The Journal of Global Justice and Public Policy Global Initiative publishes bi-monthly reports targeting countries experiencing human rights violations. Each report briefly discusses that country’s history and population, and proffers specific prayer requests.
Demographics
- Population – 29,849,303
- Capital – Lima
- Ethnic Groups – Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%
- Religions – Roman Catholic (81%), Seventh-Day Adventist (1%), Other Christian (1%), Unspecified (16%).
- Languages – Spanish (official) 84.1%, Quechua (official) 13%, Aymara (official) 1.7%, Ashaninka 0.3%, other native languages (includes a large number of minor Amazonian languages) 0.7%, other 0.2%
Brief History & Justice Issues
- Peru is heavily influenced by its past: the Incan Empire and Spanish colonization.
- Peru boasts a thriving church of four million evangelicals, but is also the world’s second largest producer of cocaine.
- “War and poverty have multiplied the number of street children, who are often abused and exploited for labor,” and young girls are sexually trafficked resulting high rates of teen pregnancies and subsequent abortions.
- Peru has been trying to recover from a long-standing civil war between 1980 and 2000 with nearly 70,000 killed or gone missing.
- The prospect for economic development is great, but political corruption, a flawed tax structure, military spending, and enormous economic disparity keep the nation from progress.
Prayer Requests
- Pray that Peru will continue to heal from decades of conflict and oppression. Pray also that God will give Peru good leaders who will lead wisely without bribery or abusing the people they serve.