Thanks to the grant received from EMpower – Emerging Markets Foundation, to promote gender equity, sexual and reproductive health and self-esteem inside our community, our high school students had the opportunity to learn about gender equity. In particular they learned that Latin America is the region with the highest rates of forced pregnancies in girls under 15 years of age and that social distancing and limited access to health services within the current sanitary crisis, has exacerbated violence against girls and young women, especially in remote rural communities. 



Kusi Kawsay students prepared a campaign in a remote way during the lockdown in order to collectively raise their voices about this issue both in Spanish and in their indigenous language, Quechua, having followed a series of campaign strategy workshops. When the students learned about the wider Latin American campaign #NiñasNoMadres (Girls Not Mothers) that is advocating for the protection of young Latin American girls, they were inspired by this movement, and affiliated their campaign #WarmallanAmaraqMamaqa.
 

On September 5th, on Indigenous International Women's Day, we launched our campaign #WarmallanAmaraqMamaqa, affiliated with the wider #NiñasNoMadres Campaign (they both mean Girls, not Mothers), demanding that the Government of Latin America take action to protect the health and integrity of girls who are victims of sexual violence through the access to information, comprehensive sexual education, essential health services, such as emergency contraception and the right to access legal abortion.

In Peru, at least 350 cases of sexual violence against girls during the lockdown have been registered, while access to the emergency kits for victims of sexual assault has been denied or delayed and it is reported that therapeutic abortion, as established by law, has been denied. In our country, so far this year, 358 girls aged 10-14 have given birth. (Source: NiñasNoMadres Web Page)

Our video is based on a powerful song developed using a trap rhythm (created by Valentin Boomes) and lyrics created by students themselves, who are also acting. The small videos in the center and the voices were recorded by students themselves, after a quick training about audio and video recording. For English, please select subtitles in Youtube.

It is essential to support young voices so that every single girl around the country can access her right to health and integrity.
 

At the moment, we have been sharing an open letter signed by regional and national key decision-makers, major women and human rights organizations and schools based in Cusco and nationwide.
 

On August 26th in the Facebook page of the Congresswoman of the Republic of Peru Rocío Silva Santisteban has been broadcasted the interview with two current students of our school where they talk about our requests to the decision makers of Peru, within the framework of the #GirlsNotMothers Campaign.

A newspaper with diffusion at national level, as La Republica, has published this press article about our Campaign. More media articles will follow.

On the same day of the launch, our students will participate to two live events in order to talk about our Campaign within the frame of sexual and reproductive rights.

Peru has one of the highest case totals and excess death rates in the world. Covid-19 cases are rising, with the daily numbers above the first wave of cases last May, so the government has extended the “State of Emergency” until September 30th. Cusco is still under a strict quarantine and national flights will continue to be grounded. There’s a curfew and a shut-in every Sunday, which means nobody is permitted to leave their homes except in the case of an emergency. The Minister of Transport and Communications has recently announced that International flights will continue to remain closed during Phase 4 “The Reactivation of the Economy” and only travel for health, study or work purposes will be allowed. Children under the age of 14 are prohibited from leaving their homes due to an increase of children testing positive for Covid-19. 

Considering that in our area main economic activities are linked with tourism (Macchu Picchiu & Sacred Valley), and that any touristic-related activity has been blocked from March, you can understand how the situation is serious and the economic crisis`s effects are heavy inside our community.

In this moment we are using all our resilience powers and are giving a scholarship to 90% of our students until the end of the year, so themy may continue to study at Kusi Kawsay. We switched to distance learning methods supported by technology such as Google Classroom but a small number of students hasn´t access to Internet or cellphones.

We ask you to support this student-led campaign’s demand to protect the rights of girls in Peru and around Latin America:

1) amplify the Campaign by sharing the video in your social media;

2) sign the petition here in the web page of Amnesty International Peru

 

"Urpillay Sonqollay" - Quechua phrase to express Gratitude!

"LLaqtakunaq atipayninwan, Teqsimuyuntinta kuyuchisunchis"
When the villages work together, we will turn this world around.  

Thank you for all of your support this year and through the years. It has been quite a journey and we wouldn’t be where we are today without you! Our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation goes out to you.  Thanks for staying connected! Enjoy each other and this beautiful season! We’ll be in touch.