During the segment in televised heats in October when contestants ordinarily announce their bust, waist and hip measurements, competitors instead recited hard-hitting statistics about the violence women face in their country.

“My name is Camila Canicoba and I represent Lima. My measurements are: 2,202 cases of femicide reported in the last nine years in my country,” said the first contestant, as she took to the microphone on stage in Lima.

“My name is Karen Cueto and I represent Lima and my measurements are: 82 femicides and 156 attempted femicides so far this year,” said the second.

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The data was revealed to a backdrop of newspaper clippings of stories about violence against women.

Beauty pageants in Latin America are often criticised as being sexist and patriarchal. But the 23 Miss Peru contestants took up the suggestion by the pageant’s organiser, former beauty queen Jessica Newton, to dedicate the event to empowering women in the country which has a shocking record for gender-based violence.

“These competitions focus on many stereotypes about women and judge them by their physical characteristics, but they are able to impact a broad group of women and men that feminist groups like us do not reach,” said Susana Chávez Alvarado, director of Promsex, a gender rights organisation in Peru.

“So it is very important that they have mentioned the matter. There has never been more awareness about this problem of gender violence.”

Images by Alvaro Ugaz

This article is featured in issue 92 of Positive News magazine. Subscribe now to get the magazine delivered to your door each quarter.

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Some 80,000 pilgrims descend upon the Sinakara Valley in the Peruvian Andes each year to celebrate the festival of Qoyllur Rit’i – a mixture of Inca and Catholic traditions. During the final night, bands of ‘ukukus’, characters based on a mythological, bear-like figure, head up to the holy glaciers to perform initiation rituals. At dawn they descend back into the valley, carrying large crosses on their backs.

I was camping on a muddy slope at an altitude of 4,600m so the conditions were not that comfortable. The pilgrims liked to dance and play music (the same tune over and over as far as I could tell) throughout the night, so little sleep was to be had. It was below freezing during the night but the days on the whole were glorious and the thin air only made everything more vivid.

I was corralled into joining in the initiation ceremony, which meant I got whipped by the leader of the ukukus

I hiked up to 5,600m at night to photograph these ukukus descending from the glaciers at
dawn. The full moon made it all the more magical. I was corralled into joining in the initiation ceremony, which meant I got whipped by the leader of the ukukus. It was a symbolic whipping – but stung enough to make sure I’ll remember the event for years to come.

The pilgrims had great respect for the mountains and glaciers, which they considered holy. They were dressed in beautiful costumes and spent much of the time dancing as well as praying. It was wonderful that the pilgrims could gather together over several days – where alcohol was forbidden – to keep their traditions alive and vibrant.

I’m keen to explore people’s thirst to connect with something greater than themselves. These pilgrims were doing just that.

Christopher Roche is an award-winning photographer who documents inspiring aspects of the human condition. His current project, Devotion, explores faith traditions around the world.

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Migrant-led city tours
Europe

Migrant tours are available in cities like Rome, Paris and Lisbon. Image: Viaggi Solidali

Nominated for a 2016 World Responsible Tourism Award, Migrantour employs migrants as tour guides in immigrant-rich neighbourhoods. The idea? To foster cross-cultural understanding and showcase how ethnic diversity enriches communities. City walking tours have been launched in nine locations across Europe, including in Turin, Rome, Paris and Lisbon.

Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park
Spain

Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, Spain. Image: Inn Travel

2017 marks 20 years since Almeria’s Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, in Andalucia, Spain, was made a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve – one of the last unspoiled slices of wilderness in this part of the Mediterranean. Take a four day self guided walking trip around the sand dunes, dusty hills and wild, deserted beaches of this spectacular region, much of which is accessible only by foot.

Fair trade journey
Peru

Freshly ground fair trade coffee in Peru. Image: Inn Travel

Meet farmers and artisans producing fair trade goods while seeing some of the most spectacular sights in Latin America. Journey to the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, one of the greatest wonders of the world; watch the stars from the shores of Lake Titicaca; learn about organic ‘bean to cup’ coffee production and take part in traditional ceramic and weaving workshops with indigenous entrepreneurs.

Main image: Inn Travel

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