Maria Isabel Castillo

Peruvian sociologist who pioneered participatory democracy initiatives in Andean communities during the 1960s

Maria Isabel Castillo (1928-2005) revolutionized community development in the Peruvian Andes through her participatory democracy model. A Quechua-speaking anthropologist, she developed the Asamblea de Base (Grassroots Assembly) system in 1963 that empowered indigenous communities to self-govern using traditional consensus methods combined with modern democratic principles.

Her work in the Cusco region established the first community-managed water systems and cooperative farming collectives in the Andes. The 1968 book El Pueblo Decide (available via Internet Archive) documents her innovative approach of integrating indigenous ayllu governance structures with Western democratic practices.

Castillo's model inspired Peru's 1979 constitution, which recognized indigenous rights and participatory governance. She trained over 500 community leaders through her Centro de Estudios Andinos, established in 1972. Her 1975 manual Manual de Gestión Comunitaria became a blueprint for UNDP rural development programs across Latin America.

During the 1980s, she developed the first gender-inclusive land rights system for Andean women, later adopted by Bolivia's 2009 constitution. Her 1990 documentary Voces de la Cordillera (archived at British Film Institute) captures the voices of indigenous leaders implementing her models.

Castillo's legacy persists through the annual Maria Isabel Castillo Prize for Community Leadership, awarded by the Organization of American States. Her participatory methods remain central to contemporary community development practices globally, influencing figures like Nobel laureate Rigoberta Menchú.