Marina Pérez, Executive Director of Fundamorgan, argues that true equality for women in Panama requires concrete action beyond symbolic gestures. Her comments come as the nation marks International Women’s Day with a persistent gap between legal rights and lived reality.
Each March 8th prompts renewed discussion about women’s rights. While these rights exist within international treaties and national laws, Pérez contends many women still cannot fully exercise them. The 2026 theme from UN Women, “Rights. Justice. Action. For all women and girls,” highlights this enduring deficit rather than introducing new concepts.
The Persistent Gap Between Law and Reality
Access to justice and the full exercise of rights remain a privilege for some women and an uneven, difficult path for others. Pérez emphasizes that the phrase “for all women and girls” forces a recognition of unequal barriers. This concept, known as Intersectionality, means a woman’s experience is shaped by multiple overlapping identities.
Women living in poverty, survivors of violence, rural and Indigenous women, those with disabilities, and women with low education levels face the compounded effects of historical inequality most intensely. These conditions directly impact their real possibility of participating fully in society and claiming their rights.
“Talking about rights and justice only makes sense when it translates into action. Otherwise, we will keep talking about equality without making it a reality.” [Translated from Spanish]
These societal inequalities directly affect the business sector, Pérez notes. They influence labor participation, productivity, legal security, and the stability of corporate operating environments. Ignoring them not only perpetuates inequality but also weakens social cohesion and institutional trust.
The Critical Role of the Private Sector
Advanced laws alone cannot solve these deep-seated problems. Effective action requires public policies, programs, technical personnel, adequate budgets, and political will. The private sector holds a key role in this ecosystem as both a major employer and an actor capable of shaping more just and inclusive practices.
For companies, this translates into compliance, due diligence, and robust ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards, particularly within the social and governance pillars. Pérez states that promoting workplaces free from violence and discrimination is both an ethical imperative and a core business function.
Guaranteeing effective internal reporting mechanisms and adopting equality policies constitutes responsible management of legal, reputational, and operational risks. It is fundamentally linked to respecting and guaranteeing human rights.
International Women’s Day serves as more than a symbolic date, Pérez concludes. It is a reminder that rights must be guaranteed, justice must function, and action must be sustained over time. Achieving this demands coherence between discourse and practice, sustained and progressive investment, and a view of corporate sustainability that contributes to more just and equitable societies where all people can prosper.