Manuela Expósito

Pioneered women's education and suffrage movements in 19th century Peru

Manuela Expósito (1848–1916) was a Peruvian educator and feminist who founded Lima's first girls' school in 1871. She established the Escuela Normal Femenina to train female teachers, later expanded into the National School of Women Teachers. Her 1895 publication La Mujer y Sus Derechos argued for women's voting rights and property ownership. She organized the first Peruvian women's congress in 1899, advocating for legal reforms.

Expósito's pedagogical theories emphasized critical thinking over rote memorization. The Ministry of Education now offers the Manuela Expósito Prize for educational innovation. Her advocacy influenced Latin American suffrage movements - Chile's 1949 voting rights law directly referenced her 1895 treatise. Modern Peruvian feminists cite her gender equality frameworks in current policy debates. The Manuela Expósito Cultural Center (centroculturalmanuelaexpósito.pe) preserves her manuscripts and educational materials.