Report on women’s political participation in Panama
Source: International IDEA
The report, prepared by researchers Tamara Martinez Paredes and Ramon Benjamin Miranda, documents both the progress achieved and the persistent structural barriers that continue to prevent Panamanian women from fully exercising their political rights on equal terms.
In this regard, Marcela Rios Tobar, International IDEA’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, noted that the report serves as a critical tool for strengthening discussions on the reforms needed to advance women’s political participation in the country. Meanwhile, Narciso Arellano Moreno, Presiding Magistrate of Panama’s Electoral Tribunal, described the publication not merely as a compilation of statistics, but as a “call to transformative action” aimed at addressing a longstanding debt within Panamanian democracy.
The findings reveal a striking contrast between women’s high levels of civic engagement and their underrepresentation in decision-making spaces.
One particularly significant finding is that, for the fifth consecutive election, women played the leading role in Election Day participation, accounting for 52.31% of voters, compared to 47.69% men on May 5, 2024.
The report, prepared by researchers Tamara Martinez Paredes and Ramon Benjamin Miranda, documents both the progress achieved and the persistent structural barriers that continue to prevent Panamanian women from fully exercising their political rights on equal terms.
In this regard, Marcela Rios Tobar, International IDEA’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, noted that the report serves as a critical tool for strengthening discussions on the reforms needed to advance women’s political participation in the country. Meanwhile, Narciso Arellano Moreno, Presiding Magistrate of Panama’s Electoral Tribunal, described the publication not merely as a compilation of statistics, but as a “call to transformative action” aimed at addressing a longstanding debt within Panamanian democracy.
The findings reveal a striking contrast between women’s high levels of civic engagement and their underrepresentation in decision-making spaces.
One particularly significant finding is that, for the fifth consecutive election, women played the leading role in Election Day participation, accounting for 52.31% of voters, compared to 47.69% men on May 5, 2024.