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Official figures show the Central American nation has taken a step backward in gender equality since 2009.

Access to basic rights such as health, education and employment is increasingly difficult for women in Panama, a country with a growing gender inequality, the United Nations Development Program said Monday.

Martin Santiago, UNDP resident representative in Panama, said lack of empowerment, opportunities and poor access to the labor market have created a “Panama for men and not for women.”

According to the latest UNDP report, the Central American nation has taken a step-back in gender equality since 2009 measured by maternal mortality, teen pregnancy, education, parliamentary seats occupied by women and labor force statistics.

In 2014, Santiago says, almost 68 percent of Panamian men had jobs, while only 42 percent of women were employed. Part of this can be attributed to the persistent culture of women as housewives.

However, Panamanian women are not alone, according to the latest report by U.N. Women, as women participate in labor markets on an unequal basis with men worldwide. In 2013, the global employment-to-population ratio for men stood at 72 percent versus 47 percent for women.

In addition, women are globally paid less than men, in most countries they earn on average only 60 to 75 percent of men’s wages and gender inequalities in time use are still large and persistent in all countries as well.

Editor: And how does the US fair?

Source:  www.teleSURtv.net/english