In 2018, the United States Department of Labor’s (USDOL) International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB) awarded the American Center for International Labor Solidarity (also called Solidarity Center, SC) a three-year, US$2,850,000 cooperative agreement for the Engaging Workers and Civil Society to Strengthen Labor Law Enforcement project in Peru, Georgia, and Mexico. 1 The Peru country component began implementation in late 2018 and ended on June 30, 2021. The funding for this component was US$1,046,417.

The purpose of the SC project in Peru was to improve the enforcement of labor laws and standards by strengthening workers’ and unions’ capacity to identify and address potential violations of labor rights in the workplace and to develop strategies for political and union advocacy.

During the past five years, Peru has been affected by continuous political conflict, which has affected the functioning of government institutions and brought instability and turmoil. Since 2016, the country has had four presidents (three of these resigned or were deposed). Congress was shut down by a previous president in November 2020, and the new Congress deposed the president in November 2021. A new president assumed power at the end of July 2021.