Vivian Fernández de Torrijos
Former first lady, Panama
Vivian Fernández de Torrijos is a proud mother of three, the eldest of whom was born with sequelae of prematurity and slow development. This was a life-changing experience for Vivian, who committed to improving the circumstances that children with disabilities like her daughter, and their families, face every day. As Panama’s first lady from 2004 to 2009, she was instrumental in changing the country’s approach to disability rights, making the country’s public institutions, public policies and social programs more inclusive.