Child labor: Nearly 2,000 children remain on streets; government to expand scholarship program

Panama's Ministry of Labor is intensifying efforts to combat child labor by expanding the 'Abrazos del Futuro' scholarship program. The initiative aims to reintegrate nearly 2,000 children and adolescents currently engaged in child labor back into the educational system. Minister of Labor Jackeline Muñoz announced that her ministry is collaborating with the Institute for Training and Human Resource Development (Ifarhu) to broaden the program's reach.

To date, 449 scholarships have been distributed to children between the ages of 8 and 15. The program's ambitious goal is to increase its coverage to 3,500 beneficiaries before the end of the year. The 'Abrazos del Futuro' program provides support to minors under 15 who have been rescued from child labor, enabling them to continue their studies. Identification of children in such situations is achieved through Ministry inspections and public reports, with Coclé and Panama Centro provinces being key areas of focus due to higher incidence rates.

Minister Muñoz also addressed the country's employment landscape, highlighting signs of recovery. She stated that after an initial phase focused on financial stabilization and project reactivation, the current challenge is translating this economic recovery into more job opportunities for Panamanians. "The first two years we had to put the house in order, rescue works that generated employment and address fiscal issues. Now it is the Panamanian's turn to feel all this order in terms of employment," she affirmed.

Data from the Ministry of Labor indicates a positive trend, with 17,000 new work contracts registered over the past year compared to previous periods. The sectors currently driving job creation are logistics, commerce, and construction. The ministry anticipates announcing further measures soon to stimulate the creation of additional job positions, signaling a commitment to bolstering the national workforce.