---
title: "One in Three Panamanian Children Lives in Poverty, With Indigenous Regions Hardest Hit"
date: 2026-04-13
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/panama-child-poverty-study/
categories:
  - "Economy"
  - "News"
  - "Politics"
tags:
  - "early childhood"
  - "indigenous comarcas"
  - "MIDES"
  - "Panama child poverty"
  - "UNICEF Panama"
  - "World Bank"
---

# One in Three Panamanian Children Lives in Poverty, With Indigenous Regions Hardest Hit

## What Happened

A new territorial study on child poverty in Panama shows that 35% of children, adolescents, and young people live in poverty, while 16% live in extreme poverty. That adds up to more than 482,000 minors affected nationwide, highlighting a gap between economic growth and the daily reality faced by many families.

The findings come from a study on monetary poverty in childhood and adolescence presented by UNICEF, the World Bank, and the Ministry of Social Development. The data point to a problem that is especially severe in rural and indigenous areas, where poverty rates are far above the national average.

## Where the Crisis Is Deepest

In Panama’s indigenous comarcas, 83% of children live in poverty and 55% live in extreme poverty. In some districts, child poverty climbs above 90%, showing how sharply poverty can intensify depending on geography.

The study also shows major differences within provinces. In Veraguas, child poverty stands at 15.7% in Santiago district, but rises to 78.7% in Santa Fe. Those contrasts reveal a country where opportunity is not evenly distributed, even between nearby communities.

## Why the Numbers Matter

The report argues that child poverty is more than a lack of income. It affects nutrition, school attendance, access to services, and the physical, cognitive, and emotional development of children. UNICEF representative Sandie Blanchet said poverty reduces opportunities and creates barriers to integral development.

The impact is strongest in early childhood: 37% of children ages 0 to 6 live in poverty. The burden is also greater in large households and in single-parent families led by women. Among children in extreme poverty, a significant share lives in homes headed by women, underscoring the gender dimension of inequality.

## Policy Response and Next Steps

Social Development Minister Beatriz Carles de Arango said the findings provide key evidence to guide more targeted public policy. Current efforts include the Social Registry of Households, budget tagging for children, a results-based budget for early childhood, and expanded comprehensive care centers for young children.

World Bank official Juan Pablo Uribe said helping the most vulnerable children from early childhood is essential to building the skills that support productivity, employment, and long-term growth. The study also notes that while poverty has declined over the decades, that progress has stalled in recent years.

The message is clear: Panama’s future competitiveness depends not only on growth, but on whether that growth reaches the children who need it most.