Peru Announces signing of the Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination and Related Intolerance as well as the Inter-American Convention against All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance.

Peru

Lima, Peru. September 20, 2016. Augusto Buzán, Minister of Human Rights from the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced on September 20 that Peru has subscribed to the Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination and Related Forms of Intolerance, and the Inter-American Convention against All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance. The announcement took place at […]

Lima, Peru. September 20, 2016. Augusto Buzán, Minister of Human Rights from the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced on September 20 that Peru has subscribed to the Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination and Related Forms of Intolerance, and the Inter-American Convention against All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance. The announcement took place at an event organized by the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights and the Centro de Desarrollo de la Mujer Negra Peruana (CEDEMUNEP), titled “The Current Process of the Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination and Related Forms of Intolerance.”

According to the September 7 edition of the official journal El Peruano, a copy of which was obtained by the Institute, it was resolved in Art. 1 to delegate the necessary faculties to Ambassador Ana Rosa Valdivieso Santa Maria, Permanent Representative of Peru to the Organization of American States (OAS), to subscribe to the Inter-American Convention Against Racism, Racial Discrimination and Related Forms of Intolerance.”

“This announcement means that the event’s goals have been achieved,” said Cecilia Ramirez, Executive Director of the CEDEMUNEP. “Half of the work is done,” Ramírez added, “and this shows the importance of the topics of race and discrimination for the newly-elected government of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynsky.”

Afro-Peruvian attorney Mariela Noles Cotito also participated as a speaker at the event. Notes Cotito presented the findings of a policy paper she drafted on the importance Peru becoming a party to the Convention. Participants in the event congratulated Peru for signing the Conventions and indicated that they will begin the necessary advocacy efforts so that the Peruvian Congress ratifies both treaties.

“The signing by Peru of both Conventions is a step in the right direction to recognize and address the structural racism that affects not only Afro-Peruvians, but also the indigenous population,” said Carlos Quesada, Executive Director of the Institute.

By signing, Peru becomes the 12th country in the region to sign the Convention; to date it has been ratified by Costa Rica, which did so in August.

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