[2] In 1980, she began working for international organizations such as OAS, UNICEF and UNDP where she conducted impact measurement studies for development projects on indigenous populations.
Karp recently served as an adjunct professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University.
She donned traditional Andean costume, rallied voters in Quechua, and demonstrated the couple's commitment to indigenous issues.
According to The New York Times, "her flaming red hair and fiery speeches made her a popular and controversial fixture at campaign rallies."
[4] Shortly after Toledo's inauguration, his administration created the National Commission on Andean, Amazon and Afro-Peruvian Communities (CONAPA) of Peru, of which Karp served as president.
"[7] Some critics viewed the very creation of the commission as a step backwards for indigenous Peruvians, noting its leadership by a person with no official government position rather than a ministry head.
The commission also absorbed the former SETAI (office of indigenous affairs), which reportedly led to a loss of autonomy and dynamism for that agency.
Under the terms of this agreement, Peru would have to build a museum and research center near Machu Picchu to Yale's specifications before it could receive a portion of the articles for display and study.
[12] In 2002 Karp reached out to billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates in order to fund a vaccination program for the Candoshi tribes people.
[13] Karp has shown support in favor of a push for more women in the Peruvian congress, and she acknowledges quotas as a means of achieving this.
Karp likened the situation to when she met the Dalai Lama, who is living in exile, and urged support for a petition going through the United Nations to help combat human rights violations.
[18] On 12 May 2023, after her husband was extradited to Peru from the United States, Karp fled to Israel from the U.S. using her Israeli passport to avoid arrest on money laundering charges from the Peruvian justice.