Since September 2004, with the affirmation of the new constitutional government headed by Dr. Martin Torrijos, President of the Republic, Panama has returned to the fruitful experience that began in the nineties, with the creation of the Panamanian Youth Counsel, the creation of the Ministry of Youth, Women, Children and Family (MINJUNFA) in 1997, and the signing of the Youth Agreement (with the presidential candidates) in 1999.

The current Minister, Leonor Calderón, expects a long and substantially fruitful trajectory in these topics. She is leading a great dynamic in ministerial management.  The current Director of Youth, Edith Castillo, Ex-President of the Panamanian Youth Counsel, compliments the actions of the Minister in these actions. 

The Public Youth Policy Proposal was officially presented at the end of the prior term.  It was designed with a systematic focus on rights and relies on a precise “trip ticket” to work within these areas.  The current government has acknowledged this proposal and is currently working to implement it.

Along the same lines, UNDP dedicated their 2004 National Human Development Report on youth-related themes, making this the first case in Latin America to treat this topic with an integral approach (a previous attempt had been made in Jamaica but with an approach more focused on risk).  Also, the National Youth Survey and various relevant sectoral studies were realized.

Panama has around 518,636 young people between the ages of 15 and 24, distributed equally between the sexes, with 50.4% male and 49.6% female, and with the majority living in urban areas (333,326 while 185,290 live in rural areas).  They are a significant part of the total population. By 2015, youths will be the majority (currently this population is made of children, but in about half a century they will become adults). 

Panama is trying to take advantage of this demographic abundance by designing and implementing public policies that maximizes youth participation at all levels, and take on roles as strategic players for development. This framework, in order to improve basic standards of living of new generations, has confronted various limitations including, unemployment, school dropout, scarce access to health services, etc.

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