Women's empowerment

School “Women: Empowerment and Freedom for Development”

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation - Andean Countries, in partnership with the association Somos Ciudadanía, has carried out the first citizenship school of the year in the Lambayeque region, called "Women: Empowerment and Freedom for Development". This initiative has successfully provided tools to women in the region, aiming to empower them and train them for leadership, thereby improving their quality of life and promoting gender equity.

Thanks to this partnership, access to this school has been provided to 50 scholarship recipients from the Lambayeque region. It is worth mentioning that more than 160 applications were received, leading to the decision to expand the number of scholarships available. The scholarship recipients are women between the ages of 18 and 60, hailing from the three provinces of the region. This has benefited the districts of Cayaltí, Chiclayo, Eten, Ferreñafe, José Leonardo Ortiz, Lagunas, Lambayeque, La Victoria, Mochumi, Monsefú, Morrope, Motupe, Pacora, Pimentel, Pomalca, Pueblo Nuevo, Reque, Salas, San José, Túcume and Zaña.

During the school, courses and workshops were conducted by experts in each field. The topics covered included basic gender concepts, women's empowerment, women's autonomy, productive force, decision-making power, female leadership and managerial skills. Additionally, during the on-site stage, which took place in the city of Chiclayo on May 19 and 20, the Declaration for Gender Equality in Lambayeque was drafted and signed. Through this declaration, the scholarship recipients expressed their commitment to:

“…contribute to the construction of a Lambayeque society that has a cross-cutting gender perspective, defense of human rights without discrimination, empowers women from childhood and respects women's autonomy, based on the development of competencies and skills, as well as promoting responsible citizen participation.”.

Furthermore, they have declared a series of actions to reduce existing gender gaps and implement citizen initiatives with a gender perspective in the region. These actions will be carried out through the Citizen Network “Lideresas en Acción de la Región Lambayeque” (Women Leaders in Action of the Lambayeque Region), established during this School.

Weeks of training and consolidation of female leadership for women of the Lambayeque region.

The School was conducted by specialists Dewi Zamora Mendoza and Sandra Gonzales Latorre, who are members of the association Somos Ciudadanía. During the virtual stage, the teachers were Jenny Vento Curi, addressing the topic “Basic concepts of gender: International and National Frameworks for Gender Equality”, Karina Huaraca Bruno, who spoke on “Women's Empowerment: Social, Political and Economic Participation”, and Josefina Miró Quesada Gayoso, who focused on the topic “Women's Autonomy: Physical, Economic and Decision-making”.

The on-site stage, which started on Friday, May 19, began with the inauguration by Niome Hüneke-Brown, Director of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation - Andean Countries. Then, lecturers Karina Huaraca Bruno and Alejandra Rivera Alvarado addressed the topics " Women's empowerment and decision-making power" and "Productive force: female entrepreneurship", respectively. In addition, a workshop on "Leadership and Teamwork" was conducted by Jessica Tacanga Montes, and a workshop on the Citizen's Declaration was led by Sandra Gonzales Latorre.

On Saturday, May 20, the session on " Female Leadership and Managerial Skills" was conducted by Vanessa Zambrano Monteghirfo. Subsequently, the Declaration for Gender Equality in Lambayeque was read and the Citizen Network "Women Leaders in Action in the Lambayeque Region" was established, led by scholarship recipients Melanie Zuñe Salazar and Magnolia Cabrera Villalobos. The day concluded with the certification ceremony, words of gratitude by Jorge Cornejo Casusol, President of the association Somos Ciudadanía, and the closing ceremony by Niome Hüneke-Brown, Director of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation - Andean Countries.

In addition, during both days, the scholarship recipients had the opportunity to hear the stories of freedom and empowerment of outstanding leaders from the Lambayeque region, such as Ileana Hoyos Rodríguez, Sujeyli Camacho Fernández, Karina Villegas Campos, Carolina Renzo Balladares, Evelyn Ballena Yrigoin and Katia Gálvez López. These leaders shared their experiences and the main challenges they have faced in their personal and professional development in the region.

These weeks have been dedicated to the training and consolidation of female leadership, in which women committed to their region, along with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation - Andean Countries and the association Somos Ciudadanía, will continue working to promote gender equity in the Lambayeque region.