Fundación Iguales Study Reveals Gaps in LGBTIQ+ Labor Rights in Panama

A new study by Fundación Iguales reveals significant gaps in public labor policies, as well as in institutional practices and effective protection mechanisms for LGBTIQ+ workers within the labor environment and the country's union movement. Led by researchers Angel Garay Figueroa and Monica Romero Zapata, the research analyzes the intersection between trade unionism and the LGBTIQ+ population, an area historically little explored in Panama. Fundación Iguales highlights that there is a willingness within trade unions to promote actions in favor of diversity, identifying collective bargaining agreements as key tools for effective protection. Finally, the document offers technical and legal recommendations aimed at strengthening the role of trade unions as promoters of human rights. The study also describes the State's position regarding the Advisory Opinion OC-24/17 of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and analyzes the current practices of trade union organizations. As part of the methodology, Fundación Iguales made requests for access to public information to five state entities: the Social Security Fund (CSS), the Ombudsman's Office, the Directorate General of Administrative Career (DIGECA), SIACAP, and the Ministry of Labor and Labor Development (MITRADEL). This exercise allowed to identify challenges in records and specific protocols, in addition to evaluating the alignment of institutions with international standards derived from the Universal Periodic Review. Recommendations for an inclusive work culture. The results of the study, which included more than 10 in-depth interviews with union leaders, show that although there is a formal stance against discrimination, a gap persists in the practical implementation of these rights. The central objective was to evaluate the labor situation of these people and build bridges for dialogue between both movements, based on social justice and human dignity.