40-04:00Tags: |

As President of the Indigenous Women of Laramate organization in rural Peru, Magaly Garayar teaches ancestral farming techniques to combat climate change and improve food security. Through selecting healthy seeds, rotating crops to improve soil fertility, and effective irrigation, women are now seeing better yields that they sell in local markets. Through their work, the women are taking steps to combat patriarchal norms and promote women’s leadership and gender equality. Photo credit: CHIRAPAQ

14 10, 2015

Rural Peruvian Women Spur Local Dairy Industry

2017-07-17T16:49:35-04:00Tags: |

Cira Huancahuari, the President of the Association of Indigenous Women of the district Lamarate, Peru, is one of the women leaders building a sustainable local economy through an all-women’s cheese and yogurt production association. Their collective of rural women continues to grow and boost economic independence and Indigenous women’s rights across the region. Photo credit: CHIRAPAQ

13 10, 2015

How A 14-year-old girl Is Making Quechua Cool In Peru — With Lyrics From Michael Jackson

2017-09-06T21:55:56-04:00Tags: |

14-year-old Peruvian Renata Flores Rivera is revitalizing the Inca language of Quechua, one of the oldest of 47 remaining Indigenous dialects in Peru, by remixing modern pop songs with Quechua lyrics. Although Quechua is the second most spoken language in the country, younger generations have overwhelming deserted the language calling it uncool and associating it with poverty. However, Rivera’s remixes have become an international Youtube sensation inspiring the young and old in Peru to proudly reflect on and embrace their Indigenous roots. Rivera has drastically transformed locals’ relation to the language creating a new wave of Indigenous awareness and dignity. Photo credit: PRI

28 06, 2015

Women Farmers Act As Guardians Of Crop Diversity In The Andes

2017-07-19T22:02:35-04:00Tags: |

Women in the Andes are using their traditional knowledge to conserve the agricultural biodiversity of local crops such as quinoa, maize, potatoes, oca, olluco, and mashua. The case study “Women Farmers and Andean Seeds” documents how Andean women in Peru promote biodiversity while contributing to the food security of their families and communities. Photo credit: Shutterstock

19 06, 2015

Faces Of Change: Adolfina Garcia

2017-10-13T16:05:54-04:00Tags: |

Adolfina García, an Achuar Indigenous woman from the Corrientes Region of northern Peru, saw her son die due to contamination caused by the oil companies near her home. This article details how Adolfina and the leaders of five Achuar communities brought a lawsuit against Los Angeles-based Occidental Petroleum to demand reparations for the widespread destruction of their livelihoods. Photo credit: EarthRights International

19 12, 2014

How One Indigenous Woman Took On A Multinational Mining Corporation, And Won

2017-08-26T14:35:39-04:00Tags: |

Máxima Acuña suffered violent eviction attempts, beatings and a lengthy legal battle for four years to protect her land from a multinational coal mining corporation - and won. Acuña and her family depend on her farmland and the clean waters of Lake Laguna Azul for drinking water and crop irrigation. The Minera Yanocha and Newmont Mining corporations attempted to displace this family in order to build an open-pit mine near the lake, but Acuña courageously defended her community and the environment. Photo credit: Jorge Chávez Ortiz

30 04, 2014

The Woman Who Breaks Mega-Dams

2017-08-26T14:21:18-04:00Tags: |

Ruth Buendía Mestoquiari is an environmental rights defender who insists that the law is on her side. Invoking an International Labor Organization treaty that Peru ratified in 1994 and legislation passed in 2011, Buendía maintains that the Peruvian government must consult with Indigenous communities before launching infrastructure projects or mining concessions that will affect them, a process known as prior consultation. As the first female president of CARE, an organization which represents about 10,000 Indigenous Ashaninka in the Peruvian Amazon, she has successfully stopped the construction of two mega-dams along the Ene River. Photo credit: Goldman Environmental Prize

30 10, 2013

Maintaining The Ways Of Our Ancestors: Indigenous Women Address Food Sovereignty

2017-08-19T12:36:28-04:00Tags: |

Indigenous women like Clemencia Herrera and Andrea Carmen gathered at the World Conference of Indigenous Women, which took place in Lima, Peru, October 28-30, 2013 to share traditional knowledge, discuss common challenges and develop solutions. Their shared initiatives included solidarity markets, schools to educate Indigenous youth about traditional foodways, community organizing, and building greenhouses in the Arctic and east Africa. Photo credit: Cultural Survival

1 01, 2003

Maria Elena Foronda Farro, 2003 Goldman Prize Recipient, South and Central America

2017-10-18T11:01:16-04:00Tags: |

Peru is the world’s largest fishmeal producer, a product exported internationally to make animal feed, fertilizers and preservatives. However, the unregulated industrial production of fishmeal polluted the air and water of Chimbote, until Maria Elena Foronda Farro and her environmental group Natura petitioned the local government to impose safety regulations and standards on the industry. Because of her activism, Foronda was sentenced on false charges of terrorism to 20 years in prison, but hasn’t let that deter her from working for environmental protection in Peru. Photo credit: Goldman Environmental Prize

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