Monica Carrillo

Changing the Face of Sexual and Racial Identity - standing up for human rights

As an Afro-Peruvian woman, Monica Carrillo faces sexual and racial discrimination every day. Concerned about the effect of this discrimination on other young women like herself, Carrillo founded LUNDU, an anti-sexism, anti-racism, anti-homophobia organization focused on empowering a new generation of Afro-Peruvian leaders. It is currently the only group working on issues of gender, sexuality and human rights in Afro-descendent communities in Peru. In rural El Carmen - the site of a growing sex tourism industry with a high rate of HIV/AIDS - LUNDU is training peer educators to dispense vital information on sexual and reproductive health to Afro-Peruvian young people.

"We can empower more young women against violence, abuse, forced sex, unwanted pregnancies and AIDS", Carrillo says. "Our girls believe their lives are worth something. When tourists ask them to dance, or have sex, our girls can say 'no'. Our girls learn to live without wearing a mask."

Standing up for the principles of the Universal Declaration
Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms the right not to be discriminated against based on one's sex. These important tenets against gender-based discrimination were strengthened in 1979 through the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Learn more:
>>Watch Monica's video
>>Learn about Afro-Peruvian issues

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