UPR Sexual Rights Database

UN Compilation:
Para 6) Paraguay is currently covered by the Regional Office for South America of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and a national human rights adviser. With the support of the national human rights adviser, the Office contributed to enhancing the meaningful participation of rights holders, especially women and discriminated groups, in reporting to the international human rights mechanisms.
Para 12) Three Committees, the Special Rapporteur on disability and the United Nations country team were concerned about the lack of a comprehensive anti-discrimination legal framework and the persistent discrimination suffered by women, …
Para 50) CEDAW was concerned at the persistence of discriminatory stereotypes in media communication and at intersecting forms of discrimination against women based on their sex, ethnicity, disability and marital status.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 12) JS9 noted that there was structural discrimination against … women domestic workers …
Para 15) JS9 emphasized … the double discrimination faced by women of African descent, who are vulnerable to various forms of sexual violence.
Para 15) JS9 emphasized … the double discrimination faced by women of African descent, who are vulnerable to various forms of sexual violence.
Para 38) Several submissions were concerned about growing hostility, stigmatisation and criminalisation against journalists and human rights defenders (HRD). … Several submissions expressed concern about … women human rights defenders.
Para 73) JS1 reported that women continued to face discrimination in various sectors.

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 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 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.