Susana Villarán
Encyclopedia
Susana María del Carmen Villarán de la Puente is a centre-left politician in Peru
, a former presidential candidate, and in municipal elections in 2010 became the first woman to be elected Mayor of Lima.
Born in Lima
on 16 August 1949, she is vice-president of the Social Force Decentralisation Party (Partido Descentralista Fuerza Social, FS) and formerly worked as a journalist and a secondary school teacher.
the Vaso de leche (glass of milk) program promoting child nutrition.
In 2000 Villarán was elected national co-ordinator of the Party for Social Democracy
(Partido por la Democracia Social - Compromiso Perú, PDS). She became Minister for Women and Social Development
during Valentín Paniagua
's transitory government in 2001, and in 2002 she assumed the role of Police Ombudsman
(Defensora de la Policía).
From 2002 to 2005, she served as a member of the Organization of American States
's Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
(IACHR), serving as rapporteur on child rights and later on women's rights, as Second Vicepresident of the Commission in 2004, and First Vicepresident in 2005. She took part in IACHR human rights and conflict missions in Colombia and Guatemala.
In the Peruvian general election of 2006 Villarán was presidential candidate for Concertación Descentralista, an alliance of the PDS and the Peruvian Humanist Movement
. She was one of three female candidates along Lourdes Flores
and Martha Chávez
, and came seventh with 0.62%.
In 2008, she was elected to the United Nations
Committee on the Rights of the Child
.
After a slow start to her campaign, in the final weeks Villarán overtook the longtime favourite candidate Lourdes Flores
to win with 1,743,712 votes, representing 38.393% of the valid votes. She assumed office in January 2011.
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, a former presidential candidate, and in municipal elections in 2010 became the first woman to be elected Mayor of Lima.
Born in Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
on 16 August 1949, she is vice-president of the Social Force Decentralisation Party (Partido Descentralista Fuerza Social, FS) and formerly worked as a journalist and a secondary school teacher.
Political life
She was a member of Lima's Metropolitan Municipality from 1983 to 1985, and co-founded with former mayor Alfonso Barrantes LingánAlfonso Barrantes Lingán
Alfonso Barrantes Lingán was a Peruvian politician most active in the mid-1980s.-Mayor of Lima:Affiliated with the United Left Party, he was the mayor of Lima from 1984 to 1986...
the Vaso de leche (glass of milk) program promoting child nutrition.
In 2000 Villarán was elected national co-ordinator of the Party for Social Democracy
Party for Social Democracy
The Party for Social Democracy is a centre-left, social democratic, Peruvian political party. It is member of the Concertación Descentralista, together with the Partido Movimiento Humanista Peruano...
(Partido por la Democracia Social - Compromiso Perú, PDS). She became Minister for Women and Social Development
Ministry of Women and Social Development (Peru)
The Ministry of Women and Social Development of Peru is an organism of the Peruvian government dedicated to women-related affairs as well as the social development of Peruvians...
during Valentín Paniagua
Valentín Paniagua
Valentín Paniagua Corazao was a Peruvian politician and former Interim President of Peru. Paniagua was elected by the Peruvian Congress to serve as interim president of the country after Alberto Fujimori was ousted from office by Congress in November 2000.As Interim President, his main task was to...
's transitory government in 2001, and in 2002 she assumed the role of Police Ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
(Defensora de la Policía).
From 2002 to 2005, she served as a member of the Organization of American States
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
's Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is an autonomous organ of the Organization of American States .Along with the...
(IACHR), serving as rapporteur on child rights and later on women's rights, as Second Vicepresident of the Commission in 2004, and First Vicepresident in 2005. She took part in IACHR human rights and conflict missions in Colombia and Guatemala.
In the Peruvian general election of 2006 Villarán was presidential candidate for Concertación Descentralista, an alliance of the PDS and the Peruvian Humanist Movement
Peruvian Humanist Movement Party
The Peruvian Humanist Party is a Humanist Peruvian political party, and a former member of the Decentralization Coalition together with the Partido por la Democracia Social - Compromiso Perú. The PMHP won the regional elections of 2001 for the northern region of Lambayeque.In 2008, Yehude Simon of...
. She was one of three female candidates along Lourdes Flores
Lourdes Flores
Lourdes Celmira Rosario Flores Nano is a Peruvian politician and lawyer. She currently leads the Unidad Nacional ' alliance and the Partido Popular Cristiano ' in Peru, which is the most well-known right-of-center party of the country.-Biography:Lourdes Flores was born in Lima on 7 October 1959...
and Martha Chávez
Martha Chávez
Martha Gladys Chávez Cossío de Ocampo is a Peruvian politician and lawyer who ran unsuccessfully for president in the 2006 presidential elections on the Alliance for the Future ticket.-Education and professional career:...
, and came seventh with 0.62%.
In 2008, she was elected to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Committee on the Rights of the Child
Committee on the Rights of the Child
The Committee on the Rights of the Child is a body of independent experts that monitors and reports on implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child by governments that ratify the Convention...
.
2010 campaign
On 2009 she announced her candidacy for Mayor of Lima as leader of the Social Force Decentralisation Party (FS), which had been formed by the merger of the PDS and eight other centre-left parties in October 2007. Her candidature was backed by three smaller centre-left groups.After a slow start to her campaign, in the final weeks Villarán overtook the longtime favourite candidate Lourdes Flores
Lourdes Flores
Lourdes Celmira Rosario Flores Nano is a Peruvian politician and lawyer. She currently leads the Unidad Nacional ' alliance and the Partido Popular Cristiano ' in Peru, which is the most well-known right-of-center party of the country.-Biography:Lourdes Flores was born in Lima on 7 October 1959...
to win with 1,743,712 votes, representing 38.393% of the valid votes. She assumed office in January 2011.