Esther Neira de Calvo

Esther Neira de Calvo (1890–1978) was a prominent educator, feminist and women's right advocate. She was the first woman elected as a National Deputy to the Third Constituent Assembly in Panama. She was the founder and president of the National Society for the Advancement of Women and of the Women's Patriotic League, and actively worked for Panamanian women's enfranchisement, finally attained in 1945–46. She served as Executive Secretary of the Inter American Commission of Women from 1949 to 1965 and was Panama's Ambassador to the Council of the Organization of American States from 1966 to 1968.

Biography Esther Neira de Calvo was born on May 1, 1890, in Penonomé, Coclé, when the Isthmus of Panama was a Colombian Department. Her parents were Rafael Neira Ayala, member of the National Constituent Assembly of the Republic of Panama in 1904, and Julia Laffargue de Neira. She began her studies in Penonomé and Taboga, continuing in Panama City at the Normal school for Women.

In 1904, soon after Panama separated from Colombia, the first Government of the Republic of Panama offered her a scholarship to study education in Belgium. She spent the next eight years studying at the Pedagogic Institute Wavre Notre Dame, Belgium, affiliated with the universities of Leuven and Brussels. During this time she earned degrees as primary school teacher and professor of pedagogy, specialized in secondary education and administration; professor of French and English languages, and professor of physical education. She also earned certificates as a nurse for community hygiene, a first aid attendant from the Belgian Red Cross and as voice professor, endorsed by the Antwerp Conservatory of Music. She traveled throughout countries of Europe, studying their cultures and languages. In 1912, she moved to the United States where she studied American education programs.

Educational work

Esther Neira returned to Panama in 1913 and began her professional career as a professor of pedagogy at the Normal School for Women. Later, she became a professor of Hygiene and Childcare at the Professional School.

In 1926, she organized and chaired the Inter American Women's Congress, the first international feminist congress in Panama, in parallel to the Bolivarian Amphithetical Congress of 1826.

In 1938, when only five countries in the Americas recognized the right of women to vote and to be elected to political life, she was appointed by the Panamanian government as a delegate to the Inter American Commission of Women (IACW), an organization created in Havana in 1928, to work for the extension of civil, political, economic and cultural rights of women.

When the Organization of American States (OAS) was created in 1948 by the Ninth Pan American Conference in Bogotá, Colombia, the IACW became part of that organization.

Last years

After her retirement from the IACW in 1965, she represented Panama as Ambassador, alternate representative to the Council of the OAS. The following year, she participated in the Fourth Meeting of the Inter American Cultural Council of the OAS. In 1967, she attended the Twelfth Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs held in Washington. Foremost among them:

"Les Palmes Académiques, Officier d'Academie" conferred in 1935 by the French Ministry of Education for "her services to French culture in Panama". "Orden al Mérito" conferred in 1945 by the Republic of Chile as organizer and delegate of Panama to the First Conference of Ministers of Education of the Americas" held in Panama the prior year. "Orden Vasco Núñez de Balboa, Gran Oficial" conferred in 1946 by the Republic of Panama, imposed by the President Enrique A. Jiménez, as a National Deputy to the Third Constituent Assembly. "Orden Al Mérito Duarte, Sánchez y Mella" conferred in 1956 by the Dominican Republic as IACW Executive Secretary during the Twelfth IACW Assembly held in Ciudad Trujillo (Santo Domingo), Dominican Republic that year. Three USA academic institutions distinguished her with honorary degrees: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, in 1937: Doctor of Pedagogy. Russell Sage College, Troy, New York, in 1941: Doctor of Education, presented by the U.S. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt during a Pan American Festival at the college campus. Western College for Women, Oxford, Ohio, in 1967: Doctor of Law. In 1963, Esther Neira de Calvo was offered a National Tribute in her native country Panama, as organizer and first Directress of the Women's Lyceum, on the occasion of the Silver Anniversary celebrations of the Lyceum Foundation. There she received awards and recognitions from official, academic, cultural and social institutions of Panama. Foremost: "Manuel José Hurtado" Medal, conferred by the Ministry of Education "in recognition of her services in the field of education" imposed by the President of Panama, Roberto F. Chiari. "Octavio Méndez Pereira" Medallion presented by the Rector of the University of Panama, Narciso Garay P. The Municipal Council of Panama declared her "Distinguished Guest of the Capital City for being one of the most conspicuous figures of national education and one of the most outstanding exponents of Panamanian women".