STORY: Thousands of women marched through Lima on Saturday (March 7) to demand gender violence prevention and respect for women's rights ahead of Peru's April presidential elections, a day ahead of the International Women’s day of March 8.

Feminist organizations, peasant groups, students, and workers gathered in downtown Lima carrying banners and chanting slogans including "the oppressive state is a rapist macho" and "women are being killed in front of people, don't be indifferent."

The march featured performances highlighting issues such as child pregnancy, with protesters dressed as pregnant schoolgirls and wearing masks of presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, a reference to a recent statement by the Peruvian presidential candidate in a television interview that she would advise her daughters to carry pregnancies resulting from rape to term rather than seek abortion.

Rosemary Pioc, president of the Awajun Women's Council, demanded justice for children and teenagers suffering violence in Condorcanqui in the Amazonas region, where hundreds of sexual abuse cases against minors from native communities have been reported.

Peru will hold general elections on April 12 to elect a president, vice presidents, and members of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies for a five-year term, with a possible runoff on June 7.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: LIMA, PERU (MARCH 7, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF WOMEN JUMPING WITH BANNERS WHILE SHOUTING (Spanish) "Whoever doesn't jump is a macho"

2. WOMEN MARCHING, CHANTING (Spanish) "Women are being killed in front of people! Sir, madam, don't be indifferent"

3. VARIOUS OF WOMEN PLAYING DRUMS

4. VARIOUS OF PERFORMANCE OF DEMONSTRATORS, WITH A PREGNANT WOMAN AND WOMAN WITH MASK OF PERUVIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE KEIKO FUJIMORI (REFERRING TO: Keiko Fujimori recently stated in a television interview that she would advise her daughters to carry pregnancies resulting from rape to term rather than seek abortion, aligning with Peru's restrictive abortion laws.)

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF THE AWAJUN WOMEN'S COUNCIL, ROSEMARY PIOC, SAYING:

"Today we're not celebrating anything, we're here to demand justice for the boys and girls and teenagers who suffer violence in Condorcanqui (Amazonas region) and who were left without access (to justice). We're here to make this government listen, to allow us to ensure that the 800 cases (of raped children) don't go unpunished, that's why we've come to raise our voices."

6. SIGNS WITH THE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE PRESIDENT OF PERU, JOSE BALCAZAR, READING (Spanish): “Jose Balcazar justifies child marriage. Girls' rights are in danger. Enough violence and abuse!”

7. VARIOUS OF WOMEN CARRYING PLATFORM WITH DOLL OF PREGNANT SCHOOLGIRL AND SIGN READING (Spanish): “Child pregnancy is not a miracle, it’s a rape.”

8. WOMEN MARCHING SHOUTING "The oppressive state is a rapist and machist"

9. WOMEN CLOWNS MAKING FACES AT THE CAMERA WITH SCISSORS AND DANCING

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF PEASANT WOMEN, LOURDES HUANCA, SAYING:

"For Women's Day, what we're calling on all peasant and indigenous women is that we can't give up. We know life's circumstances are very hard because climate change has devastated everything in Peru, cities are disappearing. So what we have to do, as our grandmothers, grandfathers, and ancestors always taught us, is rise up from the dust with our native seeds, we'll keep guaranteeing life and peace, guaranteeing food sovereignty. Be strong, comrades."

11. VARIOUS OF WOMEN MARCHING FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY