Women Rock
Happy Women’s Day!

Today we celebrate the strength, resilience, courage, creativity and love of women everywhere!

On this International Women’s Day, March 8, 2024, we want to honor the talented women who create our collections and who represent around 80% of our artist partners.

We quizzed a few of them about their thoughts on the role of women within their community and about the situation of women in Peru. Their insight gives us hope that there has been some noticeable advancement towards women’s equality and rights in the past years.

There seems to be a new openness to discuss sensitive issues that may have been considered taboo in the past, and that is progress. It encourages us to keep the conversation open and through our work find ways to help empower more women, as more is needed.

Antonia Oha, Modesta Cahui and Victoria Quispe, Knitting Artists.

Antonia Oha Panca, knitting artist: International Women’s Day celebrates the strength of women because we are always fighters. We are the ones who have to be strong to achieve equality for all women. We are not going to give up, women always seek to get ahead and especially within our home.

Edith Cruz Huarachi, knitting artist: For me it is a very important date since the union struggle of working women who died fighting for a just cause is remembered.

Victoria Quispe Ordoño, knitting artist: It means that women have equal rights as men, that they cannot discriminate against us or marginalize us for any reason.

Lizzet Hurtado Santiago, gourd artist: Ten years ago women lived in the midst of violence and machismo. I have seen how thanks to the evolution of science and technology, society has changed. Now, one no longer shuts up, especially women. Through social networks we know of entities that support battered women and we can also express our needs and difficulties. I believe that now there is no difference between a man and a woman. Women play a very important role in society, we raise new generations, it is in our hands the formation of good or bad people; We have a great responsibility, and I hope that God will give us much wisdom to form good citizens.

Edith Cruz Huarachi, knitting artist: The change that has taken place is very important since 10 years ago women perhaps did not hold important positions in public and private entities, now, today, the presence of women is positive. The insertion of women in society is important but it is not yet 100%, therefore, we should continue working on all aspects. There is still a lot of work to be done.

Antonia Oha Panca, knitting artist: Before, sexist men did not value us as women and did not know how to respect a mother or a woman. Now, it cannot be said that all men are like that, [but] there are men who respect us and won’t stop us from moving forward and growing.

Victoria Quispe Ordoño, knitting artist: I would say that more advancement is needed. There are still many women who remain silent from things that happen and are still marginalized and discriminated against. Yes, some things have changed for the better as before the mistreatment of women was worse, but that must still change at home especially.

Modesta Cahui Quispe, knitting artist: There is still machismo, we see that in many places.

Antonia Oha Panca, knitting artist: Men and women must be equal and the value of women is gradually improving. We women are the ones who sacrifice the most at home and at work. Men rarely do things at home, almost nothing, so I see in many homes there is a lack of equality. I do try to instill equality and respect for everyone in my family.

Victoria Quispe Ordoño, knitting artist: We need to promote harmony and unity within our families which will leads us to more peace.