12

This article examines the contribution of women to the armed struggle led by the Peruvian Communist Party, Shining Path. By incorporating women’s emancipation into its revolutionary platform, the Maoist party that took up arms against the Peruvian State in 1980 was able to attract a significant female militant presence. However, contradictions emerged between its challenge to traditional gender roles in Peruvian society and the lived experience of women who participated in the group’s activities. Indeed, Shining Path female activists have primarily been mobilised in activities related to propaganda, logistics, military intelligence, medical care and reproductive and sexual health, thus limiting the gains otherwise produced by the armed struggle.