The Cabinet Council, headed by the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, authorized the Minister of Social Development (Mides), María Inés Castillo, to present to the National Assembly the Bill that expands the protection of the elderly .
This initiative modifies Law 36 of 2016, which expands the fundamental rights of the elderly and makes effective a broad State policy to guarantee their comprehensive protection. Likewise, it responds to the great current challenges of the State and addresses the evolution and development in terms of protection of the rights of the elderly, taking into account the socioeconomic and development context that our country is experiencing, and proposing a long-term institutional strengthening, to make effective a broad State policy on the protection of the rights of the elderly population.
This bill also establishes the governance, structure, objectives and functions of the National Institute for the Elderly; in addition to promoting Comprehensive Care Centers, and favors the political, civil, social, cultural, sports and economic participation of the elderly.
The initiative benefits every person over 60 years of age and over, Panamanian or foreign resident in the national territory.
In the last decade, the population of older adults in the Republic of Panama has increased, as has the life expectancy of Panamanians, from an expectation of just over sixty (60) years of life to almost eighty. and five (85) years.
Currently, Panama is going through the largest demographic transition of population aging, which will bring with it great challenges for the Panamanian State in economic, social, health, cultural, demographic matters, and especially, the application of social policies that allow older adults and their families, have regulations that promote and guarantee full enjoyment of rights and well-being in old age.
Since the Declaration of Principles of the elderly of the United Nations Organization (UN), for the year 1999, and the implementation of the Madrid Plan for Aging in the year 2000, to the present, our country has significantly adopted the protection of guarantees to this age group, emphasizing the latest regulations on the comprehensive protection of fundamental rights, guaranteeing a better quality of life within our legal system, rights protected in our National Political Constitution, in terms of their protection and dignity .
Therefore, MIDES, as the Governing Body of Social Policies in the Republic of Panama, has the duty to guarantee older people a regulatory instrument that increasingly expands the comprehensive protection of the rights of older people. and strengthen the national and international efforts that, in the area of human rights, are being implemented and guaranteed, such as the promotion of the full enjoyment of the right to life, health, food, education, housing, culture, work, recreation, privacy and personal integrity, as well as being free from all forms of violence, manipulation, coercion or mistreatment in old age.
