Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Commend Paraguay on Policies Promoting the Economic Empowerment of Women, Raise Questions on Trafficking and Deletion of “Gender” from Educational Materials
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today concluded its consideration of the eighth periodic report of Paraguay on the State’s efforts to comply with the Convention on the Elimination on All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Committee Experts commended the State party on policies promoting women’s economic empowerment, while raising questions on how the State party was combatting trafficking and a new resolution which eliminated the “gender ideology” and deleted the word “gender” from educational materials.
A Committee Expert commended Paraguay on the legislation and policies promoting the economic and social empowerment of women, including the national care policy of Paraguay, the National Institute for Rural and Land Development, and the Guarantee Fund for Women.
Another Expert said despite some positive advancements in relation to trafficking, cases of domestic and international human trafficking recorded annually persisted and were on the rise. What were the measures planned for improving the identification of victims of trafficking? How would the State party ensure more effective investigation, prosecution and sanctioning of traffickers, including complicit officials through adequate sentences? What tools had the State party developed for ensuring adequate redress and compensation for victims of trafficking? What steps were planned for the next three years to develop specialised services for women victims in the country, and to ensure they had sufficient resources?
One Expert said the Committee was highly concerned about the adoption of resolution no. 1803/2025 of the Ministry of Education and Science, which extended the prohibition of the dissemination of the so-called "gender theory " in educational institutions under the Ministry of Education and Science, deleting the word "gender" in all educational materials. What were the reasons for eliminating the so-called "gender ideology" and limiting comprehensive education on sexual and reproductive health and rights in the education system based on the materials "12 sciences for sexuality and affectivity education in schools"? Could the State party provide information on the reinstatement of compulsory affective sexual education from 2026?
Introducing the report, Alicia Pomata, Minister of Women of Paraguay and head of the delegation, said Paraguay had experienced strong economic growth and aimed to ensure that women benefitted from it through access to employment, credit, land ownership, housing and entrepreneurship. In health, Paraguay had implemented new national plans on sexual and reproductive health, maternal mortality reduction and mental health, while strengthening services for survivors of violence and expanding cancer prevention and early detection initiatives. Despite this progress, Paraguay recognised that a gap remained between legal frameworks and the lived reality of many women.
Responding to questions, the delegation said Paraguay had created trafficking prevention actions and was instigating awareness, particularly for child victims. A national campaign was rolled out to raise awareness on the risks of trafficking within the population. Audio visual programmes had been developed by the Government and a guide had been created for teachers to help them identify specific issues relating to trafficking. Short films on the topic had been screened to around 3,000 children, as further awareness raising efforts. The State sought to ensure protection for child victims, and had provided extensive training to relevant stakeholders on child protection. A specialised care programme provided tailor-made assistance, including psychological support from rescue operations and improved actions to identify family focal points.
The delegation said that through a resolution adopted in 2025, a broadened terminology was being adopted in educational material by the Ministry of Education and Science. The criteria replaced expressions such as “gender equality” and “gender perspective” to terms like “equality amongst men and women”. The Constitution explicitly recognised equality of rights between men and women. In 2024, the State repealed the decision to conduct sex education which was age appropriate. This would be linked to education on the human body, among other subjects. Educational programmes also incorporated issues such as personal hygiene, the changing of the body during puberty, and interpersonal relations, among others.
In closing remarks, Ms. Pomata expressed sincere thanks for the dialogue, which was a fundamental tool to strengthen public policies and improve the State’s response. Paraguay would continue to work towards an equal society without discrimination.
Nahla Haidar, Committee Chairperson, thanked the delegation of Paraguay for the dialogue, which had given the Committee a more comprehensive understanding of the situation of women in the country.
The delegation of Paraguay was comprised of representatives of the Ministry of Women; the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Supreme Court of Justice; the General Defender; the Superior Court of Electoral Justice; the Commission on Social Equity and Equal Rights of Men and Women; the Ministry of Children and Adolescents; and the Permanent Mission of Paraguay to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee’s ninety-third session is being held from 5 to 30 October. All documents relating to the Committee’s work can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.
The Committee will next meet at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 14 October begin its consideration of the combined eighth to tenth periodic reports of Togo (CEDAW/C/TGO/8-10).
Report
The Committee has before it the eighth periodic report of Paraguay (CEDAW/C/PRY/8).
Presentation of Report
ALICIA POMATA, Minister of Women of Paraguay and head of the delegation, honoured the memory of Line Bareiro, a leading Paraguayan feminist and defender of women’s rights. Paraguay was a country rebuilt by women. After the War of the Triple Alliance, women sustained families, communities and national recovery, a legacy which continued to guide the State today. A central priority had been women’s economic autonomy. Paraguay had experienced strong economic growth, and aimed to ensure that women benefitted from it through access to employment, credit, land ownership, housing and entrepreneurship. Female labour participation had increased from 56.1 per cent in 2015 to 61.3 per cent in 2025, while new strategies on labour formalisation and labour equity aimed to expand decent work opportunities and prevent workplace discrimination and violence.
In education and social protection, the zero hunger programme now reached more than one million children through school meals, supporting girls’ educational continuity and reducing school dropout rates. Paraguay had strengthened support for women entrepreneurs through public financing, guaranteed funds, dedicated credit programmes and the issuance of the country’s first women’s sustainable development goal bond. In rural areas, special measures had expanded women’s access to land ownership, including preferential financing and co-ownership mechanisms. Women now accounted for half of land titling and allocation processes. Paraguay was also advancing care-related legislation and expanding services through the seeds of the future programme, which was establishing 50 early childhood care centres across the country. These centres supported children’s development while helping redistribute unpaid care work and increase women’s opportunities for education and employment.
In health, Paraguay had implemented new national plans on sexual and reproductive health, maternal mortality reduction and mental health, while strengthening services for survivors of violence and expanding cancer prevention and early detection initiatives. Preventing violence against women remained an urgent priority, and Paraguay deeply regretted the loss of women to femicide. The inter-institutional roundtable on violence against women had adopted a comprehensive action plan focused on prevention, care, research and legal strengthening. Paraguay was also developing a unified system for receiving and monitoring complaints, improving coordination among institutions and ensuring more effective responses. Prevention efforts included national awareness campaigns, expanded regional women’s centres, the SOS hotline, mobile and community-based services, and programmes reaching young people to prevent violence in relationships. Measures were also being strengthened against digital, political and media violence, while expanding shelters and protection services.
There had also been important advances in access to justice, including the closure of the historic Buen Pastor prison and the opening of the new women’s correctional complex in Emboscada. Judicial institutions continued to strengthen gender mainstreaming, while the Public Defender’s Office had expanded free legal assistance and developed South America’s first national plan for access to justice. Paraguay had also strengthened efforts to combat trafficking in persons through new detection, protection and victim assistance protocols, alongside increased international cooperation and prevention campaigns.
Women’s political participation had been promoted through leadership training, mechanisms to prevent political violence against women, and greater representation in public institutions. Additionally, more than 98,000 public officials had been trained on equality, non-discrimination and violence prevention. The State was strengthening national information systems and observatories to improve data collection, monitor inequalities and guide evidence-based public policy, and was also preparing the fifth national equality plan, which would shape priorities for the coming decade.
Paraguay recognised that a gap remained between legal frameworks and the lived reality of many women. Femicide, wage inequality, discrimination affecting indigenous, rural and disabled women, and the persistence of harmful practices required stronger and more coordinated action. For that reason, Paraguay was committed to advancing care legislation, launching the unified complaints system, adopting the fifth national equality plan (2026–2036), incorporating all Committee recommendations into the SIMORE Plus monitoring system with measurable indicators, establishing a permanent follow-up mechanism with civil society, and presenting a national plan for access to justice with specific goals for women.
Questions by Committee Experts
ANA PELAEZ NARVAEZ, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said significant progress had been made, particularly in regard to development and the fight against poverty in the country. Important human rights treaties had been adopted and progress on anti-discrimination legislation had been made. However, challenges remained in Paraguay. No significant legislative progress had been made since the last concluding observations from the Committee. The Convention was not widely known, nor invoked in court. The bill against all forms of discrimination remained pending, despite repeated recommendations from the Committee. Anti-rights and anti-gender groups were gaining ground, a trend also reflected in the stance of the new Government administration (2023–2028). In July 2023, a bill was introduced which prohibited the promotion, encouragement or teaching of gender ideology in the country’s educational institutions.
What measures had been taken since the last report to ensure that the State fully implemented the Committee’s concluding observations to guarantee the full implementation of the Convention? What measures had been taken to build capacity on gender equality among government officials, members of parliament, leaders of political parties and religious movements, and representatives of public and private media outlets? What steps had been taken to expedite the adoption of the draft law prohibiting all forms of discrimination?
What public policies had the State formulated to eliminate discrimination against indigenous women and girls?
The State had affirmed that it guaranteed free legal aid throughout the national territory through the national programme of justice centres, under which numerous itinerant justice sessions had been held. However, women continued to face challenges in access to judges, including detained women, female juvenile offenders and women seeking help in situations of violence. There was also a lack of investigation and prosecution of femicides, particularly among trans women.
Did the State party intend to reconsider its rejection of the legislative bill to establish specialised courts for gender-based violence with nationwide coverage, their own budget, and highly qualified personnel specialising in violence against women? What were the State’s plans to adopt and implement the specific protocol on institutional violence under the framework of law no. 5777/16, which should allow for the reporting and criminal or administrative sanctioning of judges, prosecutors and judicial officials who revictimised women or issued formalistic acquittals that led to impunity? How many complaints of sexual violence against women and girls had been filed from 2025 to 2026? Did all victims have free of charge legal aid? How were the family and maternity situations of women deprived of their liberty taken into account in their access to justice during hearings and trials?
What was the status of the debate in Congress regarding the situation of women in connection with criminal offenses related to violations of drug laws? What measures had the State taken to investigate the murder of two girls by the Joint Task Forces and to provide reparations for the harm caused? What actions were being taken to investigate the disappearance of a girl in circumstances linked to the same security force?
Another Committee Expert commended the Ministry of Women’s Affairs for continuing to fulfil its mandate despite the questioning of its very existence in Parliament. The Committee also welcomed the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s reported efforts to incorporate gender into the budgeting process and develop a methodological guide. However, the Committee was concerned about the Ministry’s lack of adequate human, technical and financial resources, which resulted in low-level services at a regional level and an unmet need for shelters.
How did the Government intend to strengthen the capacities of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs to fulfil its important role at national and regional levels?
What was the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s experience with gender budgeting? Please share the outcome of its report on gender gap indicators that the delegation mentioned. How did the State party evaluate the results of the national equality plan for 2018–2024? What were the plans for a new national equality plan? How did the Ministry interact with women's organizations? How did it cooperate with and support the activities of organizations representing vulnerable groups of women?
The Committee congratulated the State party on the successful accreditation of the Defensoría del Pueblo de Paraguay (Paragauy’s Office of the Ombudsman) with A status by the United Nations Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions. How did the State party ensure the independence of the Defensoría del Pueblo and that it had the necessary financial resources and technical capabilities to fulfil its mandate, particularly with regard to women's rights?
Another Expert commended the State party for recognising the legitimacy and importance of temporary special measures to achieve substantive equality. A notable example was the 2023 initiative of the National Institute for Rural and Land Development, which reduced the interest rate on women’s payments for their land plots from 12 per cent to 0 per cent, leading to a 114 per cent increase in the number of definitive title deeds issued to women in 2024, and demonstrating how effective temporary special measures could be. Could information be provided on the percentage of women among the beneficiaries of the employment quotas, which did not distinguish on sex? What measures were taken to ensure the equal representation of women within these quotas?
Law no. 834/96 established a minimum quota of only 20 per cent for women candidates on political parties’ internal lists for elective office. Did the State party plan to raise the quota to fifty-fifty in accordance with the Convention?
What additional measures had the State party adopted to expand the use of temporary special measures for substantive equality for women in all spheres of public life and in all leadership and policy-making positions? There was a new regulation which practically blocked the ability to contribute fundraising for non-governmental organizations, including feminist ones; could the delegation comment on this?
Another Expert asked if the State party would consider developing a new national action plan on women, peace and security, in light of the most recent plan which expired in 2022?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Paraguayan State recognised equality and non-discrimination as a fundamental pillar in the legal system, including through the Constitution. There were specific intersectoral laws, which incorporated a broad definition of discrimination against women and protected the exercise of their rights in the economic, cultural, social, political and work spheres, including in the public and private sectors. There were several laws in place, including those which ensured the rights of women with disabilities and rural women.
The Supreme Court of Justice, through its gender secretary, implemented the cross-cutting gender policy and provided training for judges and judicial officials to bolster training of quality. In 2026, training activities were carried out in various jurisdictions to strengthen institutions. A guidebook had been developed which included the provisions on the Convention. Judicial decisions which incorporated equality and non-discrimination were rewarded. Several activities had been developed to ensure that the justice system in Paraguay incorporated a gender perspective and human rights. Four gender units had been established in areas with the highest number of complaints against women.
The SIMORE Plus system had resulted in the development of training systems, with information transmitted to focal points. Specific training sessions were carried out on the Committee and its recommendations. This ensured equality and non-discrimination standards were gradually incorporated in institutional management. Since 2020, protocols had been in place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. The expression of gender could not be excluded from the exercise of any right. Paraguay had a progressive public policy on sexual identity and gender orientation. It was ensured that the Convention was invoked in any disputes. From September 2025, a judgment was handed down in line with international standards, recognising the legal capacity of a person with a psychosocial disability. Over 1,200 officials had been trained in human rights and gender stereotypes, among other subjects.
Disability was not considered an appropriate reason to separate a child from their mother; women with disabilities received reasonable accommodations so they could raise their children properly. As part of the juvenile criminal system, a comprehensive intervention had been developed, targeting young women in conflict with criminal law. An educational centre had been developed focusing solely on young women defenders.
A law prohibited discrimination on the grounds of gender, age and other factors. There had been targeted measures to ensure increased political leadership of women. In the most recent elections, there were programmes including accessible voting, which had benefitted many women.
A strategy had been developed and was in force to build an instrument to address the structural causes of violence against women. Measures targeted the promotion of gender equality, with a focus on transforming socio-cultural patterns. A response focused on different target areas. All civil servants had undergone a 40-hour course of mandatory training on gender equality, which promoted the Convention and were required to complete the course with high grades to be eligible for a promotion. An institute on equality had been developed, which promoted different qualifications linked to gender and equality. It was being updated with new content dealing with new kinds of violence, as well as the language being used by young people.
A survey had been launched on people of African descent in 2024, with the results submitted to the Statistics Office as part of a research project. A national houses of justice programme was being implemented to facilitate access to justice for people who were facing geographic, cultural or institutional barriers. It particularly benefitted rural women and those living in remote communities. There were mobile houses of justice which provided free services to rural and indigenous communities, enabling easier access. Legal advice days were held which assisted tens of thousands of women; 242 training days had reached 13,000 individuals. There were immediate protection measures in place for victims of sexual violence, including instigating restraining orders against the perpetrators.
There was always a need to expand the budget for the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. Paraguay had a strategy to work on gender perspectives. The Women’s Ministry had received an 11 per cent increase in its budget for 2026. The gender gaps and discrimination could not only be combatted through laws, but through a mobilisation of sufficient resources. Training was being undertaken to train the technical teams comprising the gender networks. An institutional framework was in place to ensure budgetary sustainability. The fifth equality plan was being drafted through a participatory process, with public institutions and civil society, as well as companies and the media. The plan established a methodological pillar which the guiding bodies had identified.
The State wanted to have a closer and more open relationship with civil society, and was including them within consultation committees on a more frequent basis. The first rural women’s plan had been established, and civil society had also been involved.
The State aimed to foster the participation of women in the military, and in peacekeeping operations of the United Nations. In public defence, the national police carried out activities to provide support to women victims of violence, and a comprehensive law was in place which protected women from all forms of violence.
There was a national council for the search of disappeared persons. Coordination was encouraged between police authorities and prosecutors. The national police had an integration system which incorporated specific models to locate disappeared persons and follow-up on existing cases.
A draft bill in relation to violence had undergone amendments, and ended up being vetoed. In the past few days, a young woman had basically been executed by her former partner. The bill should return to its original spirit, in line with the new realities being faced.
Questions by Committee Experts
An Expert said the Committee was concerned about the persistence of gender stereotypes in education and their impact on the normalisation of violence. Materials such as the so-called "The 12 Sciences" reproduced moral and discriminatory biases, and openly blamed the victims with arguments including that girls should be educated to understand that their way of dressing "provoked" men. Did the State plan to revise these decisions to eradicate gender stereotypes in education and ensure professional training that placed the understanding of gender-based violence at the centre?
An Expert said the Committee was concerned about the absence of individualised risk assessments and the inadequacy of comprehensive services and shelters, especially in rural areas. Would these provisions be revoked? Did the State guarantee the suspension of visitation when there were indications of violence against the mother or risk to the children? What protection measures were in place to protect children together with their mothers, both before and after a separation due to gender-based violence?
Were there plans to establish a multi-sectoral analysis of femicides to identify possible failures in the response and institutional coordination and to be able to improve the response in the future? How would the State guarantee access to economic reparation, psychological and social care, and restitution and rehabilitation measures, especially for children and adolescents, indigenous women, and relatives of victims of femicide? When would the State have an integrated system that allowed for monitoring complaints, protection measures, investigations, convictions and reparations for all forms of gender-based violence that affected women, with disaggregated data?
Another Expert commended the State party on its advances in relation to trafficking in women, including the establishment of the operational secretariat for the national programme for prevention, suppression and support for victims of trafficking. Despite that, cases of domestic and international human trafficking recorded annually persisted and were on the rise. What were the measures planned for improving the identification of victims of trafficking? How would the State party ensure more effective investigation, prosecution and sanctioning of traffickers, including complicit officials through adequate sentences? What tools had the State party developed for ensuring adequate redress and compensation for victims of trafficking? What steps were planned for the next three years to develop specialised services for women victims in the country, and to ensure they had sufficient resources? What measures would be taken to effectively prevent and identify sexual abuse of indigenous girls, both online and in the context of tourism? What were the concrete mechanisms and measures to protect women from disadvantaged groups?
The Government did not make robust efforts to address abusive practices as criadazgo, a form of child domestic labour and sex servitude, representing a crime and worst form of child labour. What was the timeline for adopting legislation against this phenomenon, with the necessary guarantees for the rights of children and the penal and administrative measures?
Between 2021 and 2025, there was an annual average of 1,500 missing persons, according to the police, and most were women and girls. A positive step was that in 2025, the MAFE law was passed, establishing the national registry of missing persons and the national immediate alert system for the search for missing persons. What concrete measures had been adopted to implement the national policy for the prevention and combatting of trafficking in persons, as well as the MAFE law? How would the State ensure the application of the gender approach in policies concerning disappearances?
Another Expert asked what steps the State would take to guarantee political parity in elections? Could updated statistics on women in key public positions be provided? What frameworks were deployed to challenge stereotypes which undermined women’s participation, including in cyberspace? How was the safe participation of women in public elections ensured? How did the State party ensure indigenous women’s meaningful participation in policies affecting them? What specific measures was the State party implementing to increase women’s representation in diplomacy and multilateralism?
A Committee Expert acknowledged the steps Paraguay had taken against statelessness, including its accession to the 1954 and 1961 Conventions and its law protecting stateless persons and making it easier for them to naturalise. What share of births were now registered on time? Were late registration and the first identity card completely free? Had the State party deployed mobile civil registry units to indigenous communities and the Chaco? Under the Constitution, a child born abroad to a Paraguayan mother acquired nationality only once the child had settled in Paraguay. Given how many Paraguayan women had emigrated, what safeguards existed so that their children did not become stateless while living abroad? How many women had been recognised as stateless or naturalised under the 2018 law? Were application procedures and fees adapted to women heads of household and survivors of trafficking? Did migrant women, including Venezuelan women, face barriers to registering children born in Paraguay?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said a law had been drafted which ensured the protection of children from hazardous child labour and ensured sufficient punishment for perpetrators. Paraguay had created trafficking prevention actions and was instigating awareness, particularly for child victims. A national campaign was rolled out to raise awareness on the risks of trafficking within the population. Audio visual programmes had been developed by the Government and a guide had been created for teachers to help them identify specific issues relating to trafficking. Short films on the topic had been screened to around 3,000 children, as further awareness raising efforts.
The State sought to ensure protection for child victims, and had provided extensive training to relevant stakeholders on child protection. A specialised care programme provided tailor-made assistance, including psychological support from rescue operations and improved actions to identify family focal points. The programme also monitored reintegration processes and made relevant referrals to avoid revictimisation.
The Ministry of the Interior was tasked with dealing with the national plan to combat human trafficking. The plan was extended from 2025 to 2026. Setting up a unified register had been a recommendation within the law. There were various institutions within the Ministries, which complied a network, working from unified indicators. Through this, the State was aiming to obtain consistent data which could be used to draft public policies.
In cases involving sexual abuse, the victim would first be transferred to a hospital for care, where the healthcare staff would contact the police and relevant authorities, therefore ensuring comprehensive protection for the victim.
The Paraguayan Government had been taking steps to ensure timely access to birth registration, including for those in the Chauco region. Documentation days had been carried out in rural and other far-flung areas to promote birth registration. In 2026, 181 documentation reviews were revised. The first birth certificate was free of charge and came with an identity card. The State was mindful of current difficulties around statelessness and was analysing this situation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had more than 1,000 individuals working there, 48 per cent of whom were women. Of all the chief posts, including diplomatic and administrative officials, as of August 2026, 44 per cent were women. There were two female ambassadors, in Argentina and the United States of America, who were a source of pride for the country.
During this legislature, women made up 24 per cent within the chambers of the Congress. There were 19 women in the Chamber of Deputies and 11 women out of 45 senators. The State had exceeded the barrier of 20 per cent since the law to unblock the lists and do away with preferential voting had been implemented.
The electoral justice developed programmes aimed at increasing the political participation of women and building appropriate conditions for the full exercise of their political rights. Schools provided tools and knowledge to strengthen the skills of women in decision-making posts. The observatory for women’s political participation disseminated information for women in the political sphere. There were also workshops and awareness raising activities to shed light on the issues faced by women and promote an environment free from violence to enable women to exercise their political rights.
The delegation said women accounted for more than 55 per cent of judges. The Gender Office had been working on indicators to be applied to the judiciary. A gender plan was being developed in collaboration with the judiciary. Cases of violence and sexual harassment had been reviewed with the judiciary, and a subsequent plan was developed.
When a child was born abroad to a Paraguayan mother or father, Paraguayan nationality was not granted automatically, but they could apply for it. If a child was born as a result of sexual abuse, including incest, birth registration was done online, guaranteeing the right to identity and all relevant documentation. The competent authorities were responsible for investigating the cause of the birth.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said the Committee positively noted various programmes to combat malnutrition, including the zero hunger in schools programme. However, the Committee was highly concerned about the adoption of resolution no. 1803/2025 of the Ministry of Education and Science, which extended the prohibition on the dissemination of so-called "gender theory " in educational institutions under the Ministry of Education and Science, deleting the word "gender" in all educational materials.
What were the reasons for eliminating the so-called "gender ideology" and limiting comprehensive education on sexual and reproductive health and rights in the education system based on the materials "12 sciences for sexuality and affectivity education in schools"? Could the State party provide information on the reinstatement of compulsory affective-sexual education from 2026?
The Committee was concerned that there was a significant disparity in access to education between rural and urban women and the barriers to access to education for girls and women with disabilities. School dropout rates due to forced pregnancies and violence were also concerning. How did the State party address the causes of the de facto exclusion in the education system of girls and adolescents from disadvantaged groups? How was it ensured that they remained in school and received the necessary support? What measures were being taken to ensure teenage mothers stayed in schools and could be reintegrated if required? What was being done to prevent discrimination, violence and harassment, including cyberbullying, in schools?
Another Expert said the Committee noted with concern the persistent gender gap in labour market participation - 59 per cent of women compared to 84 per cent of men - and occupational segregation, with women concentrated in low-paying service sectors. What targeted measures and objective job-evaluation mechanisms were in place to enforce equal pay for work of equal value across all sectors and guarantee a uniform minimum wage? What legal, structural and labour inspection measures facilitated women’s transition from informal to formal employment with full social protection coverage? What enforcement mechanisms guaranteed compliance with maternity protection laws, and what measures promoted women’s advancement into leadership roles?
What was the current status of the 2016 draft bill criminalising child domestic labour criadazgo, and what social protection measures supported rescued girls?
What specific labour inspection protocols were used inside private households to verify wage compliance, enforce social security enrolment, and prevent criadazgo? What clear timelines and budgetary allocations were committed to expanding public childcare infrastructure and extending paternity leave? How did the State party assess the accessibility, confidentiality and protective guarantees of complaint channels to ensure victims could report violations without fear of retaliation? What targeted, culturally appropriate strategies supported indigenous women in transitioning from informal work to formal labour opportunities?
A Committee Expert noted several positive measures and mechanisms relating to adolescents, but there was concern about the lack of implementation around these measures, which contributed to high pregnancy rates. Paraguay’s early pregnancy rates were among the highest in Latin America; between 2022 to 2024, more than 32,000 girls and adolescents aged 10 to 19 gave birth after sexual abuse, including rape, or as a result of consensual sex between peers, who had limited access to sexual and reproductive education. Were there plans to improve public facilities and resources, including for disadvantaged women? What was the progress on abortion law reform, and the draft law on sexual and reproductive health? Would the State party consider increasing health sector investment to create a more targeted health care system?
An Expert raised two recent cases which had resulted in the deaths of girls due to unsafe abortions; how was the State investigating these cases? How was it ensured that girls had access to safe abortions?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Ministry of Education and Science, through a resolution adopted in 2025, had broadened terminology that was being used in educational material. The criteria replaced expressions such as “gender equality” and “gender perspective”, to terms like “equality amongst men and women”. The Constitution explicitly recognised equality of rights between men and women. In 2024, the State repealed the decision to conduct sex education which was age appropriate. This would be linked to education on the human body, among other subjects. Educational programmes also incorporated issues such as personal hygiene, the changing of the body during puberty, and interpersonal relations, among others.
The Ministry of Children and Adolescents had been conducting sustained actions to protect children from violence. A national programme for the protection of children and adolescents who were victims of sexual abuse had been established in 2018. Guides on the prevention of sexual abuse against children had been created, covering topics like understanding your body, as well as online abuse, which were available on the Government’s website and social media. Dolls had been created which sent out messages in Spanish when touched in their private areas. Around 800 counsellors were undertaking training this year. There were now around 1,000 host families working to help with the deinstitutionalisation of children.
A proposal was being created which included periodic reports on wage gaps and other wage gap mechanisms. Later this week, there would be a meeting with the national coalition on wage equality, a body that Paraguay wished to accede to. The informal sector was one of the greatest barriers to ensuring equality in Paraguay. The State had adopted various strategies in this regard, including one to promote the transition from the informal to the formal sector. The new strategy established guidance for the workplace and included a territorial focus. As part of the zero hunger programme, the Ministry of Labour sought to generate local jobs. Around 23,000 new formal jobs had been created for women, as a result of the labour formalisation strategy.
A new resolution adopted in March this year brought about a paradigm shift in the labour policy, requiring prevention policies to be put in place, including updated investigation and punishment procedures. In 2025, 85 per cent of complaints were received by women workers. There had been a high number of cases of violence, which had led to the reformulation of the framework. The seeds of the future programme was being broadened and would expand to 50 comprehensive care centres, covering care for small children, feeding them and giving them spaces to play. An additional 50 of these centres would be established within the country. The seeds of the future programme would also gain 800 new staff, including psychologists.
Paraguay had national days aimed at preventing sexual abuse. A register had been developed for cases of sexual abuse of children. The State knew the harshening of sentences was not a salutation, but for an important issue it was important to rely on the law in force. The law had broadened the definition of coitus and established new criminal offences, including sexting and grooming. Minimum penalties of 20 years imprisonment applied if the victim was under the age of 10.
The Ministry of Health undertook health interventions to ensure the right to health of rural women. Over two million rural women had been attended to in 2026 and over three million contraceptive consultations took place. There were over 38,000 mammograms conducted in the rural areas. The State was developing early prevention methods for breast and cervical cancer, which predominantly impacted women. Pregnancies under the age of 14 were classified as child sex abuse. HPV vaccinations were free of charge up to the age of 45, and available in a single dose for children.
There was no protocol or legal framework authorising sterilization without the consent of women with disabilities.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert commended Paraguay on the legislation and policies promoting the economic and social empowerment of women, including the national care policy of Paraguay, the National Institute for Rural and Land Development, and the Guarantee Fund for Women. However, persistent discriminations and inequalities in accessing credit and entrepreneurial assistance for women persisted, including equality of access to economic and social benefits for disadvantaged groups of women. How did policies promoting economic autonomy, credit, entrepreneurship and social protection, benefit indigenous women, Afro-descendent women, women with disabilities, informal sector women workers and women household heads. How many women had benefited? How were existing gaps in women’s access to social benefits and pensions being addressed? What policies and programmes existed to facilitate women’s participation? How many housing loans had been granted to Afro-descendent women, indigenous women and women with disabilities over the past three years?
Another Expert asked if the State party had undertaken a study on the misuse of toxic agrochemicals and their impact on indigenous communities? Paraguay’s civic space had come under pressure from the non-governmental organization law. What was the status of this strategic action litigation? Would the State consider non-carceral custody for mothers if possible?
A Committee Expert commended a law on persons with disabilities, while noting the provisions on guardianship in other legislation. How many laws had been reviewed? Did the State party plan to eliminate all legal guardianship? How would it be ensured that women with disabilities could get married? Despite the Committee's previous recommendations, the law continued to allow marriage at 16 and 17 years of age. The Committee was concerned that unions between girls and men who were five years older were presented as a "solution" to pregnancies, even when they were the result of rape or other sexual abuse. What was the status of the bill to eliminate all exceptions to marriage before the age of 18? What measures did the State take to prevent a sexually abused girl from being united with her aggressor and to ensure that the crime was investigated?
How would the State party ensure that child support fees were calculated in accordance with the law and that the mother's income did not reduce the father's obligation? Would the State recognise marriage between same sex couples?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said women in prisons had been able to participate in a programme to trade their products online, including artisanal products. The agricultural farming credit was primarily dispersed to young women farmers. It was important to ensure that there was strict technical support provided to the entrepreneurs. Over 75 per cent of the loans provided to women were in rural areas. Shortly, the State would submit a report commemorating rural women, which would highlight the productive programmes of the State. There were around 11,000 beneficiaries of these programmes and 30,000 women who had benefitted from access to land.
There were no exact figures on mothers with children in prisons, but the authorities were always aware if this was the case before handing down a sentence. Pretrial detention was used excessively across the country and the State was trying to combat this issue. Training had been held for law enforcement officers and all those involved in the public system.
The non-governmental law did not restrict freedom of expression or society, which was a right enjoyed in Paraguay. The law stipulated binding obligations linked to transparency, relating to money laundering standards and financing terrorism. The law did not establish a general prohibition on funding from abroad. Paraguay recognised that all regulations regarding civil society needed to promote transparency while still ensuring freedom of association and protection of civic space.
The Children’s Code established a special procedure for providing child support. There were mechanisms in place to expedite processes and provide for child maintenance. The Committee had a large number of files in relation to child support, and had a registry which noted those who had missed more than two payments. Definitive rulings had been handed down by the courts in relation to not carrying out payments on time. The mother’s income did not reduce the responsibility of the father for payments.
The legislative expressed support for having 18 years as the minimum age of marriage. Administrative registers for the civil status registry had noted a significant (78 per cent) drop in marriages involving children under 18. However, the situation remained and it was important to strengthen measures to prevent child marriage.
Closing Remarks
ALICIA POMATA, Minister of Women of Paraguay and head of the delegation, expressed sincere thanks for the dialogue, which was a fundamental tool to strengthen public policies and improve the State’s response. The eradication of violence against women, and ensuring shared responsibility and care and greater participation in political spaces remained a priority for the country. The State would also continue working to strengthen the Women’s Ministry as the guiding body in the country. Paraguay would continue to work towards an equal society without discrimination.
NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chairperson, thanked the delegation of Paraguay for the dialogue, which had given the Committee a more comprehensive understanding of the situation of women in the country.
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CEDAW26.020E