Grant name: Contributing to the improvement of indigenous child and maternal health through the recovery of knowledge and ancestral practices
Local partner: FEPROMUQ, Provincial Federation of Quechua Women from Vilcas Huamán
Country: Peru (Vilcashuamán Province, Ayacucho Department)
Background and objective
Traditional knowledge and practices have fallen into disuse due to the threat of commercialized processed foods and the pharmaceutical industry. This tendency generates negative repercussions on indigenous peoples’ health, especially for pregnant mothers and children. At present, midwives in Peru, especially in the Andean region, are criminalized and cannot freely practice their profession, which has a direct and negative impact on the loss of knowledge and practices.
The project seeks to contribute to the improvement of Quechua maternal and child health in the province of Vilcashuamán, through the recovery of knowledge and practices of the indigenous health system – where midwives play a key role. The project also aims to raise the awareness of pregnant women, educational and health centers. Attention will be placed on the dissemination of traditional knowledge and practices related to medicinal plants and nutritional food safety, given the risks currently posed by the pharmaceutical and food industry in these areas.
Recordado, recuperado y revalorado conocimientos tradicionales para mejorar la alimentación de las madres gestantes y de sus familias con productos de la zona. Se ha reflexionado sobre los derechos de la salud de las mujeres y de las parteras. Los talleres permitieron poder empezar a interiorizar los conceptos de salud sexual y salud reproductiva, que debe enmarcarse en el respeto mutuo y que requiere una atención en todas las etapas de la vida.Se cuenta con materiales para profundizar en el proceso de sensibilización sensibilizar con mujeres gestantes, cuidadores/as y otros actores de la provincia (en salud y educación).Las parteras han podido intercambiar experiencias en el contexto de los encuentros e intercambios que les ha ayudado a reflexionar.
Local partner information
The Provincial Federation of Quechua Women from Vilcas Huamán (FEPROMUQ) is an organization of indigenous women that integrates the Regional Federation of Indigenous Women of Ayacucho, FEREMIA. FEPROMUQ was stablished in 1980 in response to political violence, the channeling of food support for mothers and their children, victims of violence, and the search for justice. Its mission is to work for the rights of women, prioritizing nutrition, health, education, nonviolence and participation.
