BEB, OAS and the Republic of Panama Partnering to Promote Alternative Care Measures for Children

Texas-based non-profit continues its expansion in Latin America

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Aug 04, 2021, 07:00 ET

PLANO, Texas, Aug. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Both Ends Believing (BEB) announced today that its technology platform, Children First Software (CFS), will be implemented in Panama. BEB and the Republic of Panama recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize this arrangement.

The opportunity for BEB to work with Panama materialized as an outgrowth of the multi-year Cooperation Agreement executed last October between BEB and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), a principal and autonomous organ of the Organization of American States (OAS).

The visions of all three parties are well-aligned, emphasizing the fundamental right of a child to be raised in a safe and nurturing environment in which their rights are guaranteed. The Government of Panama, through the Ministry of Social Development and the National Secretariat for Children, Adolescents and Family, expressed a desire for a sophisticated software solution to enable them to capture comprehensive data in a timely fashion of each child who is in a situation that requires protection and therefore lay the base for well-informed decision-making on the best plan for that child while promoting alternative care measures.

BEB President Mark Schwartz stressed, "Equipping countries to help each individual child realize his or her dream of a family is the heart and soul of our work. We are grateful that Panama has chosen to partner with BEB in this noble effort. BEB is a catalyst to bring about systemic change to the child welfare system in countries we serve and to lay a sustainable technology foundation. Utilizing CFS, the Panama government will ensure that all children in its care are no longer digitally anonymous."

María Inés Castillo, Minister of Social Development, stated, "Guaranteeing the rights of children and adolescents is a task that cannot be done by the government alone, for this reason we believe in strategic alliances, and we are very pleased with this collaboration that we are carrying out hand in hand with the IACHR and BEB."

In addition, Graciela Mauad, Director of the National Secretariat for Children, Adolescents and the Family, affirmed, "The implementation of this software promotes the digitization of our institution, which will allow us to offer effective and safe care to these children and adolescents, by having their information updated and systematized."

BEB now works in seven countries, including three in Central America. As a result of our partnership with IACHR, BEB anticipates further expansion throughout Latin America. Esmeralda Arosemena de Troitiño, IACHR Commissioner and Rapporteur on the Rights of the Child, noted, "Our focus on the rights of vulnerable children and policies to promote their rights is amplified when we are able to bring pragmatic solutions, such as CFS, to the doorstep of each OAS Member State."

About BEB

BEB was founded in January 2010 as a 501(c)(3) organization to promote systemic change for vulnerable children. BEB works to capture comprehensive digital profiles of children through Children First Software (CFS), a technology-driven advocate designed to identify a child's best opportunity for family-based care. Partnering with countries around the world, we transform the process to move children to their best future, a chance to grow and flourish in a loving family.

Margaret Elizabeth McKissack
Vice President, External Affairs
BEB
[email protected]
214-850-7532

SOURCE Both Ends Believing