A/HRC/16/6 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its ninth session from 1 to 12 November 2010. The review of Panama was held at the 4th meeting, on 2 November 2010. The delegation of Panama was headed by Her Excellency Roxana Méndez, Minister of Government. At its 8th meeting, held on 4 November 2010, the Working Group adopted the report on Panama. 2. On 21 June 2010, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Panama: Maldives, Mexico and Uganda. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1, the following documents were issued for the review of Panama: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/9/PAN/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/9/PAN/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/9/PAN/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by the Czech Republic, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Panama through the troika. Those questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process 5. During the interactive dialogue, 34 delegations made statements. Recommendations made during the dialogue are found in section II of the present report. A. Presentation by the State under review 6. The Minister of Government, Roxana Méndez, stated in her introductory remarks that the protection of and respect for human rights were priorities of the Panamanian Administration and that the universal periodic review venue was an opportunity to share with the international community the positions, achievements and challenges of Panama in this area. Moreover, since it took office, a year a half ago, the Administration of President Martinelli had been reviewing Panama’s international obligations in the area of human rights. 7. The universal periodic review exercise had been an opportunity for Panama to reflect from a human dignity perspective. And human dignity could be achieved only by strengthening those areas that consolidated peace and democracy, which were now threatened by poverty, marginalization, inequity, criminality and other forms of violence. Thus, human rights had to be applied across the board by all national institutions. A step towards that objective had been the establishment, in March 2010, of an inter-institutional commission comprising 18 public entities in the three branches of government, which, inter alia, had been responsible for the preparation of the national report for the universal periodic review. 3