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Peru
Peruvian Rural Voters Set Health Priorities
In Historic USAID-Supported Referendum
It may not have the trickle-down effect that Prop 13 had
in the U.S. in the 1970’s, but the recent “Citizen
Consultation” in the Lambayeque region of Peru is giving
voice on health priorities to a rural population that is typically
unaccustomed to the voting process.
USAID Peru with its partner, PHR Plus, organized with Peru’s
Lambayeque regional government to place a referendum on a
ballot to help determine the regional health priorities. The
regional government agreed to incorporate the vote results
in setting its upcoming priorities for the next five years
strategic plan.
“The ‘Consulta Ciudadana’ was intended
to determine health priorities as a primary goal. But more
importantly, the vote addressed the fact that Peru’s
rural population was accustomed to being excluded from government
decision-making process,” said Luis Deza, health regional
director. “In the end, 123,627 local citizens –
32 percent of them from rural areas – helped to set
priorities and, more importantly, experienced possibly for
the first time what enfranchisement of their voice means.”
The top health priorities identified in the referendum held
last November were as followed:
Main Priorities
from the 'Consulta' |
Percent |
| 1. Scarcity and deterioration of water services and
waste pick up |
18.32 |
| 2. Marginalization of poor to health services |
14.41 |
| 3. Mental health problems |
12.67 |
| 4. Malnutrition |
10.84 |
| 5. Maternal health problems |
8.03 |
In addition to motivating rural voters, the Consulta also
urged public school students 14 years of age and older to
vote, as well as members of the military and police forces.
Both groups are typically excluded from voting process. The
vote was supervised by Peru’s National Electoral Process
Office with participation from an external team of observers
that included representatives from the United Nations, USAID
and other non-governmental organizations.
 |
Setting
Priorities-A member of
the military helps set health priorities in a special
USAID-supported Citizen Referendum in the Lambayeque
region of Peru. Members of the military do not typically
participate in the electoral process in Peru.
(Photo from USAID-Peru) |
“This was a successful exercise in small ‘d’
democracy that hopefully will have an impact on the health
of rural people of Lambayeque, especially those who have typically
been excluded from the process,” said Nery Saldarriaga,
vice president of the Lambayeque region. “We hope and
look forward to more civic participation from this segment
of the population that has unfortunately not had a means to
contribute their opinion to their local government decision
- makers.”
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