The EU-LAT Network, together with the Europa Peru Platform (PEP), organized an advocacy tour in Europe on extractivism and the violation of human rights in Peru. From Monday 18 to Wednesday, November 20, 4 human rights defenders from Peru will participate in a debate about extractivism at the European Parliament together with MEPs from different parliamentary groups and will give a public conference at the House of Latin America

The main objective of this tour is to make visible and denounce the socio-environmental impacts of the current extractive model in Peru (violent conflicts, degradation of the environment, rising pollutant gas emissions and increasing poverty, among others) and exploring relationships with EU alternatives that contribute to sustainable development and promote respect for human rights.

The participants of this tour are part of Peruvian civil society and are active defenders of human rights.

Defenders:

VIRGINIA PINARES OCHOA SPEED

Peasant woman, member of the Federation of Women and the Defense Front and for the Development of Cotabambas. She was president of  Las Bambas Struggle Committee during the mining conflict from 2015 to 2017 and is a spokeswoman for civil society organizations at the dialogue tables.

SANTIAGO JESUS ​​MANUIN MAYAN

Young leader of the Amazonian ethnic group Awajun, is part of the technical team of the Organization of the Permanent Council of the Awajun People (CPPA). It is part of the project “Strengthening the organizational and leadership capacities of Peruvian native and peasant communities for the exercise of their rights and the peaceful and sustainable management of their territories.”

JULIA PICTURES

Julia is an Economist and Partner co-founder of the NGO CooperAcción. It is a focal point on the issues of Gender Equality, Small-scale Mining and Chinese Investments, within the framework of the Collective Rights and Extractive Industries Program

DAVID LICURG VELAZCO RONDON

Lawyer and Executive Director of the NGO FEDEPAZ, responsible for the Area of ​​Civil and Political Rights, in which he develops activities of defense and legal advice to communities and activists, in addition to carrying out political advocacy both in front of national and international instances.