The Ministry of Culture announced on March 27 that it has strengthened the operations of the Grupo de Trabajo con Población Afroperuana (GTPA) by approving an updated internal regulation and the Work Plan for 2026. These tools are intended to improve representation, inter-institutional coordination, and monitoring of state actions, as well as reinforce the group’s role in implementing the National Policy for the Afro-Peruvian People through 2030.
This development was highlighted during the GTPA’s seventy-third session at the ministry’s central headquarters. Minister Soraya Altabás Kajatt said this forum is an effective mechanism for dialogue between government and civil society, allowing oversight of public policies aimed at nearly one million people who identify as part of Peru’s Afro-Peruvian community. “Desde el Ministerio de Cultura continuaremos fortaleciendo este espacio del GTPA, con enfoque en resultados concretos en beneficio del pueblo afroperuano, representado por sus organizaciones,” Altabás Kajatt said.
The minister also announced plans to coordinate with Pronabec—the National Program for Scholarships and Educational Credit under the Ministry of Education—to increase scholarship opportunities in its 2027 call specifically for Afro-Peruvian students. This measure aims to facilitate greater access to higher education within this population.
Participants in this session included Percy Barranzuela, Vice Minister of Interculturality; Ángela Hernández, Director General of Intercultural Citizenship; Martín Bustamante, Director of Policies for the Afro-Peruvian Population; along with nine leaders from organizations represented in GTPA.
According to information from the ministry, GTPA serves as a citizen participation body responsible for proposing initiatives, coordinating actions, and overseeing implementation of public policies supporting rights promotion among Peru’s Afro-Peruvian people. Its membership includes representatives from various government offices as well as regional delegates covering women’s issues, youth concerns, and general population matters—each serving two-year terms without compensation.
Regions with significant Afro-Peruvian populations include Lima Metropolitana and Callao—where more than 220 thousand individuals self-identify as part of this group—as well as Piura, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Cajamarca, Ica, Tumbes, Áncash, Arequipa, Loreto, San Martín and Huánuco.
