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More Rights for more Women

The Ministry of Government and the Directorate General of Prisons of the Republic of Panama, with the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) organized an event to commemorate the International Women's Day in the Female Rehabilitation Centre (CEFERE) of Panama City.

The event was attended by national authorities, non-governmental organizations, women prisoners and prison officers.

The prison reform team coordinator of UNODC ROPAN expressed that despite the progress made in recent years, it is necessary to demand access to all rights, for all women.

During the past five years, UNODC has worked in order to facilitate prison management with a gender perspective in line with international standards of criminal justice and human rights, primarily the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (known as Bangkok Rules) and the recently adopted Nelson Mandela Rules.

UNODC, through projects implemented with funding from the European Union (SECOPA Project) and the US Embassy, has collaborated on the design of the first diagnosis on the situation of women deprived of liberty, the implementation of the program for the special care of women in context of confinement, social reintegration activities, as well as the strengthening of the Prison Training Academy through training with gender perspective of all prison staff.

During the event, UNODC formally presented and delivered banners containing information based on the first regulation made from a gender perspective, detailing the forbidden objects when entering a female prison.

Regarding the staff, the prison reform team coordinator of UNODC ROPAN highlighted the support given to the creation of the prison service career and the welfare programs for the female prison officers. UNODC also made a tribute to two Spanish female prison officers, who left an important legacy to the prison sciences, Concepcion Arenal and Victoria Kent.

The event culminates with the unveiling of a mural painted by women deprived of liberty, the musical performance by the artist Valeria Obando, who was accompanied by the choir of women prisoners of CEFERE, and the presentation of an institutional video made by the Ministry of Government ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkRCUZWDPtU&feature=youtu.be).