The 7 Major Social Problems of Peru

The Social problems in Peru Have slowed the process of social improvement and have caused the state to put aside the problems of the population to solve other problems of the government.

Peru Is a South American country that in recent years has faced social problems that the World Bank has declared critical.

The 7 Major Social Problems of Peru

However, compared to the Peruvian situation in 2000, the country's current situation has improved considerably.

For example, in 2002 the poverty rate was 54%. By 2014, this figure had dropped to 23%. This number is alarming alike, but represents an improvement that can not be ignored.

The neglect of the State translates into multiple social problems, which will be explained below.

Main social problems in Peru

1- Corruption

Corruption is a common problem in most of the world's states, and Peru does not escape this reality.

In 2000, the history of Peru was marked by the illegal and corrupt behavior of many members of the government. In this year, videos of politicians were found offering and accepting bribes.

The case that resonated in the history of Peru was the one of Vladimiro Montesinos, this was the political advisor of Alberto Fujimori, who was the president of Peru in that period.

Audiovisual evidence, which was known as the Vladivideos, showed Montesinos offering bribes to various people holding public office: certain members of Congress received more than $ 15,000 and some judges received a monthly bribe of $ 10,000.

This process of corruption was carried out with the purpose of arranging the elections of the year 2000 and making Fujimori re-elected.

When these videos became public, Fujimori was forced to flee to Japan and from this nation sent his resignation to the presidency.

Montesinos escaped from Peru when charges were filed against him. Many claimed that he managed to escape with the help of Gustavo Cisneros, the Venezuelan tycoon, who was hiding in Venezuela.

The Venezuelan state denied such allegations. However, in 2001, Montesinos was captured by Venezuelan forces and extradited to Peru.

Corruption cases in Peru have declined in the last decade. However, there is still widespread mistrust towards politicians and members of the government.

2- Child labor

Child labor is a serious problem in Peru. In the last decades, the number of economically active young minors has increased.

This figure goes hand in hand with the number of young people who leave the educational system before finishing high school.

In 2000, about 20% of children between the ages of 6 and 17 had a job. 11% of children between the ages of 6 and 11 participated in the labor market. For their part, 30% of the young people between 12 and 17 years old were economically active.

This means that about 1,400,000 children and adolescents were involved in some paid economic activity by the year 2000.

This demonstrates the weaknesses of the Peruvian government, not only in the social sphere, but also at the political and economic levels.

This problem reveals poor administration of state resources, unequal distribution of wealth, and government neglect.

3- Precarious situation in terms of human rights

Human rights reports by the United Nations have shown that the State of Peru has failed to ensure respect for the rights of its citizens.

Injustice can be observed at different levels of the nation: from social injustice to political injustice.

On the other hand, members of the police forces in Peru use brute force in their processes: beatings, torture and abuse of people being held and investigated are common practices among officers, unfortunately.

The inhumane treatment of these officers towards other citizens means torture with water, electric shocks, suffocation, humiliation, deprivation of sleep, death threats, among others.

In many cases, freedom of expression is not respected either: journalists face cases of harassment and intimidation. Added to this, censorship is a common problem.

Youth Vandalism

In comparison with other nations, the level of crime in Peru is relatively low. However, the level of youthful vandalism is high enough to represent a social problem.

Many children and adolescents drop out of school at an early age and join vandal gangs that report crimes such as robbery, physical assault, and damage to public facilities. Most of these acts are committed under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

The causes behind this problem are unemployment, economic crisis, school dropout and problems in family relationships.

Racial problems

82% of the Peruvian population is Aboriginal or mestizo (descendants of Aboriginal and Spanish). For its part, about 15% of the population is Caucasian, 100% Spanish or European.

Although they make up the majority, Aboriginal or Aboriginal people face racial discrimination from the remaining 15%.

Added to this, the population of Spanish ancestry conforms the economic and social elite of the country, while the rest of the citizens must face the marginalization.

6- Poverty

In the last 10 years, the level of poverty has declined in Peru. However, the figures remain worrying.

In a country of 30 million people, almost 8 million live in poverty. Of these 8 million, at least three million face extreme poverty. The most affected are indigenous and rural populations.

7- Black work

75% of Peru's working population is involved in black labor. This means that they do not have a regular job, so they do not receive benefits like social insurance.

References

  1. Peru Facts and Key Issues. Retrieved on July 24, 2017, from perusupportgroup.org.uk
  2. Social Issues and Concerns in Peru. Retrieved on July 24, 2017, from peru-4-u.tripod.com
  3. Poverty and Other Challenges ahead for Peru's New President. Retrieved on July 24, 2017, from humanaphere.org
  4. Key Issues Affecting Youth in Peru. Retrieved on July 24, 2017, from oecd.org
  5. Social and Environmental Issues in Peru. Retrieved on July 24, 2017, from vivatravelguides.com
  6. Discrimination and Inequality. Retrieved on July 24, 2017, from perusupportgroup.org.uk
  7. Race and Racism in Peru. Retrieved on July 24, 2017, from hoopperu.org.


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