Panama's Ministry of Labor and Labor Development (Mitradel) is carrying out campaigns to eradicate child labor. As part of these efforts, 34 preventive operations and awareness-raising events have been conducted across the country in December. Ministry officials reminded employers that hiring children under the age of 14 is strictly prohibited. Adolescents aged 14 to 17 may work only if companies comply with established legal parameters, including a reduced workday of up to six hours, which allows them to continue their education. During these operations, 12 teenagers were referred to vocational training programs, and one young person was granted a formal work permit. Mitradel coordinates these actions with the Police for Children and Adolescence, the Secretariat for Childhood, Adolescence, and Family (Senniaf), and other institutions. To date, 16 awareness-raising events have been held, impacting 124 key stakeholders nationwide. The goal of these operations is to ensure compliance with ILO Convention No. 138 and the executive decree on the worst forms of child labor, warning employers about the legal implications of hiring minors in ways that violate their rights.
Panama Intensifies Fight Against Child Labor
Panama's Labor Ministry conducted 34 operations to prevent child labor, reminding of the ban on hiring under-14s and setting strict rules for teenagers.
