Involvement of the Instituto Peruano de Paternidad Responsable (INPPARES) in protecting human rights, with respect to the Family Planning Programme heralded by former President Fujimori (1991-2002) [PER38906.E]

The Instituto Peruano de Paternidad Responsable (INPPARES) is a private non-profit institution with a mandate to better the quality of life of people, especially those who are socially and economically disadvantaged, by offering education and services in sexual and reproductive health (INPPARES 2002a). Founded in September 1976 (INPPARES 2002b),

INPPARES has 68 clinical centres with 127 medical offices, 25 community distribution points and 815 promoters providing family planning to all parts of the country. It works with community groups and private doctors to integrate family planning services with maternal and child health programmes, and conducts information, education and communication activities. It is also expanding its sterilization, IUD and Norplant services.
INPPARES co-ordinates its efforts with the Ministry of Health and local governments to serve tiny communities with no access to health care around the country. The Family Planning Brigades, which reach into remote communities, serve approximately 400,000 people. INPPARES is the largest provider of family planning services among the private not-for-profit organizations in the country (IPPF 1999).

No mention of INPPARES being involved in protecting human rights could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, the following information may be of interest.

In 1991, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) awarded Peruvian president Fujimori for "Outstanding Individual Contribution to Family Planning" (IPPF 1999). Nevertheless, the launch of Peru's Program on Reproductive Health and Family Planning in 1995 (IPS 12 July 1998) brought forth a number of human rights concerns (ibid.; Washington Post 12 Feb. 1998; AFP 5 July 1998; LP 31 Dec. 2002; RFN Apr. 2002; AI 2002). Reports claim that Peru's family planning program "coerced" poor rural women (ibid.; Washington Post 12 Feb. 2002) and gay men into being sterilized (AFP 5 July 1998). In addition, opponents of the program asserted that doctors were "given sterilization quotas to fill by Peru's health ministry" (ibid.). After an investigation into the sterilization program, the Peruvian Ombudsman's Office "documented more than 150 cases of injury or death related to the procedures" (LP 31 Dec. 2001). Internationally, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights received two complaints from Peruvian women's rights groups,

one involving coercive sterilization and the other, the rape of a patient by a government doctor in 1998 and 2000, respectively. Both cases resulted in "friendly settlements" in which the Peruvian government acknowledged its international legal responsibility for what happened in the cases. The Peruvian government agreed to pay damages and to adopt policy measures to address the violations that occurred and to prevent them from being repeated (RFN Apr. 2002).

Recently, Peru's health policy has "seen enormous progress" as the family planning program now encourages "all contraceptive methods," not just sterilization (LP 31 Dec. 2001). However, concerns about the influence of the Catholic religion on Peru's family planning program are now emerging:

Health authorities in Peru are increasingly leaning toward natural methods of birth control approved by the Catholic Church, a trend that alarms women's groups who are trying to preserve the government's family planning programs in place for over a decade (IPS 13 June 2002).

The newly appointed Peruvian Health Minister Fernando Carbone stated that "the current government-funded family planning programs would not be eliminated, although ... a few aspects might be 'revised'" (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


Agence France Presse (AFP). 5 July 1998. "Homosexuals Tricked into Sterilization in Peru - Report." (NEXIS)

Amnesty International (AI). 2002. Annual Report 2002 - Peru. http://web.amnesty.org/web/ar2002.nsf/amr/peru!Open [Accessed 15 Aug. 2002]

Instituto Peruano de Paternidad Responsable (INPPARES). 2002a. "Mision y principios." http://www.inppares.org.pe/MISION.HTM [Accessed 9 Aug. 2002]

_____. 2002b. "Resena historica de INPPARES." http://www.inppares.org.pe/HISTORIA.HTM [Accessed 13 Aug. 2002]

International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). 1999. "Country Profils: Peru." http://ippfnet.ippf.org/pub/IPPF_Regions/IPPF_CountryProfile.asp?ISOCode=PE [Accessed 9 Aug. 2002]

Inter Press Service (IPS). 13 June 2002. Abraham Lama. "Population-Peru: Women's Groups Say Birth Control Under Attack." (NEXIS)

_____. 12 July 1998. Jane Flanagan. "Health-Women: Peru's Health Record Under Scrutiny." (NEXIS)

Latinamerica Press (LP) [Lima]. 31 December 2001. Barbara J. Fraser. Vol. 33, No. 47-48. "Policy Backlash." [Accessed 21 Jan. 2002]

Reproductive Freedom News (RFN) [New York]. April 2002. Vol. XI, No. 4. "CRLP and Mexican Partners Seek Justice for Young Mexican Rape Victim." (NEXIS)

Washington Post [Washington]. 12 February 1998. Anthony Faiola. "Peru's Family Planning Under Fire; Critics Allege Poor Women Are Coerced to Undergo Sterilization." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted


Human Rights Watch

IRB Databases

NEXIS

World News Connection

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