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Poverty
Forces Panamanian Kids to Work
In spite
of Panama's economic boom, the terrible
distribution of wealth, marginality and social
exclusion force 50,000 children to work.
The government is trying to confront the problem
but recognizes it is not an easy task, local
newspaper La Estrella said Friday.
UNICEF representative Fernando Carrera said
mendacity is an exploitation system that cannot
be tolerated.
Briceida Barrantes, national coordinator of
Eradication of Child Labor Program of the
International Labour Organization, said that
indigenous communities are the most affected.
Most children working in Panama do so in
agriculture and indigenous children in rural
zones are nine times more likely to suffer
malnutrition than city children.
The "Nutritional Situation of Panamanian
Children Under Five", a study by the Economy and
Finance Ministry, revealed 40 percent of
indigenous children are undersized for their age
and 29 percent are underweight.
After Brazil, Panama is the Latin American
country with the most unequal distribution of
wealth.
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