A/HRC/45/44/Add.2 17. In approving the National Development Plan, the State placed the Ministry of Culture in charge of monitoring compliance. Given the specificity of the objectives and actions, a strategy for the implementation of the Plan was enacted at three levels of government. Given their concentration of Afro-Peruvians, the regions of Piura, Lambayeque, Ica, Lima and Callao were designated priority areas. 7 The Plan encompassed intercultural and sectoral policies on employment, education, health and human rights for Afro-Peruvians. 18. In 2016, a registry of Afro-Peruvian representative organizations was officially established, alongside the Grupo de Trabajo con Población Afroperuana, a working group responsible for facilitating dialogue between the Executive and Afro-Peruvian civil society for the formulation and monitoring of public policy. The national human rights plan (2018– 2021) aims to draft a strategy document on guaranteeing the implementation of public policies in favour of “groups that require special attention”.8 19. The Office of the Ombudsperson has the authority to remind public authorities and institutions of their legal duties and to suggest the adoption of measures that enable AfroPeruvians to exercise their human rights. The Office has in the past advised the State to implement an effective policy to prevent racism or racial discrimination, to deconstruct prejudices, stigmas and stereotypes against Afro-Peruvians, to fight racist hate speech, and to change racist structures in society or public institutions. In March 2020, the Office issued an evaluation of the National Development Plan for the Afro-Peruvian Population, noting the lack of implementation political will and guidance designating clear authority to implement the National Development Plan. 20. The national policy for mainstreaming an intercultural approach was approved by Supreme Decree No. 003-2015-MC. In 2019, the President of Peru signed and presented to the Congress a draft bill (still pending) on measures to counter racial discrimination. Peru is currently setting policies in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, although according to civil society sources, the State has not yet introduced a public policy specific to reducing poverty in Afro-Peruvian communities. In 2019, the Government also adopted “Visión al 2050”, an aspirational approach to the next 30 years, approved by consensus by the Foro del Acuerdo Nacional. In 2021, Peru will celebrate the bicentennial of its independence. The Ministry of Culture plans to reflect the contribution made by AfroPeruvians in various publications on the culture and history of Afrodescendants in Peru. AfroPeruvians cite the importance of their visibility in the bicentennial celebrations, referring to the opportunity for Peru to mark its independence by honouring all of the cultures that have contributed to its history. IV. Manifestations of systemic racial discrimination A. Systematic denial of access to public administration, goods and services 21. Throughout the public sector, poor implementation of the State’s robust antidiscrimination framework has led to a profound denial of access of Afro-Peruvians to public administration, goods and services. Lack of investment in public utilities, infrastructure and irrigation, and of the formalization of land title, education and health has resulted in a comprehensive lack of access to basic services and the denial of core human rights for many Afro-Peruvians. In addition, private sector employers regard Afro-Peruvians as a resource to be exploited while openly ignoring their human rights, without any intervention by the State. 22. Public investment in human capital, research and development has in a similar disregarded the potential offered by the Afro-Peruvian community. Even periods of widespread economic growth in Peru have been accompanied by a significant decline in the socioeconomic status of Afro-Peruvians.9 Together, this multifaceted denial of the benefits 7 8 9 www.gob.pe/institucion/cultura/normas-legales/209075-162-2016-mc. www.minjus.gob.pe/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/PNDH-2018-2021.pdf. Martin Benavides et al., Estudio Especializado sobre Población Afroperuana (Lima, Ministerio de Cultura del Perú y Grupo de Análisis para el Desarrolloet (GRADE), 2015). 5