Legally, each of Peru's 25 administrative regions must have a plan for promoting equal opportunities for women. But over the last year, only 10 regions have actually allocated resources to the task of overcoming gender inequity, while another 10 have not even drawn up the compulsory equal opportunities plan. The Ombudsman's Office (Defensoría del Pueblo, DDP) issued a report in March that analyses this information and states that only 15 regional governments have approved gender equality plans, and of these, five have not earmarked any funds to put them into effect.

In other circumstances, many women in Peru would be celebrating the possibility of a female president for the first time in the history of their country, or the alternative: the triumph of a candidate who promises to improve things for the poor. But both candidates taking part in the Jun. 5 runoff draw heavy opposition or awaken serious doubts among women's groups.

In order to exchange experiences on congressional work in gender in Latin America and the use of new technologies in these endeavours, International IDEA and UN Women held an International Seminar on 13 August in Lima to address the progress achieved in this field as well as the agenda ahead.

The seminar also analysed strategies in order to improve communication channels between elected representatives and citizens through the use of new information technologies.