Gender profile: Peru

What is the condition of women in Peru? This gender profile by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) offers a statistical overview of the condition of urban and rural women with respect to unemployment, status in the workplace, life expectancy and working and living conditions. Poverty is an ongoing concern and half the population continues to subsist below the poverty line. Rural women suffer the most with lower rates of literacy and fewer employment opportunities than urban women and men in general. More than 70 per cent of women work in unstable jobs with few benefits and low incomes. Women also experience discrimination and violence, including rape, spousal abuse, and sexual, physical, and mental abuse. Peru has committed in principle to protecting women's rights through the promotion of constitutional and legal rights, the ratification of international conventions and the establishment of a ministry to promote gender equality and women's development. Despite these commitments, women in Peru continue to experience disproportionate disadvantage because of both gender and income inequality.