Experts of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Welcome Peru’s National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, Ask about the High Percentage of the Workforce in the Informal Sector and Sexual Violence against Children in the Condorcanqui Region
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today concluded its review of the fifth periodic report of Peru, with Committee Experts welcoming the State’s adoption of a national action plan on business and human rights, while asking about the high percentage of the workforce in the informal sector and sexual violence against children in the Condorcanqui region.
Michael Windfuhr, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, welcomed the State’s adoption of a national action plan on business and human rights, and the training it had provided for officials on business and human rights.
Karla Vanessa Lemus De Vásquez, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, said the Committee was concerned that more than 70 per cent of the workforce, including 85 per cent of migrant workers, worked in the informal sector. The taxation system discouraged companies and workers from transitioning into the formal sector. Would the State party amend tax provisions and promote the transition into the formal sector?
Santiago Manuel Fiorio Vaesken, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, said it was concerning to receive reports of cases of systemic sexual abuse of children and adolescents by teachers, particularly in the Condorcanqui region, including more than 600 reported cases of sexual abuse. What was being done to eliminate the systemic sexual abuse in this region and punish the perpetrators? What was the State doing to guarantee access to justice for victims? What mechanisms were being developed to prevent such crimes and their recurrence? What was the State doing to ensure oversight in schools?
Concerning the informal sector, the delegation said Peru had conducted awareness raising campaigns and provided training to public officials on migrants’ labour rights. In addition, it had conducted activities to promote trade union rights, with a particular emphasis on the agricultural sector. There had been improvements in levels of formal employment between 2021 and 2023, thanks to a new law promoting the transition to the formal sector.
The delegation said the State wanted to ensure the cases in Condorcanqui were being appropriately investigated and punished. The intersectoral plan of action for Condorcanqui was a guide to monitor progress to prevent and deal with sexual violence against children in the province. Teachers had been trained on sexual and reproductive health rights and health professionals had been recruited. A multisectoral roundtable had been held to tackle sexual violence against children in the Condorcanqui province. Teachers who had restraining orders could not teach in 2025. Intercultural mediators had also been recruited to deal with the issue. There was an investigation relating to the proceedings and cases submitted.
Luis Fernando Domínguez Vera, Director-General for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Peru and head of the delegation, introducing the report, said Peru was a democratic, social, independent and sovereign State committed to upholding human rights and democratic principles. To advance the fight against poverty, the National Policy for Development and Social Inclusion 2030 was approved in 2022. At the end of 2024, the “pension 65” programme granted protection to over 830,000 older adults in extreme poverty. The draft national policy on indigenous peoples included regulations on prior consultation processes. Designed in a participatory manner with national indigenous organizations, the policy promoted public services that would reduce inequality and generate social and economic development for the indigenous population. The State reaffirmed its commitment to building a more just, inclusive, and equitable society.
In concluding remarks, Mr. Windfuhr thanked the delegation for the effort made during the dialogue. The Committee would appreciate if the outcome of the constructive dialogue would be published in Peru and made available to all stakeholders.
In his concluding remarks Mr. Domínguez Vera thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue. Peru had full respect for economic, social and cultural rights, particularly for those in vulnerable situations, and would aim to strengthen national efforts to achieve these rights under the Covenant.
The delegation of Peru was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, and the Permanent Mission of Peru to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee’s seventy-seventh session is being held until 28 February 2025. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Webcasts of the meetings of the session can be found here, and meetings summaries can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Friday, 14 February to conclude its consideration of the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom (E/C.12/GBR/7).
Report
The Committee has before it the fifth periodic report of Peru (E/C.12/PER/5).
Presentation of Report
LUIS FERNANDO DOMÍNGUEZ VERA, Director-General for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Peru and head of the delegation, said Peru was a democratic, social, independent and sovereign State committed to upholding human rights and democratic principles. Approximately 99.8 per cent of inhabitants were currently covered by health insurance. Non-resident foreigners diagnosed with HIV or tuberculosis were authorised to enrol for insurance.
To advance the fight against poverty, the National Policy for Development and Social Inclusion 2030 was approved in 2022. At the end of 2024, the “pension 65” programme granted protection to over 830,000 older adults in extreme poverty. The Cooperation Fund for Social Development had intervened in 573 population centres, financing development projects, and there were also other programmes providing monetary incentives to vulnerable households. One programme benefited 1.5 million people in poverty in rural areas from 2019 to 2024, promoting access to health services, justice and development, financial inclusion, and education.
To ensure the prevention of forced labour, a new protocol against forced labour was approved in 2023, which committed public institutions to a comprehensive and multisectoral approach to cases of forced labour with a victim-centred approach. Since 2003, the National Steering Committee for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labour had been working with public and private non-profit institutions on activities to prevent child labour. The national policy for the prevention and eradication of child labour was also being formulated. The child labour rate had been reduced by 5.8 percentage points from 2012 to 2023.
To prevent gender-based violence, the Ministry of Health had carried out training workshops and counselling sessions to promote healthy cohabitation for couples, and as of 2024, had trained 155,600 health professionals on the subject. As part of State nutritional programmes for pregnant women and children, half a million children aged up to 12 months and over 94,000 pregnant women were supported and around seven million home visits were made from February to November 2024.
To reduce gaps in educational performance, a sectoral policy to strengthen intercultural and bilingual education was being drawn up. To address school dropouts, since 2012, bicycle kits had been distributed to the poorest educational institutions in rural areas, and an intervention was created in 2018 to support river transport in the Amazon area. Both interventions benefitted more than 90,000 students.
With regard to drinking water and sanitation services, the Government had implemented various strategies to reduce issues related to access, quality and sustainability of drinking water and sanitation services in the country. The Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation was developing two important drinking water, sewerage and wastewater treatment projects that would support access to these services for more than 83,000 people in Lima and Callo. In July 2024, the State approved a roadmap towards a circular economy in drinking water and sanitation, which would promote the efficient use of drinking water and the reuse of wastewater.
Peru remained firmly committed to becoming more sustainable. In 2024, environmentally friendly investment projects were launched in sectors such as mining, transportation, electricity, hydrocarbons, agriculture, sanitation and health.
The draft national policy on indigenous peoples included regulations on prior consultation processes. Designed in a participatory manner with national indigenous organizations, the policy promoted public services that would reduce inequality and generate social and economic development for the indigenous population. Further, the “alert service against racism” guided citizens on actions to be taken in the face of discrimination and the recently approved “Peru without racism 2030” strategy aimed to improve procedures to guarantee citizens timely attention to cases of ethnic or racial discrimination.
The State reaffirmed its commitment to building a more just, inclusive, and equitable society. It had approved the National Multisectoral Human Rights Policy 2040, which aimed to achieve substantial progress in social inclusion and respect for human rights. The State would continue to work for the full exercise of economic, social and cultural rights for all people, with the national multisectoral human rights policy 2040 as a guide. The State's multisectoral efforts to eradicate inequality and discrimination and the dialogue with the Committee would allow Peru to continue to implement the Covenant efficiently.
Questions by a Committee Expert
MICHAEL WINDFUHR, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, said Peru’s Constitution covered economic, social and cultural rights in a comprehensive manner. How often was the Covenant used in court rulings? Were judges trained in Covenant rights? How did economic, social and cultural rights inform policy making? How was the national human rights institution dealing with economic, social and cultural rights and related complaints? Were rules regarding the election of the Ombudsman in line with the Paris Principles? Did the State party plan to ratify the individual complaints procedure for the Covenant and to revisit ratification of the Escazú Agreement?
The Committee was concerned by repeated declarations of states of emergency by Peru, including in connection with social protests. Also of concern was the frequent deployment of the armed forces during states of emergency and for domestic law and order tasks. There were multiple reports of violent suppression of protesters and other human rights violations occurring at protests in 2020 and 2023. What was the State party doing to prevent violence against and intimidation of protestors? The State had been criticised for describing protests as “terrorist activities”, a severe step given Peru’s strict anti-terrorism legislation. How did the State party plan to change discourse around protests? What was the intention of the new law on the control of the finances of civil society organizations?
Human rights defenders in Peru reportedly faced threats to their life and family, as well as intimidation and sanctions, particularly for activists protesting mining, oil, and agricultural projects. There had been an increase in murders of indigenous community leaders defending their territories. The Committee welcomed the State’s decision to finance an office to investigate abuse of human rights defenders. How many attacks against human rights defenders, including environmental human rights defenders, had the State party recorded? How would the State party prevent attacks against human rights defenders and delays in justice for victims?
How did the State party ensure free, prior and informed consent from indigenous communities for development projects and protection for indigenous territories? Mr. Windfuhr welcomed the State’s adoption of a national action plan on business and human rights and the training it had provided for officials on business and human rights. What were the sectors with the highest risks of human rights violations? How did the State party monitor human rights impacts in the extractive and agricultural sectors? What measures were in place to support small-scale indigenous farmers and indigenous peoples?
The Committee welcomed the State party’s national climate change adaptation plan and disaster preparedness activities. What progress had been made in meeting greenhouse gas emissions targets? Why had 38 new licences for the exploitation of hydrocarbons been granted? How did the State party control the impact of deforestation activities and hydrocarbon spillages? How did it assess its climate change adaptation projects? Several legislative decrees from 2013 to 2015 had weakened environmental regulation and oversight, preventing the imposition of fines on polluting companies. Were there plans to revise these?
Public spending in health, education and sport had increased up to 2018. How had spending progressed since then? Twenty-seven per cent of the population lived in poverty and five per cent in extreme poverty in 2022, compared to 20 and three per cent respectively in 2019. The tax system reportedly did little to alleviate poverty. How would the State party reform tax policies to reduce inequality and address poverty? Around one per cent of the population held one-third of the State’s income. How would the State party promote income equality and prevent corruption?
The Committee welcomed efforts to promote respect for the rights of women, children, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons through national action plans. Several plans had terminated in 2021; had they been renewed? Was the State party planning new policies to sanction non-State actors that violated the rights of vulnerable groups?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Peru was a democratic State that respected human rights, and rejected allegations to the contrary. It did not persecute persons who expressed their opinions freely. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights had in 2024 noted the efforts that Peru had exerted to implement its recommendations related to the protection of the rights of protesters. In December 2022, a multi-sectoral commission was set up to address the needs of wounded persons and the family members of persons who had died in protests. An investigation had been carried out into incidents occurring during the 2022 and 2023 protests, and a directive had been developed to ensure appropriate human rights-based responses from the police to protests. A human rights office had also been established in the police force.
The procedure for electing the Ombudsman had not changed; it was determined by the Constitution. The Constitution stipulated that all international instruments ratified by Peru could be applied directly by the justice system. Peru was considering ratification of the Escazú Agreement.
Peru had established an intersectoral mechanism for the protection of human rights defenders and a platform through which human rights defenders could make complaints. Eight regional roundtables had been established on the protection of human rights defenders in areas in which they were active.
As part of actions under the national action plan on business and human rights, the State had trained 197 public and private sector workers on business and human rights and had developed a training programme for trade unions. Awareness raising campaigns on due diligence had also been developed.
The COVID-19 pandemic had increased poverty rates in Peru. The State party was collecting data to inform targeted policies to support vulnerable households. A multi-sectoral committee and strategy aiming to reduce urban poverty had been established. The Government was working to increase access to State services for low-income households. There were State benefits for early childhood, students, and households living in poverty. The State had also implemented a programme promoting access to school feeding programmes.
The “CONACOT” National Council on Discrimination was working to promote human rights and peaceful coexistence and assessing individual complaints related to discrimination. Awareness raising campaigns had been carried out to eliminate discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. The Council had developed a platform for reporting discrimination and monitoring follow-up to cases.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on plans to address threats against human rights defenders from private actors; plans to develop a general anti-discrimination law; whether the State party had a system for monitoring recommendations from the treaty bodies; the contributions that civil society had made to the State party’s report; the standards in place to guarantee the right to free, prior and informed consent for indigenous peoples; steps taken by the Government to combat illegal mining, which had allegedly destroyed 30,000 hectares of forest and leaked large volumes of mercury into the Amazon River; measures to regularise the mining sector and ensure that legislative reforms did not promote impunity for illegal miners; progress made in implementing the national policy for persons with disabilities; reasons why the budget for supporting persons with disabilities had been reduced; barriers to promoting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons; and plans to close down the Ministry for Women.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Peru had a law against acts of discrimination, which imposed punishments for perpetrators of such acts. All public policies and programmes promoted inclusion and the redistribution of wealth. The Ministry for Justice and Human Rights included a body that followed up on recommendations from human rights protection bodies, and a national digital platform had been set up to manage and monitor responses to these recommendations. There were national standards for free, prior and informed consent and judicial remedies were available in cases of violations of citizens’ rights.
Job centres matched job seekers’ skills to employers’ needs. Economic incentives and a range of other policies were in place to promote access to employment, including self-employment, for young persons living in poverty.
The Government had yet to decide whether to merge the Ministry of Women with other ministries. Whether or not the merger took place, the State would continue to implement this ministry’s mandate.
Questions by a Committee Expert
KARLA VANESSA LEMUS DE VÁSQUEZ, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked whether the State party had updated the national action plan on forced labour and related strategies. What measures were in place to strengthen the capacity of the National Commission on Forced Labour? Current measures were reportedly not sufficient for promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities into formal employment. There were no sanctions for companies that did not respect disability quotas. What measures were in place to provide training on reasonable accommodation and ensure that workplaces were accessible?
The Committee was concerned that more than 70 per cent of the workforce, including 85 per cent of migrant workers, worked in the informal sector. The taxation system discouraged companies and workers from transitioning into the formal sector. Would the State party amend tax provisions and promote the transition into the formal sector? Temporary contracts could be renewed for up to five years for an unlimited number of times. Were there plans to reform legislation on temporary contracts to limit their use?
What criteria were used to establish and update the minimum wage? What measures had the State party taken to ensure appropriate oversight of the informal sector to prevent adolescents from engaging in dangerous work? How was the Government promoting trade union representation and informing workers about trade union rights? What sectors were restricted from engaging in strikes? How did the State party ensure effective protection from reprisals for strikers?
How did the State party ensure that social services had sufficient resources? The International Labour Organization had called for a comprehensive protection system for the unemployed. What progress had been made on its implementation?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said reports on the implementation of annual disability policies had been published by the State, including in Easy Read format. There were State programmes in place promoting persons with disabilities’ access to employment. A forum had been set up that displayed job information tailored to persons with disabilities, and job fairs for persons with disabilities were also held in various regions. The State party provided training to public officials and private sector employers on promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities in workplaces and providing reasonable accommodation.
The State party had conducted awareness raising campaigns and provided training to public officials on migrants’ labour rights. In addition, it had conducted activities to promote trade union rights, with a particular emphasis on the agricultural sector. There had been improvements in levels of formal employment between 2021 and 2023, thanks to a new law promoting the transition to the formal sector. Since 2021, the Directorate for the Settlement of Labour Disputes had conducted 213 interventions to settle disputes between employers and employees. There had been 17 trade unions established in the agricultural sector since 2021. Around 540,000 workers in Peru were affiliated with a union; affiliation with unions was voluntary.
The State party was drafting a new policy aimed at the eradication of forced labour and it hoped to conclude these efforts in coming weeks. Peru had developed three national action plans on combatting forced labour, the most recent of which ended in 2022. This plan had had a positive impact, with over 70 per cent of its measures having been effectively implemented. A national day for the eradication of forced labour had been established, and data collection on forced labour had been strengthened. Outreach on preventing forced labour was conducted nationally.
Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on the number of people benefitting from programmes promoting employment of persons with disabilities; measures to resolve wage disputes involving persons with disabilities; disaggregated data on access to social services in the State party; plans to reform the pension system to make it more sustainable and to guarantee a minimum income for all older persons; measures to protect workers in the mining industry from acts of violence and intimidation; measures to ensure the traceability of illegally mined gold, prevent illegal mining, and provide remedies for harms caused; how the labour inspection system addressed the situation in remote areas; and protections for workers in the illegal mining sector.
LUDOVIC HENNEBEL, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked about measures to guarantee access to protection and justice services for women victims of violence. To what extent had protective legislation been implemented? Why were acts of femicide and domestic violence still prevalent in the State party despite legislative developments? What measures were in place to tackle systemic sexual violence in schools, particularly in rural areas?
How would the State party effectively implement the prohibition of child marriage and make all such unions void? How would it tackle de-facto unions? What measures were in place to combat child labour in agricultural and mining sectors?
Was the State party planning to bolster protections against forced evictions? There was a clear disparity between social classes in terms of access to housing. How would the State party address this? How was it supporting access to water infrastructure in rural areas and preventing the contamination of water sources by extractive industries? Around 31 per cent of the population was exposed to heavy metal pollution in water sources. What measures were in place to combat overexploitation of natural resources by extractive industries?
What programmes were in place to combat malnutrition? How did the State ensure that indigenous communities could benefit from food distribution programmes? How was the Government tackling child malnutrition and anaemia? What measures were in place to bolster the national healthcare system, particularly in rural areas, and to combat the shortage of pharmaceutical products? How was the State party supporting access to quality mental health services in rural areas and preventing suicides, tackling HIV infections in indigenous communities, and combatting discrimination against persons suffering from HIV? How was it supporting access to contraception and abortions and preventing obstetric violence? What support systems were available for girls who were victims of rape and incest?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said in 2024, the Congress presented a bill to adapt the scope of Peruvian sign language and ensure public and private entities would provide for it. This was being carried out to enhance the implementation of Peruvian sign language.
Persons who were self-employed were included in the informal economy. The Ministry of Labour undertook different activities to ensure the self-employed could transit to a formal economy. Guidelines had been adopted to strengthen the production of formal and decent self-employment to guide actions to promote self-employment at all levels of Government.
The General Directorate of Employment had been looking at adolescents who worked for others to ensure decent working conditions for them and avoid the worst forms of child labour. The State had a model to identify and eradicate child labour. Peru dealt with cases identified in different authority areas. When it came to monitoring and oversight of children engaged in dangerous jobs, the National Labour Inspectorate had a special unit for child and forced labour. This meant there was detailed supervision by this unit that carried out investigations and checks to determine if any children or adolescents were involved in dangerous jobs.
Educational programmes were being implemented in rural areas, including a programme for secondary education with only part-time attendance. Another part-time educational programme was in place to promote the development of communities through different learning models. National legislation on union rights was in line with what was established with international fora, including the International Labour Organization. The Labour Inspection Unit had the ability and resources to ensure the existence of the right to strike, pursuant to Peruvian law and international standards. The Labour Inspectorate Service carried out monitoring and oversight activities to protect the rights of workers. The unit had made a significant step in putting in place the Trade Union Rights Unit. This team included inspectors who had specific training on cases relating to the right to strike.
Around 2,331 persons with disabilities were registered in the job centre of the Ministry of Labour in 2024 and 1,724 persons obtained an employment certificate. In 2024, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities investigated 105 public entities and 103 sanctions were issued due to non-compliance with the employment quotas. Around 90.7 per cent of the population had reported as having some kind of health insurance, with the figures being higher in rural areas.
It was difficult to access some of the most remote areas in the country. In these cases, a system of documentary checks was used to allow inspections to be carried out without physical visits. There was a database of indigenous communities, including qualitative and geographical information. This allowed different levels of Government to implement public policies for indigenous peoples and guarantee their rights.
Between 2017 and 2018, Peru changed its approach to combat corruption. Instead of doing this retroactively, it was now part of the comprehensive policy for integrity and combatting corruption. There were specialised prosecutors to deal with the scourge of corruption, and these cases were conducted independently, including in the cases of public officials.
A specialised justice system had been created in 2018 to punish any acts of violence against women by members of their families. Violence against women and girls had reached its most acute stage, which meant the need to adopt differentiated approaches. During the pandemic, a legislative decree was passed to guarantee protection measures to victims of gender-based violence. Several instruments had been passed to support women victims of violence. The Peruvian State would continue to try and tackle violence against women head on.
There were 60 services under the public prosecutor’s service, 25 of which were connected to legal aid under the specialised justice system. Numerous steps had been implemented to address the issue of femicides. One of the main leaps forward was the implementation of the national system of justice for protection. Furthermore, the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations had a direct link to victims of femicide and their family members through the support centres which had been created to tackle emergency situations. Steps had been taken to try and establish support campaigns for victims of femicide within these centres. A mobile application provided information on services for gender-based violence and could be used to privately contact a platform for help and share location to trusted contacts. Medical and psychological assistance was provided to child victims of femicide on an individual and monthly basis.
The Peruvian State was committed to reducing the levels of social tolerance to victims of violence in Peru. The high levels of violence against children in the Amazonas region was a priority for the State, and there were multiple challenges in this regard. Since August 2024, the State had adopted the plan to address sexual abuse against children and adolescents in the Condorcanqui in the Amazonas area; 607 teachers had reports of sexual violence levied against them. In 2022, a pact was introduced for indigenous youth, which included specific activities for implementation in the Amazonas area. In 2024, training was carried out for indigenous women to enhance their leadership and organizational skills.
The State had adopted a law to prohibit the marriage of children. Any minor had the ability to request the annulment of a marriage contracted prior to the law entering into force. There were no registered cases of child marriage.
A decree had been approved promulgating a social housing rule. The law on buildings in rural areas had been amended, and the building of social housing was promoted to make up for the housing shortages. Progress had been made in recent years, in water and sanitation, including decreasing the gap between rural and urban areas.
Questions by Committee Experts
LUDOVIC HENNEBEL, Committee Vice-Chair and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked for more information about activities relating to illegal mining and deforestation. Corruption could have a significant impact relating to the implementation of all public policies. What challenges did the State face when combatting corruption? What measures were being taken to combat corruption?
MICHAEL WINDFUHR, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, said corruption was a major issue when it came to land transfers. How was the State able to control corruption in these cases? How could labour rights be controlled everywhere if officials could not travel there? How did the written submissions work?
SANTIAGO MANUEL FIORIO VAESKEN, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, said more than 300 persons of Peruvian nationality were being detained in the United States, awaiting deportation. A growing number of Peruvian nationals had been deported already and others were leaving the country. What measures had the Government put in place to receive these persons and re-include them in society?
An Expert asked how the system was monitored to ensure the water supply complied with national standards, considering the difficult geographic conditions mentioned?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there was a legislative framework which had been harmful to economic, cultural and social rights. Peru was a sovereign State which respected international human rights law. Standards and rules were approved via a legislative process befitting of a democratic State. If there were any rules which ran counter to any treaty or agreement, they could be called into question. There was a national oversight mechanism.
The Government was fighting corruption head on. There had been a change of approach in the State to a preventive approach, and there was now a special unit on corruption which guided national policy in this area. The geography of Peru meant that the State was dealing with certain idiosyncrasies.
Illegal mining was a crime defined in Peru’s Legal Code. Small-scale mining was being formalised and there was an associated extraordinary process and specific decrees which defined this activity as one taken in a non-prohibited area. Peru currently had a health directive and multisectoral plan to deal with people who had been exposed to heavy metals and other toxins. Steps had been taken to identify the early steps of lead poisoning within the community. Peru guaranteed the exercise of consultation and there was a technical body specialised in this area; 98 prior consultation processes applying these provisions had been held.
There had been a significant increase in cases of mental health since 2018. Steps had been taken to ensure harmonious cohabitation and avoid inter-family violence. In Peru, domestic violence was a major problem, and as such psychological support was being provided to victims of violence. Steps were also being taken to create safe environments to prevent risk, and roll out campaigns for girls and women in the field of mental health. The State rolled out a multisectoral plan to prevent teenage pregnancy, which had yielded significant results. A technical guide had been developed for therapeutic abortion before 22 weeks.
There was a group that contacted nationals who had been deported under the migration policy of the United States to ensure they were provided with basic services.
Questions by a Committee Expert
SANTIAGO MANUEL FIORIO VAESKEN, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked for details on public spending in 2024 and plans for 2025 earmarked for education? There had been reports of a drop in the quality of education in Peru. What measures had the State taken to reverse the deterioration in levels of reading among primary school students? Recently, the Ministry of Education through its website revealed more than 19,000 cases of violence reported in schools. What specific measures was the State planning to take in this regard? Were there protocols or procedures in place to respond to these cases?
It was concerning to receive reports of cases of systemic sexual abuse of children and adolescents by teachers, particularly in the Condorcanqui region, including more than 600 reported cases of sexual abuse. What was being done to eliminate the systemic sexual abuse in this region and to punish the perpetrators? What was the State doing to guarantee access to justice for victims? What mechanisms were being developed to prevent such crimes and their recurrence? What was the State doing to ensure oversight in schools?
The Committee was aware of the prohibition of using pupils in the education system to promote any political beliefs and aims. How was it guaranteed that teachers did not politically manipulate pupils? Were teacher salaries in Peru competitive? How did they compare to the minimum or average wage in Peru? There had been public criticism about the school meal programme, Qalia Warma, including that children did not receive enough nutrients. There had been cases of using horse meat instead of meat, offal, and food which was mouldy or contained vermin faeces. Would there be changes made to this service? How was the distribution of these foods monitored? Had the State identified the companies which provided the substandard foods? Did they still hold contracts with them? What steps had been taken to ensure accountability of the State authorities responsible? What would be done to ensure that this did not happen in the future?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the State of Peru rejected all forms of violence, particularly against children. The State wanted to ensure the cases in Condorcanqui were being appropriately investigated and punished. The intersectoral plan of action for Condorcanqui was a guide to monitor progress, to prevent and deal with sexual violence against children in the province. Teachers had been trained on sexual and reproductive health rights and health professionals had been recruited. Sampling of HIV and syphilis had been carried out in more than 30 indigenous communities. There were 18 local authority protection networks in place.
The feeding programme provided food to 18 residential facilities and more than 30,000 students benefitted in the Condorcanqui province. The State provided technical assistance to operators working in rural areas. Care had been provided to 100 communities that benefitted from a mobile justice system. A multisectoral roundtable had been held to tackle sexual violence against children in the Condorcanqui province. Teachers who had restraining orders could not teach in 2025. Intercultural mediators had also been recruited to deal with the issue. There was an investigation relating to the proceedings and cases submitted.
In 2025, there was a planned budget for education for over 49 billion Solis. In 2022, steps had been taken to close the digital gap in rural and urban areas in primary and secondary schools. Mobile educational material and digital content gave teachers and students the opportunity to learn in different contexts.
Punishment had been issued for workers who had allegedly been involved in corruption in the Qali Warma school food programme. Reports had been lodged with the prosecution service to ensure legal steps were taken against workers and providers. Those who had breached agreements were to be held to account. There was a focus to prevent corruption and there were channels to report this.
Questions by a Committee Expert
SANTIAGO MANUEL FIORIO VAESKEN, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Peru, asked if justice settings provided translation in the original languages of Peru? To what extent could parents have influence in the drafting of the school curriculum? What measures was the State offering to provide comprehensive sexual reproductive education?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there were hubs where culturally sensitive advice was provided free of charge. There were more than 600 cultural hubs throughout the country. Programmes had been launched at schools to prevent teenage pregnancies.
Closing Remarks
MICHAEL WINDFUHR, Committee Expert and Leader of the Taskforce for Peru, thanked the delegation for the effort made during the dialogue. The Committee’s concluding observations aimed to provide constructive feedback. The Committee would appreciate if the outcome of the constructive dialogue would be published in Peru and made available to all stakeholders. It was important for the State to reduce fear and complications around civil society to improve the outcome on economic, social and cultural rights.
LUIS FERNANDO DOMÍNGUEZ VERA, Director-General for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Peru and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue. Peru was a democratic State that respected the rule of law and allowed anyone to express their beliefs. Peru had full respect for economic, social and cultural rights, particularly for those in vulnerable situations, and would aim to strengthen national efforts to achieve these rights under the Covenant.
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CESCR25.003E