UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 141) At all levels and in all modes of education, the curriculum takes a rights-based approach and promotes proper treatment and the equality of men and women, with emphasis on the prevention of violence against children and women.
Para 158) Stand-alone thematic area four of the fourth National Equality Plan (2018–2024) informs economic empowerment efforts driven by shared responsibility, employment, financing and entrepreneurship, while prioritizing rural women, indigenous women, girls and adolescents.
Para 166) Decree No. 3678/2020139 contained the implementing regulations for Act No. 5446/15 on Public Policies for Rural Women, the fifth implementation report on which is available online.

UN Compilation:
Para 51) The United Nations country team indicated that 31.1 per cent of young rural women were neither in school nor employed, making them vulnerable to unwanted pregnancy, economic dependency and forced migration. Moreover, rural women had higher rates of illiteracy (53.5 per cent) and unemployment (44.7 per cent) because they engaged in domestic work.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 15) JS9 emphasized … the double discrimination faced by women of African descent, who are vulnerable to various forms of sexual violence.
Para 22) JS15 asserted that climate change particularly affected indigenous women.
Para 69) Two submissions reported that illiteracy had increased, especially among indigenous women. JS5 added that the school dropout rate was high.
Para 74) Two submissions reported that Act No. 5777/16 on the Comprehensive Protection of Women from All Forms of Violence established femicide as a criminal offence; however, the fact that the Act contained no reference to gender was detrimental to transgender and lesbian women and could lead to it being applied in a discriminatory way. KR added that political violence against women had not been defined as a specific offence.
Para 75) Several submissions noted that during the COVID-19, gender-based violence and child abuse and mistreatment had increased. JS12 added that the State had done little to provide protection and the courts had done nothing. UC was concerned about the limited provision of prevention and support services for women.

National Report:
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 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.

National Report:
Para 106) The ratification of the OP-ICESCR is still under analysis.

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 169) The Women’s Support Service provides comprehensive care, information and counselling to women in situations of domestic, sexual, physical, economic and psychological violence in the regional women’s centres and at the Ciudad Mujer Centre Ñande Kerayvoty Renda. The provision of these support services for a life from violence is coordinated by the Ministry for Women.
Para 172) In 2019, the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security created an office to respond to and prevent workplace violence and defined a procedure for responses to such violence (including physical violence, psychological violence or mobbing and sexual violence).

UN Compilation:
Para 53) [HR Committee] was concerned about the increase in domestic and sexual violence against women, girls and adolescents and about reports of an alarming number of femicides.
Para 56) The CEDAW, while welcoming the adoption of a national adolescent health plan covering the period 2016–2021, was concerned at … the high rates of sexual violence against adolescent girls.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 15) JS9 emphasized … the double discrimination faced by women of African descent, who are vulnerable to various forms of sexual violence.
Para 77) Several submissions reported that Acts No. 6202/2018, No. 6572/2020 and No. 6.002/17 had been adopted in order to prevent sexual violence against children and adolescents.

National Report:
Para 61) Paraguay has a national policy to prevent and combat trafficking in persons 2010-2019, and Act No. 4788/12 concerns comprehensive efforts to combat trafficking in persons. On the basis of this Act, the inter-agency round table to prevent and combat trafficking in persons was set up to serve as an advisory body to the Government and to coordinate joint action by different departments. A national plan is under preparation.

Para 62) Care for women victims of trafficking in persons is provided by the Ministry for Women (MINMUJER), via the Directorate-General to Combat Trafficking in Women, 4 referral centres and a temporary shelter for victims of trafficking in persons.

Para 63) The National Secretariat for Children and Adolescents (SNNA) presides over the coordinating body for the protection of victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation of children and adolescents and for their care. Inter alia, the temporary shelters provide psychological care together with medical care and assistance with judicial formalities addressed to the Public Defender for Children and Adolescents. The Public Prosecution Service has a unit specialized in combating trafficking in persons and the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents. Its training centre also provides a training module on trafficking in persons. The following activities are currently under way: a virtual course on trafficking in persons; preparation of a manual on criminal investigation of cases of trafficking in persons, of a procedural manual and of a guide to services for the victims of trafficking and to diagnosis of the situation of trafficking in Paraguay, in particular as regards women and girls.

Para 80) The National Commission to Prevent and Comprehensively Address Violence Affecting Children and Adolescents in Paraguay has launched the "Decent Treatment for Boys and Girls" campaign, to encourage a positive approach to upbringing that eschews mental or physical punishment to discipline children. The meetings of the intersectoral round table to combat abuse and sexual exploitation of children and adolescents were revived; this body monitors the National Plan to Prevent and Eradicate the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents 2012-2017, in which connection is organized the one-week campaign "My Voice is Your Voice - Let's Denounce Sexual Violence".

UN Compilation:
Para 7) ... Appreciating the Criminal Code provisions prohibiting the sale of children, child pornography and child commercial sexual exploitation, and Act No. 4788/12 on human trafficking ...