The Minister of Social Development, Beatriz Carles, who chairs the board of directors of the National Secretariat for Childhood, Adolescence and Family (Senniaf), has convened an extraordinary session for next Monday, February 9th, following recent incidents reported at the comprehensive care center located in Tocumen. The Ministry of Social Development (Mides) warns that the protection of the best interests of childhood and adolescence is and will continue to be the absolute priority of the State, and that in the face of any indication of irregularity that puts the integrity or safety of minors at risk, it will collaborate fully and transparently with the competent authorities. Previously, the adoption of concrete measures has been recommended to strengthen institutional protocols, with the aim of guaranteeing effective care and comprehensive protection of children, adolescents, and youth under the custody of the State. The National Secretariat for Childhood, Adolescence and Family, in accordance with Law 14 of January 23, 2009, is a decentralized and specialized public entity of the State, with legal personality, its own assets, and administrative, budgetary, financial, technical, and management autonomy, with the responsibility to coordinate, articulate, execute, and monitor compliance with comprehensive protection policies for the rights of children and adolescents. The board of directors of Senniaf is also composed of the ministers of Economy and Finance, Health, Education and Labor, and the Comptroller General of the Republic; as well as two representatives of the National Network of Support for Childhood and Adolescence.
