Panama: advancements on the actions within the technical cooperation agreement between RELAF and UNICEF Panama

During July and August, RELAF's team has continued working on the actions undertaken in Panama. The technical cooperation agreement with UNICEF aims at adapting the public policies in order to properly care for and protect children and, more specifically, to prevent the institutionalisation of children and to design strategies and alternative care programmes.

In order to make a diagnosis on the situation, during June a study on the current condition of adoption in Panama was carried out within the framework of the process to create a child rights protection system. This research is to be finished soon and has been a key element into having an up-to-date evaluation and into offering orientations for improvement, developing specialised interventions on the deinstitutionalisation of children and adolescents. Carrying through a “Pilot test” on deinstitutionalisation is part of this technical strategy: a Pilot test is already undergoing in Casa Hogar Soná (Veraguas province), which is within the sphere of the Ministry of Social Development (Ministerio de Desarrollo Social, MIDES, in Spanish). RELAF met the staff working at Casa Hogar Soná and the children housed there individually in order to fully know each singular situation. RELAF also held a meeting with the authorities of the Municipality to raise their awareness on the issue and articulating the local and community networks that will allow this Pilot test to be implemented.

This intense schedule also involved technical support activities intended to train the working teams of several programmes of the National Secretariat for Childhood, Adolescence and Family (Secretaría Nacional de Niñez, Adolescencia y Familia, SENNIAF, in Spanish) based in Central, Colón, Veraguas and Chiriquí offices. Additionally, the activities included a follow-up on the strategy for the strengthening of the civil society on the matter, focused mainly on the professionals and operators who are part of the National Network to Support the Children and Adolescents of Panama (Red Nacional de Apoyo a la Niñez y Adolescencia de Panamá, REDNANIAP, in Spanish).

MIDES authorities ratified their involvement and their support to the technical actions promoted by RELAF and UNICEF with the purpose of preserving and guaranteeing the right to family life of all Panamanian children.