Eliane Karp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eliane Karp
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אליאן קארפ
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Karp in 2009
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| First Lady of Peru | |
| In role 28 July 2001 – 28 July 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Nilda Jara de Paniagua |
| Succeeded by | Pilar Nores de García |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Eliane Chantal Karp
24 September 1953 Paris, France |
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| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Stanford University (PhD) Hebrew University of Jerusalem (BA) |
| Profession | Anthropologist |
Eliane Chantal Karp Toledo, born on September 24, 1953, is a respected Peruvian anthropologist. She served as the First Lady of Peru from 2001 to 2006. During this time, she was married to the former Peruvian president, Alejandro Toledo. Eliane Karp is especially known for her deep interest and studies of the ancient and living indigenous cultures of the Andes mountains.
Contents
Eliane Karp: A Life of Service
Early Life and Education
Growing Up and Learning
Eliane Karp was born in Paris, France. Her family had a rich background, with roots in Belgium and Poland. During World War II, her father, Charles Karp, faced many challenges and later became part of the French Resistance, a group that helped fight for freedom in France.
She completed her high school studies in Brussels, Belgium. Later, she earned a Bachelor's degree in anthropology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, focusing on Latin American studies. She continued her education at Stanford University in the United States, where she earned a Master of Arts degree and a PhD in anthropology.
Family Life and Studies
Eliane Karp also took courses about native communities at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. She did advanced studies in anthropology and economic development at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru.
While at Stanford, she met Alejandro Toledo. They married in 1972. Eliane Karp first visited Peru in the late 1970s to study its native communities. The couple separated for a time and later remarried before her husband's 1995 political campaign. They have one daughter.
Her Professional Journey
Working for Global Organizations
In 1980, Eliane Karp began working with important international groups. These included the Organization of American States (OAS), UNICEF, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Her work involved studying how development projects affected native populations.
From 1982 to 1987, she worked as a consultant for the Agency for International Development (USAID) in Lima, Peru. Later, from 1987 to 1992, she joined the World Bank in Washington D.C., where she managed projects for Latin America and Africa. She also worked for the European Investment Bank and Bank Leumi, focusing on international banking relationships.
Contributions in Academia
Eliane Karp has also had a distinguished career in education. She served as an adjunct professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University. She was also a Visiting Professor and Visiting Scholar in the Anthropology department at Stanford University.
She was a distinguished fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford. Additionally, she was a visiting professor at Salamanca University in Spain, at its Institute of Iberoamerica.
As Peru's First Lady
Championing Indigenous Cultures
During her husband's presidential campaign in 2001, Eliane Karp played a key role. She highlighted Mr. Toledo's indigenous background. She often wore traditional Andean clothing, spoke to voters in Quechua, and showed their strong commitment to indigenous issues. Her energetic speeches made her a well-known figure at campaign events.
In 2001, when Alejandro Toledo became president, Eliane Karp became the First Lady of Peru. She held this important role until 2006. As First Lady, she became the honorary president of the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Communities of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Supporting Communities: CONAPA
Soon after her husband became president, his government created the National Commission on Andean, Amazon, and Afro-Peruvian Communities (CONAPA). Eliane Karp led this commission. Its goal was to create plans for native communities, make sure their voices were heard in the government, and suggest changes to laws that would help indigenous peoples.
Some people felt the commission could have done more, noting it had limited funds. However, others, like Martin Scurrah from Oxfam, praised its work. He mentioned that it helped promote indigenous rights in the new constitution. Eliane Karp herself often supported and defended initiatives for native communities.
In 2003, Eliane Karp stepped down from CONAPA. The commission was then reorganized into a national institute.
Protecting Cultural Treasures
During her time as First Lady, Eliane Karp was involved in talks with Yale University. These discussions aimed to bring back over 350 ancient artifacts to Peru. These valuable museum pieces were found at Machu Picchu around 1915 and had been loaned to Yale. Peru had support from the National Geographic Society in this effort.
The discussions faced challenges when Yale did not fully agree that Peru was the sole owner of the artifacts. However, talks continued under the next presidency. Eliane Karp later expressed concerns about an agreement reached in 2008. She felt it required Peru to build a museum to Yale's specific standards before receiving some artifacts, with most remaining at Yale.
The Pacha Foundation's Work
In 2001, Eliane Karp started Fundación Pacha, a non-profit organization. This foundation focused on development projects for native Peruvians. It aimed to create projects that help communities grow in a sustainable way, using their traditional knowledge. It also promoted ecotourism and helped develop skills to benefit from Peru's rich natural resources.
Eliane Karp led the Pacha Foundation until 2006. The foundation's projects included providing vaccinations against diseases like yellow fever and malaria to Amazonian peoples. It also helped build basic community centers and supplied equipment for medical care in rural areas with native populations.
In 2002, Karp tried to get help from philanthropist Bill Gates for a vaccination program. Mr. Gates chose to focus his humanitarian efforts elsewhere. Karp later shared her view that it was unfair to overlook Peru, as conditions in its rural areas were as challenging as in other places needing help.
Continuing Her Advocacy
Promoting Rights for All
Eliane Karp has actively supported increasing the number of women in the Peruvian congress. She believes that setting quotas can help achieve this goal.
In March 2012, she returned to Peru to teach at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. That fall, she taught anthropology in a postgraduate program focused on Andean studies. She also announced plans to write a book about how native populations participate in democratic politics.
In May 2012, Eliane Karp spoke at a human rights conference at Stanford University. She called for discussions about the rights of native peoples in Peru. She emphasized that "social inclusion and equal citizenship are key factors for good governance." She also stated that "The indigenous worldview has to be respected and integrated in public policies."
In October 2012, Karp shared her inspiring meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner. She was impressed by Suu Kyi's strength during her long imprisonment. Karp also compared this to meeting the 14th Dalai Lama, who lives in exile. She urged support for efforts to combat human rights violations globally.
Publications
- Karp de Toledo, Eliane. Los pueblos indígenas en la agenda democrática: Estudios de caso de Bolivia, Ecuador, México y Perú. Corporación Andina de Fomento, 2006.
- Karp de Toledo, Eliane: Allin Kausaynapaq, Interculturalidad y participación: Para vivir mejor con nosotros mismos. Office of the First Lady of the Nation. Lima, 22 May 2006.
- Karp de Toledo, Eliane: La Diversidad Cultural y los ciudadanos del Sol y La Luna – Propuestas para la inclusión social y el desarrollo con identidad de los pueblos originarios del Perú. Office of the First Lady of the Nation. Lima, 30 November 2004.
- Karp de Toledo, Eliane; Lema Tucker, Linda (eds.): El Tema Indígena en Debate. Aportes para la Reforma Constitucional. Presented in the Congress of the Republic of Peru. Office of the First Lady of the Nation. Lima, April 2003.
- Karp de Toledo, Eliane: Hacia una nueva Nación, Kay Pachamanta. Office of the First Lady of the Nation. Lima, July 2002. Second Edition, October 2002. Third Edition, June 2003.
See also
In Spanish: Eliane Karp para niños
