A political party leader highlighted the historical role of women within the collective and national politics, calling for a strengthening of their participation in decision-making. He noted that the party was a pioneer in promoting gender equality, even before regulations in the Electoral Code that already mandated 35% female participation. Currently, the organization is committed to presenting concrete proposals to address the main problems facing the Panamanian population. According to him, the cost of living is being affected: the price of gasoline, transportation, and products has increased due to the armed conflict. Experts warn that a long road still lies ahead. The event featured the participation of international political consultant Fanny Ramírez and Panamanian sociologist Maribel Jaén, who agreed that women's political participation remains insufficient. Ramírez highlighted that while Latin America shows relatively positive figures overall, significant disparities between countries persist, both in the quantity and quality of female participation. She pointed out that politics has traditionally not been a space for women, which necessitates strengthening their skills and knowledge in this area. Additionally, she cited limited investment by political parties in women's training as a major obstacle. Nevertheless, she noted as a progress that in Panama, 20% of public party funding must be allocated to their training. According to data presented during the event, women's participation in parliaments globally reaches 27%, while in Panama it stands at approximately 21%, which shows the path that still needs to be traveled. Jaén emphasized that increasing women's political participation requires political will and profound cultural change. Regarding the rise in femicide cases in the country, Salas was emphatic about the need to strengthen laws against gender-based violence. "It is necessary to transform the patriarchal culture that has caused so much harm, and to train women from their communities so that political parties can connect with their aspirations and needs," he concluded.
