UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 21) The adoption of a law prohibiting all forms of discrimination is a pending challenge, but by constitutional mandate (art. 46), action is being taken to remove obstacles and to address the causes of discrimination – discrimination against members of the lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and intersex community population is an issue being discussed by both politicians and members of the public at large.

National Report:
Para 167) Act No. 5777/16 on the Comprehensive Protection of Women from All Forms of Violence was adopted. The Act provides for prevention, care, protection, punishment and comprehensive reparation in the public and private spheres, covers various forms of violence – sexual, physical, psychological, remote, economic, political and workplace violence – and establishes penalties of 10 to 30 years’ imprisonment for femicide. The regulations implementing the Act were adopted under Decree No. 6973/2017.
Para 181) The Ministry for Women and the Judicial Secretariat for Gender Issues are working on a draft bill that would create courts and tribunals specializing in violence against women.

National Report:
Para 7) ... Act No. 5446/15 on public policies on behalf of women in rural areas.

Para 8) ... Act No. 4675/12 to upgrade the Secretariat for Women into a Ministry.

Para 67) The Ministry for Women was organized by Act No. 4675/12, which established it as the body responsible for directing, setting standards for and coordinating government policy to promote equal rights and opportunities for men and women and for encouraging full participation by women in politics, the economy, society, culture and civil life within the framework of the third national plan for 2008 to 2017 to provide equal opportunities for men and women.

Para 68) The plan determined three strategic lines of action for poverty reduction based on empowerment and social inclusion: a) design of models for action to incorporate the gender perspective into sectoral public policies and to improve the competitiveness of small-scale producers of stevia-ka'a he'e (Stevia rebaudiana) and to increase its exports, b) a social programme to empower women in peri-urban settlements, c) support for women entrepreneurs on family farms.

Para 69) Act No. 5446/15 on public policies on behalf of rural women underpins efforts to promote the economic, political, social and cultural rights of women living in rural areas for their empowerment and advancement. A total of 2,711 women benefited from the project to encourage women's participation in the labour market in the departments of de San Pedro, Caazapá and Canindeyú and it has been extended to include the departments of Alto Paraguay, Paraguarí and Misiones for the direct benefit of 1,686 women.

Para 70) Steps have been taken to encourage women to stand as candidates for decisionmaking positions as part of the programme to improve women's capacity to participate in politics. Work is also under way to develop an agenda to further the political rights of women, to train women holding elected positions and to raise awareness among men. The legislative branch is examining a bill to amend article 32, paragraph r) of Act No. 834/96, on the Paraguayan Electoral Code in respect of the percentage of women in elected positions.

Para 108) The National Career Development Service (SNPP) has provided training for a total of 1,792 women in the different geographical regions of Paraguay; the highest percentages were in Central (27 per cent) and Itapuá (17 per cent) departments (2014). In the same year, as part of its policy to ensure that at least 50 per cent of its trainees are women, the National Professional Skills and Training System (SINAFOCAL) held six courses for women in rural areas. In 2015, 58 courses are being organized.

National Report:
Para 74) The executive branch's Documentation and Archive Centre has systematically classified complaints relating to violence lodged with the magistrates' courts, together with other data on the economic and social situation of women in Paraguay. The Justice and Gender Observatory of the Supreme Court has developed a range of indicators portraying the administration of justice from the gender perspective in order to facilitate the adoption of decisions to improve it. The judicial branch has drafted objective criteria for recruiting staff by reviewing current selection, licensing and transfer procedures, in order to incorporate the gender perspective into the civil service's human resources management, using mechanisms to achieve a structural impact and develop practices based on human rights and the gender perspective.

National Report:
Para 117) The Ministry of Health has upgraded the care it provides for vulnerable people such as LGTBI persons.

Para 118) The Ministry of Education and Culture has implemented a project to encourage pupils to complete basic education in Asunción and in Central department and a project to promote literacy and encourage completion of basic education among sexually diverse persons in Asunción. In the national curriculum (third cycle programmes), the competencies, skills and content relevant to the preventio n of all types of discrimination have been mainstreamed into the system.

Para 119) Training courses on human rights in education were provided for teachers, headmasters and pupils (1,040 teachers, 234 headmasters and 907 students) nationwide, together with courses in the capital on educational programmes free from sexual bias. A project to combat bullying in schools began in 2011 and materials to support the project have been designed, such as a protocol to help educational establishments deal with cases of violence and bullying in schools, which has been issued to 94 per cent of schools, a teaching manual to prevent bullying and five guidebooks for teachers.

Para 120) The Ministry of Justice has a protocol applicable to transgender person deprived of their liberty.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 15) AI noted that in 2014, the draft anti-discrimination law that had been tabled in the Senate was rejected ...

Para 17) SOMOSGAY highlighted the lack of legal protection against discrimination and violence, which was a source of fear for the LGBT population. JS1 said that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity had been compounded by the hate speech legitimized by the State. The recommendations adopted in that regard during the first universal periodic review had not yet been implemented.