Federation of Unions of Water Workers of Peru (FENTAP)

The Federation of Unions of Water Workers of Peru (FENTAP) is a democratic union established in 1981 to represent all water and sanitation workers in Peru. In early 2006, the Government of Peru suspended the union licenses for FENTAP leadership; the utilities have arbitrarily fired many of the union leaders, whose cases are under appeal. UUSC supports FENTAP’s efforts to mobilize Peruvians to advocate for policies that modernize public water utilities in ways that protect the environment and respect users’ human right to water. Twenty-five percent of FENTAP’s members are women, yet women comprise over half of the governing board leadership. FENTAP’s men and women are providing a model of responsible union stewardship by working together with many sectors in society that inspire hope for Peru.