1 Chapter 11 The Education and Development of Peruvian Youth: Opportunities, Challenges, and Possibilities Laura Valdiviezo and Dina López Introduction According to recent national reports, there are approximately 8.4 million young people between the ages of 15 and 29 in Peru—representing close to one third of the country’s population (Ojeda, 2015). Though a large majority of Peruvian youth is concentrated in Lima and other urban areas, their lived experiences are extremely diverse and differentiated along gender, racial, class, and ethnic lines. Youth in Peru, like in other multicultural and multilingual societies experiencing economic vulnerability and dealing with the legacy of nearly 20 years of political unrest (1980s-2000s), have been deeply impacted by violence and inequalities that persist in Peruvian society. However, understanding youth in Peru requires acknowledging them beyond the consequences of inequality and instability and beyond perspectives that simply label them as a population at risk. Policymakers and civil society need to broaden their views on youth and emphasize their efforts to include them as actors who can contribute their voice and vision to address the challenges they and society face. In this chapter we offer a view of Peruvian youth across social and economic contexts, to understand them against the backdrop of contextual disparities, not only in what makes them diverse but also in what makes them part of a group that deserves specific attention through policy-related and programmatic initiatives. Because of our background as educators concerned Valdiviezo, L.A., & López, D. (2018). The Education and Development of Peruvian Youth: Opportunities, Challenges, and Possibilities. In M. Nakkula & A. Schneider-Muñoz (Eds.), Adolescent Psychology in Today’s World; Global perspectives on risk, relationships, and development; Volume 1: The Americas 240-258. Praeger. ISBN 978-1-4408-4633-5