Human Trafficking in [Panama] [other countries]
Street Children in [Panama] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [Panama] [other countries]
 

Prevalence, Abuse & Exploitation of Street Children

Republic of Panama [ Country-by-Country Reports ]

The Republic of Panama [map] occupies the Isthmus of Panama, which connects Central and South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica (W) and Colombia (E), with the Panama Canal bisecting the country. Its capital and largest city is Panama City. A continuous conflict of power has led to poor services for children. Health and education services have been seriously affected and overloaded given a trend in demand from private to public services. There is more crime, and in reaction, adolescents are widely blamed.

CAUTION:  The following links and accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in Panama. Some of these links may lead to websites that present allegations that are unsubstantiated or even false.  No attempt has been made to validate their authenticity or to verify their content.

UNICEF - The Big Picture

U.S. Dept of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs

INCIDENCE AND NATURE OF CHILD LABOR - Children are also found working in urban areas in Panama, especially in the informal sector, in street vending and performing, washing cars, and running errands for business or crime groups. Children also work informally in urban markets and trash dumps. Supermarkets reportedly allow young children to bag groceries in return for tips

Bur of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor - Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005

SECTION 6 WORKER RIGHTS – [d] Many children continued to work in the informal sector of the economy as street vendors, shoe shiners, cleaning car windows, washing cars, bagging groceries in supermarkets, picking trash, or simply begging for money. A 2005 ILO survey estimated 52 thousand children between the ages of 5 and 17 worked in the informal sector. The government estimated there were 15 thousand children employed or working on their own informally in urban areas of the country. Approximately 45 percent of these children did not attend school.

Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - 2004

[17] The Committee acknowledges the newly created Integrated System of Indicators for Development and the data collection by, inter alia, the centre for information and the Social Cabinet, but it is concerned about the continuing insufficiency of measures to collect disaggregated statistical data and other information on the situation of children belonging to the most vulnerable groups, in particular girls, street children, disabled children, children living in rural areas, refugees, asylum-seekers and indigenous children.

Feature Stories on Human Development Themes in LAC Region

Panama's Social Emergency Fund (FES) Indigenous Project is an integrated community project. Its five components support: intercultural bilingual education, community centers for promotion of health and sanitation, sustainable production and commercialization activities, organizational strengthening of communities, and school construction and rehabilitation.

Organization Created To Defend Children And Youth

The Municipal Council of Panama has created the Municipal Board for the Defense and Development of Childhood and Youth, with the purpose of promoting the defense of rights of the child and young person. The expect, also, to bring special attention to the minors who work in the streets and who suffer mistreatment.

ROPE - Relief for Oppressed People Everywhere

[05/00] The area where our ROPEHOLDERS work is one of the poorest in Panama. They have been helping some children who cannot go to school because they have either no uniform or no books.

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Human Trafficking in [Panama] [other countries]
Street Children in [Panama] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [Panama] [other countries]