Kenia Batista, president of the Association of Social Workers of Panama and host of the forum, developed under the slogan “Respecting diversity through collective actions”, recognized that the issues to be analyzed show that there is a debt with the global society, recurrent problems that destroy lives and take away the hope of a fairer world that respects human rights.

Panama is experiencing one of the most dramatic human rights situations on its border with Colombia, in the province of Darien, she explained.

According to statistics, so far this year, more than 100,000 migrants have entered Panama on their way to the United States, 20 percent more than in March 2023.

Batista pointed out that the situation of the thousands of migrants arriving in Darien is alarming, as they are people who defy the dangers of a fierce jungle, which claims the lives of people who, faced with the economic and social crisis in their countries, embark on an adventure, dreaming about achieving a better future for their families, which is often frustrated by criminal organizations.

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