Overview of Human Rights in Panama

The Republic of Panama is a constitutional democracy. Elections in Panama are considered generally free and fair by international monitors and standards. The government works to respect the civil and human rights of its citizens; however, abuses do occur. Prison conditions are harsh and life threatening. Prison guards are reported to abuse prisoners at will. The judicial system is prone to corruption, inefficiency, and is influenced by external sources. Prolonged pre-trial conditions are the norm. The media is pressured by the government and sometimes forced to self-censor. Discrimination against indigenous peoples and other ethnic minorities occurs at all levels of society. Child labor and human trafficking also areas of concern.  Overall, however, Panama enjoys a better than average human rights record when compared with other countries in the world.

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank:

58th out of 177

Note: Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the level of well-being of nations in the world. It uses factors such as poverty, literacy, life-expectancy, education, gross domestic product, and purchasing power parity to assess the average achievements in each nation. It has been used in the United Nation’s Human Development Report since 1993.