In Panama, access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) remains unequal and limited, despite the country's economic growth. Institutional conservatism, deep social inequalities, and a lack of political will continue to obstruct the fulfillment of these rights, particularly for women, youth, and LGBTIQ+ people.

Claudia Vidal, Executive Director of Palabras Poderosxs, a Panamanian feminist collective focused on menstrual justice and political education from an intersectional perspective, explains that “the main challenge is the government's lack of interest in talking about SRHR from an evidence-based and innovative perspective that dismantles old myths and prejudices”. This lack of state commitment is reflected in the absence of comprehensive sexuality education, restricted access to contraceptives, and barriers to voluntary sterilization. In this last case, women face requirements and conditions that are not imposed on men, limiting their reproductive autonomy and reinforcing inequality in access to permanent contraception methods. There is also no public policy in place to address needs such as menstrual health management.

Glee Torrealba, President of CIMUF, the first LesBiTransQueer feminist organization in Panama, highlights how these barriers are even greater for women and sex-gender diverse people, who face institutional invisibility and systematic exclusion. “Panama faces multiple structural challenges. The main one is the lack of political will: most authorities maintain conservative positions either due to religious conviction or fear of political backlash,” she states. This is compounded by the lack of disaggregated data, which makes it impossible to design policies grounded in people’s real and differentiated experiences, and by a legal framework that criminalizes abortion and fails to guarantee access to sexual and reproductive health services for LBTIQ+ populations—deepening their exclusion and vulnerability.

From a public health perspective, Jennifer Delgado Urueta, Executive Director of the Panamanian Association for Family Planning (APLAFA), stresses that “Panama is a country with high economic growth, but with deep social inequalities, which means that people - especially women - face multiple barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services”. This is further exacerbated by a weak legal and policy framework: there is no legislation guaranteeing sexuality education, no public awareness campaigns, no dedicated budget for contraceptives, and legal restrictions such as the requirement of a medical prescription to access emergency contraception.

In the context of decreasing international funding, all three interviewees agree that sustaining SRHR work will require strengthening networks, diversifying funding sources, and prioritizing community-based collaboration. For Glee, it is essential to “build economic self-sustainability strategies that strengthen our autonomy and resilience”, while Claudia emphasizes the need to build skills in fundraising and grant management, and to foster national alliances. Jennifer adds that collaboration between organizations and direct engagement with local communities is fundamental to ensure both impact and relevance on the ground.

Despite these many limitations, Panamanian organizations have achieved notable progress and offer valuable lessons for the region. Initiatives such as MenstruAcción, a coalition of 16 organizations pushing for a menstrual health law, or the more than 100 adolescent-friendly health centers supported by UNFPA, demonstrate the power of collective action. Longstanding efforts, such as APLAFA’s involvement in the International Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice FOS Feminista, or the community education spaces led by palabras poderosxs, CIMUF, and APLAFA show how creativity, grassroots organizing, and resilience can carve out paths forward, even in adverse contexts. “The global community can learn that with an intersectional approach, creativity, and peer-to-peer alliances, it is possible to make an impact—even when the system is working against us,” concludes Glee.