A technical cooperation showing results

In recent months, we made several trips to Panama, and all of them were characterized by an intense work agenda. The implementation of the "Model for the Prevention of Abandonment and Institutionalisation" with UNICEF, SENNIAF, MIDES Panama, and other key players in the areas of health and early education, at the hands of Matilde Luna and Sara González, was held in October. In November, in the middle of the National Holidays Parades in Panama, a call for Foster Families for the deinstitutionalisation of children and adolescents of the area was held in Soná, Veraguas.

In addition, we worked on the documentary about Casa Hogar Soná, as part of the Pilot Plan. In December, we met with UNICEF Panama, SENNIAF, MIDES, and the Office of the First Lady, as well as with several NGOs, REDNANIAP, Hogar Malambo and Clamor del Corazón to identify obstacles, strengths and pending matters in order to deepen the work regarding deinstitutionalisation and prevention of the separation from the family of origin in the country.

Continuing with the work undertaken in Panama, RELAF, with substantial support from SENNIAF, MIDES Panama and UNICEF Panama, carried out the implementation of the "Model for the Prevention of Abandonment and Institutionalisation" (available at http://www.relaf.org/materiales/ModeloPrevencion.pdf). This was conducted by Matilde Luna and Sara González, and held at the UNICEF offices located in Ciudad del Saber, on October 26 with the presence of representatives from the areas of Social Development and Health, the Secretariat for Children, Youth and Family and people related to early education.

On October 27, SENNIAF personnel was trained in Panama City and Colón regarding the prevention of early separation. Afterwards, on the 29th, Matilde Luna and Sara Gonzalez moved to the province of Veraguas to continue the implementation of the Model for the Prevention of early separation, this time with the presence of representatives from decentralised offices from MIDES and SENNIAF, along with courts, kindergartens, health centers and professionals who work in services and programmes for pregnant women and young children.

On the other hand, Miguel Sorbello undertook​​ activities at Hogar Malambo as a pilot case to the civil society of institutional restructuring, specifically strengthening programmes of community outreach, this time with the revision of the programme entitled "Your dignity is valuable" (prevention and protection of children victims of sexual abuse and exploitation).

It’s important to highlight the emerging developments that are taking place in Panama in relation to the creation of family-based alternative care for children. While it is a process that will take time and careful adjustments, these new ways to care for children and their families break decades of hegemony of the institutional model, which used to be the only response in the Panamanian childcare system.

Soná District parade

Within the parades commemorating the Panamanian national holidays in November, in the district of Soná, SENNIAF, with the support of MIDES Panama, UNICEF Panama, and RELAF, organised a campaign to promote and strengthen the ‎Foster Families Programme aimed at the deinstitutionalisation of children and adolescents of the town, calling on families and the community in general.

There was a great deal of commitment from the teams, and a good ability to speak for the cause of children and adolescents of Panama. For us, it is also a step that brings us closer to our goal of restoring the rights of the girls housed at Casa Hogar Soná, and that we hope to accomplish soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Casa Hogar Soná documentary

In the past few months, together with UNICEF Panama, we have been working on the documentary about the full-time institution Casa Hogar Soná, located in the town of Soná (Veraguas). With this film, we seek to inform decision-makers on how girls and teenagers interned there live, and to accomplish one of our goals: the relocation of those girls into households of the region.

Panama: 2015 assessment, projections for 2016

RELAF met with many actors in the region in the first week of December, including representatives from UNICEF Panama, SENNIAF, and MIDES Panama, the First Lady’s Office, and the NGOs REDNANIAP and Clamor del Corazón, to identify obstacles and strengths, in order to deepen the work towards the deinstitutionalisation of children and the prevention of separations in this country.

In accordance with the developing Pilot Plan, it is expected for the girls to leave Casa Hogar Soná (Veraguas) and to start enjoying family life. In that sense, we worked with SENNIAF and MIDES Veraguas teams as well as with Clamor del Corazón to evaluate the possibility of having the girls leave Casa Hogar Soná and go live in a family. The first stage of this deinstitutionalisation plan is expected to take place in the first half of 2016. Once the working sessions ended, we held a party at Casa Hogar Soná with the slogan "The right to happiness". This year has been intense for all of us working on this project, but especially for the girls housed there. Many have re-lived part of their lives and stories to make a stand in relation to their rights and to have a say in the decisions made ​​about them. But while they go through this difficult process, they are still girls, who like to play, have fun and live their childhood in the best way possible.

Moreover, we aim to begin the process of conversion of three more institutions, together with REDNANIAP. Some of the concrete actions that will take place in 2016 include staff training, donor awareness, workshops with the participation of children to empower them about their right to live in family and community, and a survey of local needs in order to offer new community services.

Finally, a meeting was held with Cecilie Modvar, Protection Officer from UNICEF Latin America and Caribbean, with the aim of strengthening and deepening the regional process which was intensified this year in relation to the different adjustments in many countries of our region that are taking steps to provide childcare in line with the CRC.