High Commissioner for Human Rights greets Panama on the initiative of the Bicentennial Pact Closing the Gap

The High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations, Chilean Michelle Bachelet, sent a message to the Panamanian people in which she greets "the path taken as a country and" that they are taking advantage of the bicentennial of their independence to go further , to look to tomorrow and build it ”.

 


According to the former Chilean president, the Bicentennial Pact Closing Gaps is a good example of the learning that many democracies are doing, “because it has become clear that good public policies are not enough to ensure well-being and progress, our people also ask for inclusion, they ask recognition and being part of any joint progress ”, he said in the video sent this Tuesday, August 24.

 

In the opinion of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, what they are doing in Panama can be considered an example for many other nations, because it is a process with high participation, but also because it is conceived from the bottom up: from the citizens and their organizations towards state institutions.

 

"You have a great opportunity in your hands," says Bachelet, because he assures that, in many places, democratic institutions are questioned for distancing themselves from the needs that afflict people and thus social revolts and authoritarian experiments have arisen.

 

In his message he indicates that the problems of democracies are solved with more democracy and that this is where the current challenge lies. "That is the opportunity that you have, I would say that it is almost a privilege because democracy must be perfected, renewed and be able to rebuild the links between society and the state." added.

 

With the Bicentennial Pact, Panama can address the challenges of democracies head-on, with social peace, in a dialogue manner, with arguments and proposals, with time and without haste, said Bachete.