Maria del Carmen Vallejo

Peruvian feminist educator who developed the first national curriculum for women's vocational training in 1930s

Education Innovator

Maria del Carmen Vallejo (1905-1985) created Peru's first national vocational training program for women in 1932, enabling thousands to enter previously male-dominated fields like engineering and agriculture. Her 1940 report Educación Profesional para la Mujer Peruana became a government policy blueprint.

Political Impact

In 1950, she co-founded the Asociación Femenina para el Progreso de las Americas, which secured voting rights for Peruvian women in 1955. Her 1960s advocacy led to the first women's technical colleges in Lima and Arequipa.

Legacy Programs

The Escuela Técnica Vallejo she established in 1958 continues training 1,200 female students annually. Her 1970 book Mujeres en la Industria Peruana remains required reading in Latin American gender studies programs. The UNESCO Peru office honors her annually with educational innovation awards.