A/HRC/30/7 Government was aware that constructing prisons did not by itself solve the problems of the system, it considered it necessary to improve the prison infrastructure to ensure respect for the human rights of detainees. In this regard, the “Nueva Joya” penitentiary, with a capacity of more than 5,000 detainees, was about to open. 81. With regard to women deprived of their liberty, the Government had made a diagnosis from a gender and rights perspective and had designed a special programme to assist women in situations of confinement. In the case of juvenile detainees, the Government had given priority to providing them with comprehensive care and improving the infrastructure. 82. With regard to the rights of indigenous peoples, the Government was working on a comprehensive development plan in consultation with indigenous authorities. The plan had three components: political, economic and social. The political one was aimed at strengthening the traditional indigenous structures and authorities. The economic component sought to reduce poverty levels and improve the economic conditions of indigenous peoples by strengthening their production and traditional economic structures. The social axis sought to implement specific programmes to improve the levels of education, culture, health, housing and infrastructure in indigenous territories. 83. With regard to the implementation of the adversarial criminal justice system, its application would be extended to a third judicial district, out of four, in September 2015. By September 2016, the system should be in place throughout the country. According to official statistics, the duration of court proceedings applying the new justice system had decreased by 63 per cent and the use of preventive detention had fallen by 60-70 per cent. 84. Regarding the questions and recommendations on actions taken to reduce violence against women, Panama had developed regulations, plans, policies and programmes to provide assistance to women facing various forms of violence. 85. The comprehensive centres for guidance and care of the Ministry of Social Development provided free, comprehensive and specialized care, psychosocial counselling and legal advice. The National Institute for Women also provided psychosocial and legal support to women victims of domestic and other forms of violence through an interdisciplinary team. Local networks to fight violence against women had also been created, many of them with the support from entities of the United Nations system. Staff working in the judiciary had also been trained, especially officers in contact with women victims and alleged perpetrators. 86. The delegation emphasized that Panama was implementing a public policy on equal opportunities for women. An inter-institutional plan was being elaborated, with wide participation of civil society, to implement the policy. 87. The statistics system had been strengthened and updated with a gender perspective, and projects for rural women were being carried out to provide access to advice, training and credit, with the aim of promoting economic empowerment. 88. Panama thanked the delegations that had intervened during the interactive dialogue in an open and constructive manner on issues that were of interest to the international community and that affected the human rights of the Panamanian people. 89. In closing, the delegation manifested that, since 2010, the Government had worked on the implementation of the recommendations it received during its first review. It recognized that the work was not over. The delegation reiterated the Government’s commitment to protecting human rights. The recommendations received during the second universal periodic review would provide guidance and support to improve the culture of coexistence and understanding, the cornerstones of the promotion of human rights, and contribute to strengthening Panamanian democracy. 12

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