Study shows same-sex couples migrate from Peru due to lack of rights

A study conducted by IPSOS and presented during the V National and International Congress on Access to Justice highlights that some homosexual couples in Peru choose to migrate from the country due to discrimination and a lack of rights.

The study reveals that being a diverse family in Peru incurs additional costs, particularly in healthcare, prompting some families to seek refuge elsewhere.

According to the study, 8% of Peruvians identify with a non-heterosexual sexual orientation, amounting to nearly two million individuals.

Same-sex couples and their children lack legal protection, preventing them from enjoying the same rights and benefits as heterosexual families.

They encounter difficulties in forming a family, ensuring recognition of both parents and accessing healthcare and education without discrimination.

Claudia Sandoval, a Peruvian Association of Homoparental Families lawyer, emphasized the need for equality and human rights protection through legal recognition in Peruvian legislation.

The congress also highlighted the prevalence of a patriarchal culture across the region, perpetuating prejudices based on sexual orientation and gender identity that must be dismantled.

Only seven countries in the continent, such as Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Uruguay, have legislation recognizing gender identity, allowing individuals to rectify their public documentation to reflect their self-perceived gender.

The Judiciary in Peru has been actively working to promote meetings, propose regulations, and adopt public policies to acknowledge and protect the rights of LGBTQI+ individuals since 2018.

Efforts have been made to incorporate sexual orientation and gender identity as grounds for vulnerability in the Brasilia Rules, and progress has been observed in resolving cases related to LGBTQI+ persons, particularly those addressing self-perceived gender identity.