Peru's Human Rights Efforts Reviewed: Committee Addresses Informal Sector and Child Protection in Condorcanqui

Karla Vanessa Lemus De Vásquez, Committee Vice-Chair, highlighted that over 70% of Peru’s workforce, including 85% of migrant workers, remains in the informal sector.

The Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (CESCR) has concluded its review of Peru's fifth periodic report, acknowledging significant progress while raising concerns about persistent issues. Committee Experts praised the State's adoption of a national action plan on business and human rights but pressed for solutions to the high level of informal employment and systemic sexual violence against children in the Condorcanqui region.

Concerns Over Informal Employment

Karla Vanessa Lemus De Vásquez, Committee Vice-Chair, highlighted that over 70% of Peru's workforce, including 85% of migrant workers, remains in the informal sector. She emphasized that the country's taxation policies discourage transitions to formal employment and questioned whether the State would amend these provisions to promote formalization.

The Peruvian delegation responded by detailing efforts to promote formal employment, including awareness campaigns and labor rights training for migrants. They noted improvements in formal employment from 2021 to 2023, attributed to a new law supporting transitions to the formal sector.

Addressing Sexual Violence in Condorcanqui

Santiago Manuel Fiorio Vaesken, Committee Expert, expressed alarm over more than 600 reported cases of sexual abuse of children by teachers in the Condorcanqui region. He inquired about measures to prevent such crimes, ensure justice for victims, and provide school oversight.

The delegation outlined actions under an intersectoral action plan for Condorcanqui, including teacher training on sexual and reproductive health, recruitment of health professionals, and the appointment of intercultural mediators. Additionally, teachers with restraining orders are barred from teaching in 2025. A multisectoral roundtable has been convened to tackle the issue, and investigations into reported cases are ongoing.

Social Protection and Indigenous Rights Initiatives

Luis Fernando Domínguez Vera, Director-General for Human Rights at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, presented measures aimed at combating poverty and supporting indigenous communities. These include the 2022 National Policy for Development and Social Inclusion 2030 and the "Pension 65" program, which assisted over 830,000 older adults in extreme poverty by the end of 2024. He also mentioned a draft national policy on indigenous peoples, designed in consultation with indigenous organizations, to promote equitable public services and reduce inequalities.

Closing Remarks and Future Commitments Committee Expert Michael Windfuhr, leading the Taskforce for Peru, thanked the delegation for the constructive dialogue and urged the publication of the session's outcomes for public accessibility. Mr. Domínguez Vera reaffirmed Peru's dedication to upholding economic, social, and cultural rights, particularly for vulnerable populations, and pledged to intensify national efforts to achieve these goals under the Covenant.

The Peruvian delegation included representatives from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and the Permanent Mission of Peru to the United Nations Office at Geneva.