More than three hundred thousand Peruvian women and men were sterilized during the government of Alberto Fujimori in the 1990s. The government says the procedures were voluntary. But thousands of those on the receiving end maintain they were forced, and they're demonstrating on the streets of the capital for justice.

In Peru's capital Lima, thousands march against presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori.

Among them, hundreds of young women demonstrating on behalf of those who have no voice.

"We are the daughters of the peasant women that you could not sterilize," said protesters.

We are two thousand and seventy four and many more, they call themselves, a reference to the number of registered victims from a massive campaign of alleged forced sterilization in the 1990s … during the government of the candidate's now jailed father Alberto Fujimori.

The past hangs heavily over this election but Keiko Fujimori is the frontrunner in the vote next month.

"Keiko Fujimori does not recognize there was a state policy which sterilized thousands of women. It's known that there are 2074 who reported being sterilized and their cases are being investigated. We believe that restoring Fujimorism is dangerous, a danger for those sterilized women, and for their chance of getting justice and compensation," said Sandra De La Cruz victims' advocate.

Fujimori, who served as her father's first lady during the late 1990s, has blamed medical staff for the sterilizations.

But there is testimony from an official investigation that the orders came directly from the health ministry.

In an electoral debate, Fujimori pledged to make amends.

"I pledge to continue the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and to compensate the victims of the political violence as well as the women affected by the reproductive health program," said Keiko Fujimori presidential candidate.

Most of the women were poor, many illiterate - and lived in Peru's Andes mountains in town like Santo Tomas in Chumbivilcas, near Cusco .

Women like Felicia Mamani, who had just given birth when she was operated on.

"Now you will have no more children, the doctor said to me. You've already got an army. This was a favor for me, he said. I have four children. They never examined us beforehand, there was no preparation. We were just like lambs to the slaughter," said Felicia Mamani sterilization victim.

More than three hundred thousand women and twenty thousand men were sterilized during Fujimori's time in office, according to health ministry figures.

"These women are just a handful of those sterilized in massive nationwide campaign in the 1990s. Some had children, some hadn't even begun to start families. All say they were tricked or didn't understand the consequences of what was being done to them. And they still live with those irreversible consequences to this day," said Dan Collyns  Chumbivilcas.

The victims are - for the first time - being registered, giving them the right to state compensation.

"This inscription process creates three fundamental rights; the right to free health care, the right to psychological treatment and through the justice ministry, free legal advice or any other legal service the victim requires," said Roberto Chavez public defense director, Cusco.

It's a human rights crime, says the lawyer representing the victims Julio Arbizu..

"This is an atrocious crime against a specific group of women and men based on the idea that it would combat poverty but in fact it combatted the poor," said Julio Arbizu lawyer for victims.

A criminal case could be re-opened against jailed former president Fujimori and his health ministers for the 2,074 cases.

But that may depend on who becomes the next president of Peru.