President Bachelet: "Inequality in Latin America has the face of women and children."
On November 20th, 2014, the Convention on the Rights of the Child celebrated the 25th anniversary of its approval. President Bachelet, in an interview with Agencia EFE, a Spanish international news agency, emphasized the importance of the campaign, "25 leaders, 25 Voices for Children," launched by UNICEF to protect children. However, President Bachelet voiced her concern that the state needs to create concomitant well defined policies.
The Chilean Embassy in Panama developed a full agenda to improve coordination with UNICEF and the UN Women regional office, aware that missions abroad must undertake the same policies as in Chile itself.
Chilean Ambassador to Panama, Francisco Cruz, held a meeting at the Embassy with Consul, Arturo Navarro, the Regional Director of UNICEF in Panama, Susan Markisz, and her team, where they discussed the actions of the South-South Cooperation. Chile plays a key role, especially with regard to early childhood education, special protection, decentralization of programs and institutional coordination.
Ambassador Cruz accompanied the Chilean delegation at the XVII International Course on the Protection of the Rights of the Child which was organized by the Faculty of Law at the University of Diego Portales, UNICEF and the Judicial Branch of Panama. The course, held in Panama City, aimed to strengthen the legal capacities of those linked to the justice system, in matters concerning the substantive rights granted by the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Ambassador Cruz and Consul Navarro also met for a breakfast meeting with the new Regional Director of UN Women for Latin America and the Caribbean, Luiza Carvalho, where they discussed violence against women, economic empowerment, political participation and, in general, maintaining a more constant communication about "affirmative action." Ambassador Cruz proposed to include this work in an international framework, namely: The #Beijing20 and UN Women campaigns, which have a special focus on the protection and promotion of the human rights of women.
The Embassy maintains a close relationship with the National Women's Forum of Political Parties in Panama, presided by Lorena Gonzalez, and brings together women leaders across all sectors, seeking new ways to promote public policies from a gender perspective, and in the public and private spheres. This relationship has been expressed in several work meetings in order to promote shared knowledge with Chile and to plan activities with the Embassy.