WUNRN
IOM – International Organization for Migration
PERU – “CARAVAN OF LIFE” BRINGS MEDICAL CARE TO MOST REMOTE
RURAL AREAS OF PERU – WOMEN & GIRLS - VIDEO
Culturally Sensitive Attention to Overall Health, Pregnancies,
Trafficking - Internal Illegal Migration – Sexual & Labor Exploitation -
IOMof Lie” Doentary
IOM Peru is this week
launching a documentary showcasing La Caravana de la Vida (The Life
Caravan), a project implemented between 2012 and 2014 that brought much-needed
mobile health services to remote areas in the Amazon.
Peru is currently the
5th largest producer of gold worldwide and the largest in South America. But
illegal mining is common practice in several regions of the country. In
Madre de Dios, a large region located in south-eastern Peru on the border with
Brazil and Bolivia, the situation is especially worrying. An estimated 40,000
internal migrants flocked to the region in past years to work in the mostly
illegal mining industry.
In addition to the
numerous ecological disasters that are taking place, many abuses are carried
out against indigenous populations. Men, women and children are brought into
the area to meet demand generated by the mining business and often end up being
trafficked for sexual or labor exploitation.
Madre de Dios is the
3rd largest state in Peru, but the least populated with barely 1.3 people per
square kilometer. Many communities are extremely remote and it is
estimated that there are only 9 doctors for every 10,000 inhabitants.
Since 2009, IOM has
worked closely with the regional government to combat trafficking in persons
through the development of a regional action plan against human trafficking,
information campaigns and the training of officials and educators.
In July 2012, IOM and
the regional government of Madre de Dios signed a cooperation agreement to
implement the Caravana de la Vida project in order to bring much needed
health services to rural populations, while informing them about the risks of
trafficking and how to report it to the authorities.
After two years of
implementation, La Caravana de la Vida, entirely funded by IOM Peru, has
provided assistance to more than 15,000 patients in 80 towns and villages in
the Madre de Dios region.
“The communities that La
Caravana de la Vida visits usually lack medical services or vital
infrastructure. Some people in the region have to walk several hours to
the closest medical facility,” said Pamela Ramos, a nurse from the Caravana
de la Vida team.
IOM staff coordinating
the project also provided training to 142 health service providers and 165
teachers and educators on trafficking and how to discuss the issue with youth
in rural areas. A well-known Peruvian actor, together with 72 young
people from six schools also performed a play attended by over 4,000 people.
“La Caravana de la
Vida has been an extremely successful pilot project which should be
extended in Madre de Dios and replicated in other regions of Peru.
Although the mining industry benefits the Peruvian economy, its negative impact
must also be taken into account and mitigated through actions such this one,”
explained José Iván Dávalos, IOM Chief of Mission in Peru.