Defend Children's Health in Peru

On December 3^rd 2020, AIDA co-hosted a regional webinar with the Technical Roundtable on Environmental and Human Health of Peru on “Toxic Metals and Extractive Industries in Latin America: Health Impacts and Resistance from the Territories”.

During the event we counted with the participation of attendees from Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Mexico. The objective of this webinar was to document the national situation related to pollution caused by toxic metals, and specifically the case of La Oroya, highlighting the ongoing environmental contamination by heavy metals and the effects on the health of the local communities. With this event we continue to give visibility to the situation, a space for groups and communities to share similar experiences and to build regional strategies to advances in the protection of affected territories.

As part of AIDA’s ongoing advocacy efforts to support the case before international institutions, together with the Technical Committee of La Oroya, on January 7^th we submitted a request to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for a national hearing. We are requesting the IACHR to address the situation of the right to health of people affected by toxic metals due to environmental contamination caused by mining and oil extraction in Peru, particularly since this situation has been aggravated in the context of COVID-19.

In our direct work with communities, we held meetings to keep them updated on the advances of the case. AIDA has stayed in closed communication with our partners and members of the community using virtual platforms. In the past moths we have held a group meeting and individual meetings with families from the affected communities.

We are awaiting the decision of the IACHR on or hearing request, and we continue our close follow up of the case before the IACHR and constant communication and collaboration with community members.