On 30 May, 2024, the Ministry of Women of Panama, together with UN Women and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), presented the new Public Policy: Equal Opportunities for Women 2024 -2034 (PPIOM for its Spanish acronym), which, through 15 thematic axes, seeks to improve governance practices in issues such as legal equity,  comprehensive health assistance, civil and political participation and representation, economic autonomy, situations of vulnerability and migration with a gender perspective  

This new policy is the result of a collaborative effort in which the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations System in Panama actively participated together with other key actors historically linked to the process of guaranteeing women's rights, as well as with new emerging actors that promote equal opportunities for women in the country, regardless of their migration status. 

To create this new roadmap, past policies, such as the PPIOM 2012 and the Action Plan 2016-2019, were reviewed with a critical analysis and reflection on the progress made since their development. This made it possible to update the objectives of Panama's new policy to address the gaps that prevent women from achieving equality in the country. 

IOM has been an active and key partner in this process, especially in the creation of Axis 14: Migration and Human Mobility. Multiple IOM technical specialists participated in numerous feedback sessions, contributing their knowledge and practical experience to enrich this axis. Their contribution also focused on ensuring that the migration perspective was fully integrated into the public policy, bringing more visibility to this issue and addressing the specific needs and challenges faced by migrant women. 

The PPIOM 2024–2034 aligns with international and regional frameworks that guarantee human rights and gender equality, such as the Millennium Development Goals, the 2023 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development, reaffirming Panama's commitment to guaranteeing and protecting human rights. 

IOM is committed to continue supporting these initiatives and to working closely with the Government of Panama and other strategic partners to ensure the effective implementation of this policy, especially regarding Axis 14 on Migration and Human Mobility. 

Click here to learn more about the Public Policy: Equal Opportunities for Women 2024-2034. 

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