Panamanian women still at a disadvantage

A Ministry of Social Development report warns that gender inequality still exists in Panama.

The Ombudsman’s Office announced that it was concerned about increased violence against women and called on the government to Take Action.

 

 

 

PANAMA CITY, Panama (La Estrella) – After International Women’s Day celebrations on 8 March, Panama’s Ministry of Social Development (MIDES) published its latest report on gender which shows that some of the factors holding Panamanian women back are violence, gender-based poverty, unequal access to education, and lack of political activism.

 

Speaking at an international roundtable organized by UNESCO at its Paris headquarters to celebrate International Women’s Day, Fernandez de Torrijos said that “in every revolution, personal change come before collective change”.



EFE reported that Panama’s first lady, Vivian Fernandez de Torrijos,

has called for “a revolution without weapons” to promote equality between the sexes and to shake off “discriminatory, violent, and unfair attitudes”. 

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Women of our World, the time has come:

“a revolution without weapons”

 

  

 

An indigenous Kuna woman votes in the Veracruz district, 15km from Panama City. Although Panamanian women now have greater access to education, with three times more of them than men having university degrees and postgraduate qualifications, the wage gap that has existed since the 1990s has not yet been closed.

 

According to the MIDES report, 221 women were murdered between 2000 and 2007. One hundred and thirty-three of these murders were gender-related, with 87 of them committed by a partner.

With 18 Panamanian women murdered so far this year, the Panamanian Ombudsman’s Office also expressed its concern, according to EFE, and emphasized that the state has to be “on the lookout for the required changes and must take into account the real needs of women and society so that we can obtain the respect and tolerance that is vital if men and women are to share a society without violence”.

La Estrella reported that, although Panamanian women now have greater access to education and three times more of them than men have university degrees and postgraduate qualifications, the wage gap that has existed since the 1990s has not yet been closed.

In 2000, women earned on average US$1,707 per year, while men earned US$3,062, almost twice as much. Nine years later the gap remains the same.

Meanwhile gains by women have been seen on other fronts. According to the MIDES report, women are becoming more active in politics. The percentage of women in parliament almost doubled between 1999 and 2007. They also have a significant role in the Executive, where three ministries and five vice-ministries are headed by women.

  

UN Women:   www.unwomen.org  

Source:    http://www.infosurhoy.com/