Women in the 20th and 21st centuries and their role in society

According to the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations (2021) "Great progress has been made that aims to continue building a society with equality, free of discrimination and gender stereotypes, throughout the years of struggle of women organized by the promotion, protection and guarantee of their rights, as well as their contributions to the analysis of differentiated problems from a gender perspective

In the field of education, in 1908, the promulgation of Law No. 801 was achieved, which allowed women to enter the university; opening opportunities for professional development and recognition of their abilities.

Likewise, in the political sphere, their recognition as citizens and the right to vote were one of the main triumphs of Peruvian women in their fight for equal rights that materialized with Law No. 12391, promulgated in 1955.

Regarding the fight for the political participation of women with equality, in 1997, it was possible to establish a quota of 25% of representation of women or men in the parliamentary and municipal lists, a quota that was increased to 30% for the lists of candidacies for the Congress of the Republic in the year 2000 with the approval of Law No. 27387.

One of the identified barriers that limits the exercise of equal political participation by women is political harassment; For this reason, the women's movement approved the approval of Law No. 31155, on April 7, 2021, to prevent and punish harassment against women in political life, establishing mechanisms for attention, prevention, eradication and sanction in order to guarantee the full exercise of their political rights and participation under equal conditions.

Another of the recognized advances and product of the contribution of women in their diversity, to have a regulatory framework that guarantees equality and non-discrimination, was the approval in 2007 of Law No. 28983, Law of Equal Opportunities between Women and Men; This being the fundamental support for the formulation of the National Gender Equality Policy, which was materialized with Supreme Decree No. 008-2019-MIMP.

The eradication of violence against women and gender continues to represent a challenge. However, in recent years there have been significant advances that contribute to guaranteeing the right to a life free of violence. In 2011, Law No. 29819 classifies femicide as a crime with the amendment of article 107 of the Penal Code; In 2013, by Law No. 38068, Article 108 was incorporated into the Penal Code, which establishes the consideration of specific aggravating factors in cases of femicide, a classification that was perfected in 2017, by Legislative Decree No. 1323, that strengthened the fight against femicide, family violence and gender violence.

In addition, in 2015, Law No. 30364 was approved, a law to prevent, punish and eradicate violence against women and members of the family group, which provides the framework to establish comprehensive mechanisms, measures and policies to guarantee a life free of violence ensuring the exercise”.

For this reason, we will mention a series of women who, during this period, made a significant contribution to the construction of the country, both individually and collectively:

• Emilia Barcia Boniffatti (Iquitos, 1904 / Lima, 1986)

She was an educator and pioneer of initial education in Peru. And also, she organized the first state kindergarten, but establishing another 330 and training dozens of generations of teachers.

• Maria Rostworowski (Lima, 1915 / 2016)

She was a self-taught historian and researcher. María Rostworowski traveled through Peru unraveling the roots of Andean and pre-Hispanic culture. She co-founded the Institute of Peruvian Studies, published dozens of books, and did various gender studies. She presided over the National Academy of History the Peruvian Association of Ethnohistory.

 

• Ella Dunbar Temple (Lima, 1918 / 1998)
  
  She was one of the few women who gained access to higher education in those times when this was difficult. She was also the first woman to obtain a university chair in Peru, and continued to teach for more than 40 years.

• Carmen Rosa Panduro Ramirez (Requena, Loreto, 1918 / Iquitos, 1989)
  
  
  She was one of those women who participated in the combat of Rocafuerte and Pantoja, she went to the line of fire and attended to the wounded soldiers and her husband.
  

  
  
  

• Angelica Mendoza “Mamá Angelica” (Ayacucho, 1929 / 2017)
  
  
  Angelica Mendoza, also known as mom Angelica created the National Association of Kidnapped, Detained and Disappeared Relatives, all this was born because she herself had suffered the loss of her son.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Maria Elena Moyano (Lima, 1958 / 1992)
  
  
  She was a woman who had a vocation in social work and tried to do the best for her community. She flatly rejected the fatal practices of terrorism (Sendero Luminoso) that approached her locality and organized her companions ina counter-march called "March for Peace". Because of this she was killed but thousands of people attended her funeral; Your villagebaptized her as Mother Courage
  

  
  

As final reflections, through the history of the role of women in Peruvian society, we have met different women who marked a before and after thanks to the contributions they made in different areas.

Currently, the role of women has changed substantially, from being considered the only protagonist in the home, destined to be a wife and mother to exclusive dedication to caring for the family. Now, in the 21st century, there are other roles that allow women to gain spaces for public and private activity; in addition to the economic, political, social and cultural sectors.

For this reason, the importance of continuing to work as a country to reduce the inequality gap.

References: 

Ministerio de la mujer y poblaciones vulnerables (2021), Las mujeres en los siglos XX y XXI y su protagonismo en la sociedad. Available at: 

https://www.mimp.gob.pe/files/Las-Mujeres-del-Bicentenario.pdf