Peruvian state to reopen María Mamérita Mestanza Chávez v. Perú case

During the 143rd period of sessions of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights this week, the Peruvian state announced that it will be reopening the case of  María Mamérita Mestanza Chávez v. Perú, as well as all other cases of coercive sterilization that occurred during the Alberto Fujimori regime (1990-2000) as part of its family planning policies. The Center and the other petitioners have been fighting tirelessly for years to make Peru comply with the friendly settlement reached in the case.

The story of María Mamérita is the story of thousands of poor and indigenous Peruvian women. Health workers threatened to turn her in to the police if she did not consent to being sterilized. After the procedure, her health rapidly deteriorated and she passed away days later. Her case was filed in 1996 and has remained in impunity for 15 years.

The Peruvian state will now treat this and all other cases of forced sterilization from the Fujimori presidency as crimes against humanity. The Center, along with other organizations, has been working to obtain justice for the victims in these terrible cases for more than 10 years, and although the family of María Mamérita was fairly compensated, it is critical that these crimes be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent.