Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In spite of these advances, women still face many obstacles in Panamanian society.
Machismo and gross stereotypes are more prevalent in rural areas than in urban ones, but
even in the cities women have to face lower wages and sexual harassment, and are nearly
twice as likely to be unemployed. Although women make up nearly half of the work-
force, they remain underrepresented in positions of power and in public service, with
17% representation in parliament.
Overall, women are having fewer children and are having them later in life. Many
postpone motherhood to enter the workplace - a pattern that exists in Europe and the
USA. Panama also has a growing number of single mothers, particularly at the lower in-
come bracket. This problem is compounded by the facts that women have no right to an
abortion (it's illegal in Panama) and that the teenage pregnancy rate is high. According to
a 2000 UN survey, 22% of women were married, widowed or divorced before the age of
20. At the same time, they are expected to work and help support the household. As the
legal age for marriage for girls is 14 (boys 16), teenage marriage is still prevalent.
In indigenous communities, women face many hardships, including poor access to
health care and a low level of prenatal care. Prevailing stereotypes also mean that girls
are less likely to attend school - among indigenous populations, more than half of wo-
men are illiterate compared to one-third of men. Women also enter motherhood at much
younger ages and bear more children than their mestizo counterparts.
