On Tuesday, the National Assembly's Commission on Women, Children, Youth, and Family began the first debate of Bill No. 447, an initiative proposing the creation of a National Institute for Women. This is part of a legislative process aimed at strengthening public policies on equity and women's rights. The President of the National Assembly, Jorge Herrera, stated that this first meeting allowed for diverse and, in some cases, conflicting positions to be heard, which he deemed healthy for the democratic and legislative process as it enriches the analysis of the proposal. According to official information from the National Assembly, the debate saw opinions both for and against the approval of the bill, generating a broad exchange of criteria, as well as technical observations and proposals from various involved sectors. The session included representatives from the Ministry of Social Development (MIDES), civil society organizations, lawyers, the Women's Alliance of Panama, and the National Forum of Women of Political Parties (FONAMUPP), among other actors, who presented their views on the scope and viability of the initiative. The legislative commission has scheduled the next meeting for January 20 at 1:00 p.m. to continue listening to interested sectors and advance the analysis of the bill within the legislative process.
