What is it like to be a trans advocate in Panama and resist the pandemic?

Bárbara Delgado is president of the Panamanian Trans Association. Her testimony is part of a report that reveals what it's like to be a trans woman and a human rights defender in the midst of the pandemic.

February 3, 2021

Illustrations: Patricio Oliver for Front Line Defenders

This is the story of Bárbara Delgado, president of the Panamanian Trans Association, and what it's like to be a trans woman and a human rights defender during the pandemic. Her testimony is part of a project that compiles the voices and experiences of more than fifty LGBT+ human rights defenders in 13 countries around the world. The LGBTIQ+ and Sex Workers' Rights Report, Defenders at Risk During COVID-19, was produced by Front Line Defenders.

Between April and July 2020, they conducted remote interviews with more than 50 human rights defenders protecting the rights of LGBTI people and sex workers. The research revealed a sharp increase in physical attacks, sexual assaults, and harassment by security forces against human rights defenders during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is exemplified by Bárbara's story, among others.

The Spanish version of the report will be presented on Monday, February 8 at 11 am Mexico, 2 pm Panama and Peru, and 2 pm Argentina.

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