The rights of indigenous Panamanian children are increasingly being violated, according to a report from the Ombudsman's Office.

Panamanian indigenous children inspired by the Guna ethnicity, barefoot and dressed in colorful clothing, play with a soccer ball in an open field. (Illustrative Image Infobae) Three out of four indigenous girls, boys, and adolescents in Panama face monetary poverty, according to a recent diagnosis presented by the Ombudsman’s Office in collaboration with the National Coordinator of Indigenous Women of Panama (CONAMUIP) and technical support from UNICEF. The report reveals that 91% of indigenous children living in the territories live under multidimensional poverty, a figure that highlights the depth of existing inequalities. The analysis indicates that one in four minors in the country is indigenous, totaling 315,089 people. Of this total, nearly 60% are under ten years old. This exposes the urgency of ensuring protection and access to essential services from the earliest stages of life. In the Panamanian education system, exclusion is clearly reflected: 15% of indigenous children and adolescents remain out of school, a proportion three times higher than that observed in the non-indigenous and non-African-descendant population. Additionally, only 21% of indigenous girls, boys, and adolescents have social security, limiting their development opportunities and access to basic services. The Ombudsman, Ángela Russo, presented the report and committed her agency to follow up on the recommendations. (DDP) The report constitutes the first comprehensive diagnosis focused on the rights of indigenous children and adolescents in Panama. This document offers 22 recommendations grouped into seven strategic axes, aimed at reducing gaps in education, health, social protection, and access to rights, as well as improving governance and state funding focused on interculturality. The process included visits to the Emberá Wounaan, Guna Yala, and Ngäbe Buglé territories, as well as urban areas such as Arraiján, Santa Ana, and El Chorrillo. During these visits, girls, boys, and adolescents, along with traditional authorities and community representatives, shared their perspectives and needs, integrating their voices into the analysis. The diagnosis shows that inequality persistently affects the exercise of fundamental rights of indigenous children. Among the main challenges are limited access to education, low coverage of social protection, and the need for public policies sensitive to cultural diversity. The document recommends, among other measures, strengthening governance with an intercultural approach, expanding coverage of quality health and education services, reinforcing protection and justice systems for children, and improving the generation of information for public decision-making. The report aims to contribute to strengthening public policies and the effective protection of the rights of indigenous girls, boys, and adolescents in Panama. (DDP) Emphasis is placed on shared responsibility among state institutions, traditional authorities, communities, and families as a key element to advance in guaranteeing rights. The recommendations are based on Law 285 of 2022, which created the System of Guarantees and Comprehensive Protection of the Rights of Children and Adolescents, and Law 504 of 2025, which assigns the Ombudsman’s Office the tasks of monitoring and promoting the rights of children and adolescents. Direct consultation with indigenous children is an essential axis of the report, recognizing their right to be heard on matters affecting their lives. “Listening to indigenous girls, boys, and adolescents is not only an exercise in participation; it is a human rights obligation and a condition for public policies to truly respond to their needs,” affirmed Angela Russo, Ombudsman. The document is presented as a tool for state action, aimed at strengthening inter-institutional coordination and allocating resources to the areas of greatest need. According to Olga Isaza, Deputy Director of UNICEF for Latin America and the Caribbean, the goal is for decisions to be evidence-based and for the most vulnerable areas to be prioritized. There is an urgent need to close gaps in education, health, social protection, and access to rights, as well as to improve state funding focused on interculturality. (AP Photo/Matías Delacroix) The Ombudsman’s Office announced that it will follow up on the recommendations through monitoring and joint work with state entities and indigenous peoples, seeking to consolidate a more effective response to the inequalities faced by indigenous girls, boys, and adolescents in Panama.