Tapping Global Resources

Peru

Teresa Salazar Davila is a petite, energetic woman based in Lima who identifies herself as an activist. She is a member of a women’s syndicate which works closely with the ministry of the interior to improve the status of women in Peruvian society, and a volunteer who helps women gain crucial life skills.

Ms. Salazar talks passionately about her work with “las madres,” or mothers, as she affectionately calls them, a group of impoverished women. Many of these women are in abusive relationships, and according to Ms. Salazar, many are unaware of their rights. As part of her outreach efforts, Ms. Salazar holds workshops to educate them about women’s rights, gender roles, feminism, and nutrition. She claims her most important work lies in teaching them about reproductive rights, family planning, and how to care for children.

Ms. Salazar is an active member of the dgCommunity on gender, which she says is an invaluable resource for her work. In her blog, equidadegenero.zoomblog.com, she regularly posts updates from the dgCommunities Web site and she depends upon dgCommunities to access information about what others in similar situations are doing in countries around the world. She recognizes that she can help share knowledge with a different network through her blog and her workshops.

As the struggle to achieve equal rights continues, Ms. Salazar is using all the tools within her reach to access up-to-date, reliable information and share it with the people who need it most.