Down to Zero Peru

Peru���s current population is over 31 million, of which 38% is younger than 18 years. 76% of Peruvians live in the urban zone while 31% live in the Lima capital. Since the mid-twentieth century there have been an ongoing migration from rural to urban zones or to rural zones with more access to market opportunities.

Economic growth and poverty:

Due to significant economic growth since the 90s, the estimated GDP per capita has increased from $1,500 to $6,000. This has strengthened the purchasing power of families and, therefore, caused a progressive decrease in poverty. However, poverty levels are still high: 23.9% of the population in Peru faces poverty, of which 4.7% lives in extreme poverty. The poor are concentrated in the rural zones, especially in the Andean area where 62.6% of children live in poverty. Half of the children under 15 years living in rural areas are poor; 35.9% of the poor have Quechua, Aymara or an Amazonian mother language. Poverty affects the development of children and causes other associated problems such as malnutrition, school abandoning, teenage pregnancy or violation of human rights.

Assertiveness:

In the DtZ program we aim at teaching at-risk children and adolescents and other victims to speak out, advocate, and seek protection against sexual exploitation. Personal development plans are an important tool in the program. We motivate children and adolescents to get organized in youth let organizations that access specialized services that protect them, help them rehabilitate, reintegrate, and reduce their vulnerability to sexual exploitation.

Government and stakeholders:

We make private sector stakeholders in the tourism, mining, cement, sugar and the transportation sector aware of their role in fighting child abuse and exploitation, and make sure they amend their practices and/or business models based on ethical principles and values to actively protect children. Last but not least, the government, at all levels and in all fields, is urged to take action.