Virginia Vargas facts for kids
Virginia "Gina" Vargas Valente, born on July 23, 1945, is a Peruvian sociologist. This means she studies how people live together in groups and societies. She is also a very important leader in the women's movement in Peru. The women's movement works to make sure women have equal rights and opportunities.
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Biography
Virginia Vargas was born in Lima, Peru, on July 23, 1945. She was the second of four children. After finishing high school, she went to the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru from 1963 to 1968. She first liked drama and literature, but later decided to study political science.
In 1978, Vargas started the Flora Tristán Center. This is an organization in Peru that helps women. It studies women's issues, teaches people about women's rights, and works to change laws to help women. She was the leader of this organization until 1990. Vargas has worked hard to support women's health choices in Peru. She is known around the world as a top campaigner for women's rights in her country.
As a researcher, Vargas has studied social movements in South America. She also looked at how women help with economic growth.
During the 1980s, Vargas traveled all over Peru. She did this through a program that helped women learn and organize. She set up meetings for women's groups to share ideas and plan their work.
From 1990 to 1998, Vargas worked as an organizer and activist in Latin America. She started the Latin American part of DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era). She also taught at the International Institute of Social Studies in the Netherlands. There, she taught about women and development for two months each year. She has also been a guest professor at the University of Wisconsin in the United States. She taught in gender studies programs in Latin America and Peru too. She is an active member of a group called Articulación Feminista Marcosur. This is a network of feminist groups in Latin America.
Vargas received an award from UNIFEM in September 1995. This was during a big United Nations meeting for women in Beijing. She helped organize the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from Latin America and the Caribbean for this meeting. Starting in 2001, Vargas became part of the International Committee of the World Social Forum. This is a large meeting where people discuss global issues. She is also on the Advisory Council for the Institute for Democracy and Global Transformation at the National University of San Marcos.
Selected writings
Virginia Vargas has written and edited many important books and papers. Her work often focuses on women's roles in society and how to make positive changes. Some of her writings include:
- "The Contribution of Women's Rebellion" (1989)
- "How to Change the World Without Losing Ourselves" (1992)
- She also edited books like "Economic and Social Participation of Women in Peru" (1982) and "Gender in Development" (1992).
See also
In Spanish: Virginia Vargas Valente para niños
- Women in Peru
