The Iglesia Ascensión del Señor, in coordination with the Archdiocese of Panama and the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) held the First Congress of Women in the Church, the Synodal Challenge on November 24, 25 and 26, 2021, within the framework of the 16 days of activism to eliminate violence against women. 

During the congress,  which aimed  to encourage reflection and analysis on the importance of promoting the values of justice, equity and solidarity between men and women,  fostering  the integration of migrant women and citizen participation,  IOM  participated  in the panel Current Reality of Migration in Panama, "The Mission of the Church and Migrants". 

This human mobility panel presented the work carried out by the Organization at the national and local levels, the context of migration in Panama and the projects executed by IOM. In addition, to boost the importance of mental health, there was the interactive space organized by the IOM team  ¡Dale valor a salud mental!, to promote mental health with art. 

Representatives of several allied organizations such as Fe y Alegría Panamá, the Pastoral of Human Mobility, public institutions and Civil Society organizations, women of the community and social pastorals participated in this first edition of the congress. 

"Although we have achieved some goals in terms of access to rights, violence against women persists, which has been increased by the mobility restrictions and quarantine triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak," said Santiago Paz,  Head of the Global Administrative Center of Panama and Chief of Mission in Panama. 

"That is why it is of vital importance to have this type of spaces to promote female empowerment, the exchange of ideas among women of different nationalities, and the participation of key actors from different sectors for inclusion in a more equitable society," Paz stressed. 

A series of coordination meetings and integration activities carried out by the IOM team within communities, such as Las Mañanitas, were held at the congress,  where it was  possible to identify the presence of the migrant population and support key community alliances with organizations such as La Parroquia La Ascensión del Señor, seeking integration with the community  and its local organizations. 

For more information, contact IOM Panama's communications team via iompanama@iom.int