The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled Thursday that Peru is responsible for the death of Celia Ramos, who died in 1997 after undergoing sterilization "under coercion" at age 34. The landmark decision marks the first ruling by the regional human rights court on Peru's forced sterilization program.

The sterilization program operated between 1996 and 2000 and primarily targeted poor, rural and Indigenous women. According to court documents, approximately 310,000 women were subjected to the procedures during this period.

Ramos died following complications from the sterilization procedure she underwent in 1997. The court's ruling establishes state responsibility for her death and the circumstances surrounding the coercive sterilization program.

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights serves as the highest human rights judicial body in Latin America, with jurisdiction over cases involving violations of the American Convention on Human Rights by member states.

The ruling represents a significant legal precedent for addressing historical human rights violations related to reproductive rights and the targeting of marginalized populations in Peru's sterilization campaign.