The Catholic Church response to forced sterilizations of poor women in Peru (1996-2000)

Abstract

On mid-1990s, the Peruvian government implemented the National Reproductive Health and Family Planning Program, which resulted in the forced sterilization of thousands of women. This situation was not unrelated to the Church’s pastoral agents, who supported the victims and led the relevant complaints. This article, based primarily on interviews with them, argues that they maintained their autonomy in defending the victims, articulating their Christian faith with justice commitment. It also highlights the various conflicts and limitations they faced on their assumed approach, as well as the possibility of creating victim spaces of physical, psychological, and spiritual salvation.