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Peruvian Congress Signs Onto LUNDU’s Campaign Against Racism

by Lori Adelman on November 30, 2010

in Human Rights and Sexuality,Latin America and the Carribean

This summer, we blogged about our Peruvian partner LUNDÚ, who have been working on a campaign to protest racist portrayals on a Peruvian television network. Their activism has included a public demonstration and a petition with over 5000 signatures, demanding that the characters “Negro Mama” and “Paisana Jacinta” be removed and the network publicly apologize for the racist, sexist, and discriminatory stereotypes they portray.

Although the racist “El Negro Mama” character was initially suspended by the television station, it was later reinstated due to popular support on Facebook (numerous fan pages for the racist character cropped up following its removal). Last we reported in July, LUNDÚ and other advocates learned that their request to the National Society of Radio and TV (SNRTV) to remove the characters has been dismissed, and the characters will stay on television for the time being.

Despite this setback, LUNDU’s work against racism and sexism in Peru endures. This week, their hard work to promote justice and equality gained a piece of the recognition it deserves: the Peruvian Congress has officially signed onto the campaign, signaling its support for efforts to combat racism and implement anti-racist measures to the benefit of all communities in the region.

From LUNDU’s press release:

“In a motion signed by delegates of the Commission Of Andean, Amazonian, And Afro-Peruvian Peoples and members of other blocs of Congress, the government body proposed actions to combat racism and implement the relevant input of communities in various developing countries.”

This formal government recognition of the social harm that can come of racism and sexism is an important and highly symbolic step towards its eradication in the Peruvian context. IWHC will continue to support the work of our partner LUNDU to advance this important campaign.
Click here to learn more about LUNDU’s work combating racism and sexism in Peru.

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Peruvian TV Station Refuses to Take Racist Caricatures Off the Air

by Caitlin Mitchell on September 2, 2010

in Latin America and the Carribean

Earlier this summer, we blogged about our Peruvian partner LUNDÚ, who have been working on a campaign to protest racist portrayals on a Peruvian television network. Their activism has included a public demonstration and a petition with over 5000 signatures, demanding that the characters “Negro Mama” and “Paisana Jacinta” be removed and the network publicly apologize for the racist, sexist, and discriminatory stereotypes they portray. Last we reported in June, LUNDÚ and other advocates were awaiting a response from the National Society of Radio and TV (SNRTV).

This week, we learned that the request was dismissed, and the characters will stay on television.

This is especially problematic because at a panel organized by LUNDÚ on August 26, 2009, members of SNRTV, a group of media companies, made a pact to self-regulate programmatic content. “It was a commitment from them not to use words or content that ridicule, denigrate or otherwise offend the human dignity (of their audiences),” said Miriam Larco, Executive Secretary of the Advisory Council of Radio and Television of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Peru. A representative of the National Association of Peruvian Advertisers defended the companies by stating that the companies had committed to regulating programmatic content during hours when children may be watching. 74% of media users believe that discrimination exists in the content they are exposed to, according to a recent study, “Inappropriate and Annoying Radio and Television Content for Users.”

LUNDU President Monica Carrillo argued, “It is important to establish criteria for self-regulation during all hours of the day, taking into consideration racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination”. Carrillo also presented information from the annual report of the Afro-Peruvian Center that found that there were 350 racist and sexist news pieces in 6 newspapers and magazines between July 2009 and July 2010. “This reiterates the view of the Afro-Peruvian population as animalistic and a stereotype of African women as predisposed to sex and fun”.

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Support LUNDÚ’s Continued Fight Against Racism On Peruvian TV

by Audacia Ray on June 17, 2010

in Latin America and the Carribean

A few weeks ago, we reported that our Peruvian partner LUNDÚ, was rallying allies to protest racist portrayals on a Peruvian television show. LUNDÚ promotes the development of the population of African descent by combating racism, sexism, and other types of discrimination from an inter-cultural, inter-generational and gender perspective.

LUNDÚ and organizations protesting the TV characters “Negro Mama” and “Paisana Jacinta” are still awaiting a response by the Society of Radio and TV to their demand to remove both characters and publicly apologize for the racist, sexist and discriminatory stereotypes they portray. On June 16, a group of organizations took to the streets with the Campaign Apuntate Contra el Racismo y Sexismo (Sign in against Racism and Sexism campaign) to collect signatures and statements for the petition. More than 5,000 statements have already been collected against racism and in support of the positive aspects of diversity in the many regions of Peru.

You can help support the campaign by sending a letter demanding (link to our Change.org campaign) that the Society of Radio and TV, the Minister of Women’s Affairs, and the Announcers’ Association eliminate both characters immediately.

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Weekly Wrap Up

by Audacia Ray on May 28, 2010

in Weekly Wrap Up

What we’ve been reading around the web:

Eric Goosby, the U.S. World AIDS Coordinator, has a blog post up at the Department of State blog called U.S. Commitment to Saving Lives in the Developing World.

Last week, Marie Stopes International debuted the first ever television advertisement in the United Kingdom addressing unintended pregnancy.

This week we collaborated with MADRE to spread the word about actions you can take to help get racist characters off the air in Peru.

And here on Akimbo:
Today is International Day of Action for Women’s Health – and we’ve posted a list of three easy things you can do to support the health and rights of women and girls around the world.

We posted a video featuring our policy consultant Jennifer Redner, plus commentary on how maternal health can be improved.

We published two posts about the violent threats our Peruvian partner LUNDÚ has been receiving since speaking out against racist portrayals on Peruvian television. Here is an action you can do to support them.

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Update: Take Action Against Racism and Sexism in Peru

by Lucina Di Meco on May 26, 2010

in Latin America and the Carribean,News,Partner Stories

Recently, we blogged on the Campaign Against Racism and Sexism that our partner LUNDU has initiated in Peru and on the threats of violence LUNDU received after protesting the racist TV characters “El Negro Mama” and “La Paisana Jacinta.”  You can read more about this situation here from MADRE and here on Akimbo.

Today, IWHC, American Jewish World Service and MADRE ask you to take action by writing to Mr. Jorge Baca-Alvarez Marroquín (President of the Complaints Committee of the Peruvian National Society of Radio and TV) and to Ms. Nidia Vilchez Yucra (Minister of Social Development and Women’s Affairs and Social Development).  Demand that they put an end to these TV portrayals that violate the human rights of the Indigenous and Afro-Peruvian population. Use the text below, or draft your own letter:

Dear ___________,

“El Negro Mama” and “Paisana Jacinta,” characters on a popular television show on Frecuencia Latina, violate the human rights of the Indigenous and Afro-Peruvian population by enforcing stereotypes and promoting racial discrimination. I ask you to take these two characters off the air, as demanded by a petition made by LUNDU and supported by over 160 people and organizations.

Sincerely,

NAME

To be sent to:

Ministra de la Mujer y Desarrollo Social

Dra. Nidia Vilchez Yucra

Email: nvilchez@mimdes.gob.pe

Presidente del Comité de Solución de Quejas de la Sociedad
Nacional de Radio y Televisión

Dr. Jorge Baca-Alvarez Marroquín

Email: jbacal@ugartedelpino.com.pe

CC:

LUNDU, Centro de Estudios y Promoción Afroperuanos

Comunicaciones LUNDU, comunicaciones@lundu.org.pe

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IWHC Partner LUNDU Receives Threats of Violence After Protesting Racist TV Show

by Lucina Di Meco on May 24, 2010

in Latin America and the Carribean,News,Partner Stories

A few months ago, we spoke about the Public Awareness Campaign Against Racism and Sexism that our partner Lundu has been carrying out in Peru. This campaign challenged the racism ingrained in Peruvian society, where African descendents are a highly discriminated against minority, marginalized on many grounds, including poverty, lack of access to education and cultural stereotypes.

These stereotypes are often reinforced by caricatured representations diffused by national media. One of such caricatures has been the “Negro Mama” (literally “sucking negro”), a fictional character with gorilla-like hands and dark-pained face, always looking for ways to take advantage of other people and commit illegal activities. The actor playing the “Negro Mama” character also plays “ Paisana Jacinta” (literally, Jacinta the farmer) , the caricature of an ugly, ignorant and rather stupid indigenous woman, who is also constantly making inappropriate sexual jokes.

In March 2010, Lundu and other organizations part of the Campaign wrote a letter of complaint to the TV channel distributing the show and to the Sociedad de Radio y Televisión, the institution monitoring that TV programs are not offensive and comply with existing Peruvian laws.

As a result of Lundu’s demand, the “Negro Mama” show was suspended last week, but only for a few days. Last Friday, the program went back on air. The dispute received very wide coverage in the national media and authoritative opinion leaders (like the former President Toledo) and civil society organizations expressed themselves in favor of Lundu’s efforts, like the National Coordinator for Human Rights, Chirapaq, Flora Tristan, to mention a few of the over 30 organizations and 160 people that expressed themselves against the two racist characters.

However, the public of the show complained for the withdrawal of this popular show and accused Lundu of exaggerating the gravity the situation, partly also because of a television coverage that was overwhelming in favor of the show and its distributing TV channel. Many people wrote offensive and threatening emails to Lundu or its staff, in particular Monica Carrillo, its Executive President.

The racist, sexist and offensive nature of the characters of the NegroMama and the Paisana Jacinta can clearly be understood by the pictures annexed. We condemn the decision of the TV channel to continuing to air the show and express all our support to Afro-Peruvian movement, women’s and human rights organizations  and the brave members of the Campaign Against Racism and Sexism.

To learn more about LUNDU’s work combating racism, sexism and other types of discrimination, click here.

Lucina Di Meco is the Assistant Program Officer for Latin America. Read her full bio here. For more posts by Lucina, click here.

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Partner Spotlight: Center for Afro-Peruvian Studies and Empowerment

by Lucina Di Meco on December 14, 2009

in Latin America and the Carribean

lundu

Founded in 2001 by then 21-year-old Monica Carrillo, in preparation for the third United Nations International Conference against Racism in Durban South Africa, the Center for Afro-Peruvian Studies and Empowerment (Centro de Estudios y Promocion Afroperuano or LUNDÚ) is an anti-sexism, anti-racism, anti-homophobia organization focused on empowering a new generation of Afro-Peruvian leaders. LUNDÚ’s institutional mission is to promote Afro-Peruvian youth empowerment advocating against racism, sexism and homophobia in Peru through three lines of work: grassroots organizing; training and capacity building; and promotion of Afro-Peruvian culture.

Since September 2009 and partly with the financial support of IWHC, Lundu has been leading a public opinion and media campaign against racism and sexism. The campaign has been covered by the national media and received with great enthusiasm by local people, civil society organizations, academic world and political authorities, which took active part in it. In this context, a few weeks ago the Peruvian Government issued a resolution formally apologizing for “centuries of abuse, exclusion and discrimination”.

Racism is deeply ingrained in the Peruvian society, with particularly strong prejudices against afro-peruvian women, whose image is reduced to their alleged high sex drive and their capacity to reproduce. We believe Lundu is helping to produce a dramatic shift in Peru’s culture regarding Afro-Peruvians.

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