Lima - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Per above, the main division here is socio-economic, rather than racial or religious. There is also some discrimination against the indigenous people from the Andes, however. - Dec 2024
There seems to be discrimination against class and color, especially against indigenous and African-American people. There appears to be a huge problem with violence against women. There are strong activist movements to ensure respect and rights for these populations, but as we know even in the US change can be slow. - Oct 2018
I observed classism on numerous occasions, mostly in restaurants and grocery stores. - Mar 2018
You'll notice some classism/racism within Peru, for sure. - Apr 2017
Businesses are legally required to place a sign on the wall indicating that they are not allowed to discriminate. If they are required to put up a sign...
Indigenous Peruvians are usually the subjects to the discrimination. - Jul 2016
Yes - some racial prejudice still exists. - Sep 2015
For gender, yes. There is real machismo here. Women are often disregarded, ignored, and expected to be the sole caretaker of the children. Frequently, when asking directions in taxis, women are ignored). And even in dealing with the American School (as an example) in the school registration information, all mothers of students have their employment automatically defaulted to "housewife. There's no "stay-at-home father" optio). If a man and a woman of similar ages walk into a meeting, the assumption will be that the man is in charge. We have seen no religious discrimination. We know Jews & Muslims (visibly religious and secular), Mormons, Catholics, Lutherans, and other denominations. Although the Muslim community is extremely tiny, we have heard no complaints about prejudice, discrimination, or other problems. It's a relief and a pleasure living here and being a religious minority. You can walk down the street here wearing a hijab or kippah or sikh turban (all rare sightings, but it does happen) and no one says anything or glances sideways. Outside of the United States, Lima is the most multicultural place I have ever lived. There are huge populations of second- and third-generation Japanese and Chinese Peruvians who are extremely well-integrated into Peruvian society. Peruvian skin colors come in all shades, from Afro-Peruvians to Polish-Peruvians, and really everything in between. Peruvians tend not to hyphenate themselves. They identify with just being Peruvian. - Sep 2015
Not terribly so, but there does exist a situation between locals where more fair skinned Peruvians (with Spanish blood) look down on the darker, indigenous people from the country. This also translates from an economic perspective, where the wealthier folks have domestic help that could be seen as "second class." - May 2015
Yes. Most of the Peruvians in Lima are dark-skinned, yet on most billboards or advertisements you will see lighter-skinned, European-looking models. - Apr 2015
Racial issues are a problem. Not sure about religious or gender. - Sep 2014
Machismo is alive and well as it is in much of the world. Rich Peruvians look down on everyone regardless of background. - Apr 2014
There is a lot of racism, classism, and religious conservatism in Peru. - Mar 2014
Spanish-Peruvians are treated as higher-class citizens than Indigenous Peruvians. You can see it in the wealth distribution and the workforce. - Aug 2013
Aside from some prejudices against those of African descent that are common in Latin American, I don't know of any major problems. - Jul 2013
There is a lot of racism in Peru, much more than I realized before arrival. The Catholic Church is also very strong and influences both social and political circles. - Jul 2013
Yes! But not with gender. I was discriminated against several times. The whiter you are, the better you get treated. - Jun 2013
Those who migrated to the city from the highlands with strong ties to indigenous communities are commonly, but disrespectfully, called 'cholos.' These are the people who live at the fringes of modernity and many times struggle to get an education and fully benefit from the economic gains that Peru has experienced over the past few years. Machismo, or the ideology that males are superior to women, is also prevalent. Machismo is present in the cities, but it is much stronger outside of the major urban centers and particularly in indigenous societies. Women at times suffer from this unfortunate masculine attitude. - Jan 2012
Somewhat. There are different classes and money is used to keep them apart. There is some prejudice against the more native people. - Jan 2012
Not that I have come across. - Aug 2011
The Peruvian upper class (mostly white European decent) treats the lower class (mostly natives and mixed-race) very, very badly. - Jul 2010
Not that is overt or that I have noticed. - Jun 2010
Yes. Wealthy, white Peruvians in Lima tend to act superior. - Jul 2008
Not that we ever experienced. There are some class issues among the Peruvians, but we did not have any problems with that as expats. - Apr 2008
