Judith Pena | January 11, 2023
The Minister of Social Development (MIDES), María Inés Castillo, presented to the National Assembly the Bill that creates the National Secretariat of Policies and Development for Afro-Panamanians, whose purpose is to formulate public policy and national and sectoral plans in matter of social inclusion of this population group.
This initiative also seeks to promote a culture of equality, respect for human rights and compliance with the rules, laws and regulations in force in the Republic of Panama in relation to people of African descent.
Also strengthen the mechanisms for the design, implementation, follow-up, and monitoring of plans, programs, projects, and actions of public policies related to the development and social inclusion of Afro-Panamanians at the national, provincial, and municipal levels. and local.
Through this project, it will be possible to promote and contribute to the preparation and appropriate updating of reliable governmental socioeconomic indicators with respect to the Afro-descendant population of the country, in conjunction with the Statistics and Census Directorate of the Comptroller General of the Republic.
In the Republic of Panama, the Afro-descendant population is estimated to represent 34% of the population and can be found throughout the national territory; however, the five provinces with the greatest Afro-Panamanian presence are: Colón (41.8%), Darién (24.3%) Coclé (20%), Panama (18.6%) and Bocas del Toro (15.3%).
Minister Castillo presented the Bill together with the director of the National Secretariat for the Development of Afro-Panamanians (SENADAP), Krishna Camarena, and organizations such as the Afro-Panamanian Forum and the Coordinator of Black Organizations of Panama, which have contributed to the development of this document that grants autonomy and resources to the National Secretariat of Policies and Development for Afro-Panamanians.
