​InternationalWomen's Day was commemorated in Peruwith a marchdemandingfurtheradvances in equality and human rights.

However just a few daysbefore the march, a reportpresented by the UnitedNationsPopulationsFund (UNFPA)painted a grimpicture of the situation of women in the country, with one of the highestrates of violenceagainstwomen in the region and an increase in teenagepregnancies. While the report didhighlight an increase in womenentering the labor force, it alsoshowedthatthere are highdisparities in salaries.

"Unfortunately the economic participation [of women] is giving rise to multiple expressions of persisting discrimination and inequality that makes it difficult for women to join the work force,” said UNFPA official Elena Zuñiga who sits at the Gender Table for InternationalCooperation. “For examplethere is a highpercentage of informal employmentthatresult in very low levels of social protection and salaries."

The Flora Tristan organization is one of the feminist groups that participated in the IWD’s march. They believe that one way forward is increasing the number of women in politics by first addressing the issue of verbal and physical aggression against women candidates and elected officials.

"We have pushed for a law about political aggression that will be put forward at Congress. It is a response to the fact that for every 5 female officials, 2 have experienced aggression and in the last election more that 40 percent of female candidates in Peru said they have experienced such aggression," said Diana Miloslavich from Flora Tristan.

Laws protecting women from political aggression have already been implemented in Bolivia and Ecuador and are in the process of implementation in several other countries in the region. Other issues that womens movements are pushing for include the decriminalization of abortion for rape victims, protecting job rights for homecare workers, and establishing entities that will look at claims for disparities in salaries.

In addition, organizers of the Peru march choose one particular struggle each year as a symbol of Women’s fight for justice and equality. This year the march chose to support Maxima Acuña and her struggle to protect her land from the massive gold mining project of the multinational, Yanacocha, with the protest ending at the headquarters of Yanacocha to chants of “Maxima, sister, your struggle is my struggle”.