PERUVIANS AGAINST VIOLENCE

Background and Justification

Latin America is one of the fastest ageing regions in the world. By 2050, some 30% of the population will be aged 60 or over, the majority of whom will be older women. Many people in Latin America are ageing in poverty, as a result of life long deprivation and lack of healthcare, limited employment opportunities and poor pension cover, and regional problems of high unemployment, external debt and some of the world's highest levels of social inequality

The older person in marginalised neighbourhoods of Lima, Peru is often the victim of violence within the family and in some cases from neighbourhood organisations. He or she has probably lost land because of the economic crisis, been banished to live precariously in a corner of the house, lacks access to adequate nutrition and has no income to cover basic needs. He or she receives little respect and affection, and has limited access to participation within community-based organisations which could be of benefit. The problem of violence is much greater than anticipated particularly because the community considers the issue as relevant only to children and women, not as a problem for older people. This view is also shared amongst older people themselves. Society still does not recognise the right of older people to a voice in their community and to articulate their concerns. The low levels of education, particularly amongst older women who are easily subjected to violence in the home, also reduces their capacity to defend themselves.

Overall Objectives

To improve working relationships between the generations, to achieve higher levels of participation of older people in community organisations and the social and political life of the country and to promote a more active and inclusive ageing process.

Specific Objectives

to organise local awareness-raising campaigns on the situation and rights of older people

to organise sessions of group dynamics for older people, their families and commnunity members

to have groups organised and functioning

Goals and Progress/Impact Indicators

complaints to the local police, DEMUNA (local defence organism) and other institutions decrease

number of older people and their families participating

number of community participants

interest of community organisations and authorities in the programme

linking of the programme to other defence programmes in the area

number of older people participating in neighbourhood organisations

Project Activities

Investigation of the situation of violence towards older people in marginal neighbourhoods of Lima in order to carry out awareness-raising campaigns creating consciousness about the nature and causes of violence.

The group sessions will include older people, their families and community members and will cover intergenerational group work and drama workshops to explore relations of violence.

The project will coordinate with other organisms working with rights in the area

Programme content will include talks, discussions, documentation of individual experiences, audiovisuals

Materials will be produced for diffusion, both in the target area and in other contexts

Achievements to date

  • Documented diagnosis of situations of violence
  • The older people actively participate in the design and publication of educational material
  • Male attendance at the workshops
  • Emergence of two new older persons groups
  • Trained older people are more able to improve their living conditions. They have confronted violence in an organised way and have progressed from being the trained to the trainer.
  • The “Attention and Prevention of Child Abuse and Family Violence District Network” now include the subject of older people and violence.
  • A series of concepts on violence against older people have been identified and defined.

Project Implementation, Management and Evaluation

The project is implemented by members of the CAPIS team, with support from community volunteers. The project also coordinates with a local network of interested organisations, including the local authorities.

Monitoring and evaluation are carried out on three levels:

1.The progress and impact of the project will be measured by participants against the set of goals fixed for the project

2.The HAI Lima and La Paz offices carry out periodic external evaluations of the project

3.The local network will monitor the progress and outputs of the project, as will other local organisations with which the project will coordinate

As part of the wider “Active Ageing for Change” project, the impact and utility of the project will be measured along with other contributions at regional exchanges every year until 2005.

Organisational Information

1 /

Full Legal Name

/ CENTRO DE ASISTENCIA Y PROMOCION INTEGRAL DE SALUD (CAPIS)
2 / Address / Apartado Postal No 14-118
Lima 14, Peru
E-mail /
Country / City / Lima Perú
3 / Contact Person responsible for project / Elizabeth Sánchez
4 / Date Established / 1980
5 / Legal Status / Registered NGO
6 / Main areas of activities / Preventive and therapeutic health care, social development and community development.
8 / Number of staff / 4 permanent and 10 non permanent employees. 3 volunteers.

Budget in US $

DETAIL / AMOUNT $
Psychologist, design and monitoring / 2,500
Promotor, motivation and co-ordination / 2,500
Materials / 1,500
Contingencies / 500
Project Administration @10% for Global Giving / 700
TOTAL / 7,700