Last Update: October 2021
Institutional Framework Database for Social Policy
in Latin America and the Caribbean
Panama

 

 

Legal and regulatory dimension
Adherence, signing, and ratification of covenants, conventions, and agreements related to economic, social, and cultural rights
Ratified/Adhered to     Signed     Without Signature / Ratification
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racism Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women Convention on the Rights of the Child International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families Constituent Agreement of the Development Fund for Indigenous Peoples in Latin America and the Caribbean
8 March 1977 16 August 1967 7 August 2007 29 October 1981 12 December 1990 29 March 2024 10 February 1994
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The International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights and its Optional Protocol are the international instruments for the Universal Protection of Human Rights of the United Nations that regulate the protection of economic, social, and cultural rights. The Covenant was approved by the United Nations General Assembly with resolution 2200 A (XXI) on December 16th, 1966 and became effective in 1976.

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The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racism is the international instrument of the Universal System for the Protection of Human Rights of the United Nations, explicitly directed towards the elimination of any kind of racial discrimination. It was approved by the United Nations General Assembly with resolution 2106 (XX) on December 21st, 1965 and became effective in 1969.

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The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the international instrument of the Universal System for the Protection of Human Rights of the United Nations that regulates the protection of human rights for persons with disabilities, explicitly mentioning a social development perspective. In this Convention a broad classification of persons with disabilities are considered, and it reaffirms that all people with all kinds of disabilities should be able to enjoy all their fundamental human rights and liberties. It was approved by the United Nations General Assembly on December 13th, 2006.

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The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women is the international instrument of the Universal System for the Protection of Human Rights of the United Nations that regulates the protection of rights of women. It defines acts that constitute discrimination against women and describes the nature of State obligations through laws, public policy, and programs that the State should develop to eliminate discrimination. It was approved by the United Nations General Assembly on December 18th, 1979.

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The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the international instrument used by the Universal System for the Protection of Human Rights of the United Nations that recognizes the articulated rights of the child on the basis of four fundamental principles: no discrimination, best interests of the child, the right to life, livelihood and development, and the respect of the child’s opinion. It was approved by the United Nations General Assembly on November 20th, 1989.

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The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families is the international instrument used by the Universal System for the Protection of Human Rights of the United Nations that regulates the protection of rights of migrant persons and their families, regardless of their migration status. It was approved by the United Nations General Assembly on December 18th, 1990.

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The Constituent Agreement of the Development Fund for Indigenous Peoples in Latin America and the Caribbean is the international instrument used by the Universal System for the Protection of Human Rights of the United Nations that advises governments in assuming responsibility for developing, with the participation of indigenous populations, a coordinated and systematic action plan with the aim of protecting the rights of these populations and guaranteeing the respect of their integrity. It was approved by the United Nations General Assembly on June 27th, 1989.

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Constitutional Mention of Sectoral Topics
Explicit Mention      Indirect/Implicit Mention     Does not mention

Year of Latest Observed Constitution

Social Housing

Work and Social Security

Public Health

Public Education

Social Development

Children and Adolescents

Youth/Young Adults

Women

Older Persons

Persons with Disabilities

Afrodecendants and Indigenous Peoples

Migrants

1972
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ARTICULO 117. El Estado establecerá una política nacional de vivienda destinada a proporcionar el goce de este derecho social a toda la población, especialmente a los sectores de menor ingreso.

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ARTICULO 113. Todo individuo tiene derecho a la seguridad de sus medios económicos de subsistencia en caso de incapacidad para trabajar u obtener trabajo retribuido. Los servicios de seguridad social serán prestados o administrados por entidades autónomas y cubrirán los casos de enfermedad, maternidad, invalidez, subsidios de familia, vejez, viudez, orfandad, paro forzoso, accidentes de trabajo, enfermedades profesionales y las demás contingencias que puedan ser objeto de previsión y seguridad sociales. La Ley proveerá la implantación de tales servicios a medida que las necesidades lo exijan LA FAMILIA ARTICULO 56.El Estado protegerá la salud física, mental y moral de los menores y garantizará el derecho de éstos a la alimentación, la salud, la educación y la seguridad y previsión sociales. Igualmente tendrán derecho a esta protección los ancianos y enfermos desvalidos.

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ARTICULO 109. Es función esencial del Estado velar por la salud de la población de la República. El individuo, como parte de la comunidad, tiene derecho a la promoción, protección, conservación, restitución y rehabilitación de la salud y la obligación de conservarla, entendida ésta como el completo bienestar físico, mental y social.

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ARTICULO 91. Todos tienen el derecho a la educación y la responsabilidad de educarse. El Estado organiza y dirige el servicio público de la educación nacional y garantiza a los padres de familia el derecho de participar en el proceso educativo de sus hijos.

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The latest constitutional text revised for this country does not present any explicit on indirect mentions for this sectoral topic in particular.

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LA FAMILIA ARTICULO 56.El Estado protegerá la salud física, mental y moral de los menores y garantizará el derecho de éstos a la alimentación, la salud, la educación y la seguridad y previsión sociales. Igualmente tendrán derecho a esta protección los ancianos y enfermos desvalidos.

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The latest constitutional text revised for this country does not present any explicit on indirect mentions for this sectoral topic in particular.

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The latest constitutional text revised for this country does not present any explicit on indirect mentions for this sectoral topic in particular.

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LA FAMILIA ARTICULO 56.El Estado protegerá la salud física, mental y moral de los menores y garantizará el derecho de éstos a la alimentación, la salud, la educación y la seguridad y previsión sociales. Igualmente tendrán derecho a esta protección los ancianos y enfermos desvalidos.

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LA FAMILIA ARTICULO 56.El Estado protegerá la salud física, mental y moral de los menores y garantizará el derecho de éstos a la alimentación, la salud, la educación y la seguridad y previsión sociales. Igualmente tendrán derecho a esta protección los ancianos y enfermos desvalidos.

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ARTICULO 90. El Estado reconoce y respeta la identidad étnica de las comunidades indígenas nacionales, realizará programas tendientes a desarrollar los valores materiales, sociales y espirituales propios de cada una de sus culturas y creará una institución para el estudio, conservación, divulgación de las mismas y de sus lenguas, así como la promoción del desarrollo integral de dichos grupos humanos.

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ARTICULO 17. Las autoridades de la República están instituidas para proteger en su vida, honra y bienes a los nacionales dondequiera se encuentren y a los extranjeros que estén bajo su jurisdicción; asegurar la efectividad de los derechos y deberes individuales y sociales, y cumplir y hacer cumplir la Constitución y la Ley.

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Specific national laws
Law present      Official information not available
 

Children and Adolescents

Youth/Young Adults

Older Persons

Women

Peoples with Disabilites

Afrodescendants and Indigenous Peoples

Migrants

Public Education

Work and Social Security

Social Housing

Public Health

Social Development

 
Legal Instrument Codigo de Familia Codigo de Familia Codigo de Familia Ley de Igualdad de Género Ley de equiparación de oportunidades para las personas con discapacidad Decreto Ejecutivo N° 287 Decreto de Ley Nº 3: 'Ley de Creación del Servicio Nacional de Migración, la Carrera Migratoria y dicta otras Disposiciones' (2008) Ley Orgánica de Educación Codigo de Trabajo de Panama Ley de Vivienda de Interés Social Codigo Sanitario n.d.
  Law Law Law Law Law Law Law Law Law Law Law

 

 

 

Organizational dimension
Main authority for intersectoral coordination

 

Country Panama
Main authority Social Cabinet
Year of creation 1985
Coordinating authority Minister of Social Development
Members Technical Secretariat attached to the Ministry of Social Development; Multisectoral Commission of the Social Cabinet; Technical Committee on Population; Directors of Planning of the Ministries that integrate the Social Cabinet, and Director of Social Policies of the Ministry of Social Development
 
Main authority devoted to social development

 

Country Panama
Main authority Ministry of Social Development
Year of creation 2005
Mission Main executor of the social policies of the Panamanian State, its responsabilities are: To strengthen the abilities and capacities of the country's human capital and to achieve the sustainability of national development, Saving for social protection and regulation of the quality of services, to prevent social exclusion and compensate for its consequences. Its mission is to become a government entity that facilitates processes that generate social policy and that invests in the promotion and strengthening of collective capacities and in the prevention of social exclusion and compensation for its effects. It aspires to carry out an institutional management guided by widely agreed social policies that promote social organization, equity and common welfare.
Incumbent María Inés Castillo (2020)

 

 

 

Institutions protecting certain population segments
Official information not available
Population segment

Children and Adolescents

Youth/Young Adults

Older Persons

Persons with Disabilities

Women

Migrants

Main protection mechanism Secretaría Nacional de Niñez, Adolescencia y Familia. Ministerio de Desarrollo Social Consejo Nacional del Adulto Mayor Secretaria Nacional de Discapacidad (SENADIS) Instituto Nacional de la Mujer Servicio Nacional de Migración Panamá
Legal Instrument Código de la Familia Ley de la Secretaría Nacional de Niñez, Adolescencia y Familia (Ley núm. 14) Ley No. 15 (1992) Ley 42 por la cual se establece la equiparación de oportunidades para las personas con discapacidad Decreto de Ley Nº 3: 'Ley de Creación del Servicio Nacional de Migración, la Carrera Migratoria y dicta otras Disposiciones' (2008)

 

 

 

Technical-operational dimension
Management, planning, evaluation, and transparency tools for social programmes
Tool present   Tool not present 



Main Social Protection Actor (Presence and Hierarchy)

Technical-operational dimension
Unique Registry of Participants Sistema Integrado de Administración Financiera /b Sectoral Plan for Social Development Transparence - system for accessing public information from the State

Integrated Social Information System

Evaluation mechanisms for social programs

General

Sectorial

General

Sectorial

Ministry of Social Development
                 

 

 

 

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