Document #2082795

USDOL – US Department of Labor (Author)

2021 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor: Paraguay

Moderate Advancement

In 2021, Paraguay made moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The Ministry of Labor finalized a resolution that established new procedures for more prompt investigations of child labor and expanded its use of virtual outreach and training, and the Departmental Committees for the Eradication of Child Labor opened new offices in three departments across the country. The government also expanded the Support for the Community Kitchens Program, which focuses on relieving economic strain on families at risk of child labor. However, children in Paraguay are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in domestic servitude and in debt bondage in cattle raising, on dairy farms, and in charcoal factories. Children with disabilities as well as those from rural and indigenous communities face difficulties accessing and completing their education. In addition, limited funding for law enforcement agencies and social programs hampered the government’s ability to fully address the worst forms of child labor, particularly in rural areas. Paraguay's criminal law enforcement agencies also lack resources to sufficiently identify, investigate, and prosecute cases of the worst forms of child labor, especially in remote areas.

 
I. Prevalence and Sectoral Distribution of Child Labor

Children in Paraguay are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in domestic servitude and in debt bondage in cattle raising, on dairy farms, and in charcoal factories. (1-4) The 2011 National Survey of Child and Adolescent Activities found that 21 percent of all Paraguayan children were engaged in hazardous work. (5) The 2015 Survey of Activities of Rural Area Children and Adolescents, published in 2016, identified 384,677 children ages 5 to 17 engaged in child labor in agriculture. (6) Table 1 provides key indicators on children’s work and education in Paraguay. Data on some of these indicators are not available from the sources used in this report.

Table 1. Statistics on Children's Work and Education

Children

Age

Percent

Working (% and population)

10 to 14

5.4 (36,569)

Working children by sector

10 to 14

  

Agriculture

  

53.0

Industry

  

14.8

Services

  

32.2

Attending School (%)

10 to 14

Unavailable

Combining Work and School (%)

10 to 14

Unavailable

Primary Completion Rate (%)

  

75.0

Source for primary completion rate: Data from 2020, published by UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2022. (7)
Source for all other data: International Labor Organization’s analysis of statistics from Encuesta Permanente de Hogares Continua (EPHC), 2020. (8)

Based on a review of available information, Table 2 provides an overview of children's work by sector and activity.

Table 2. Overview of Children's Work by Sector and Activity

Sector/Industry

Activity

Agriculture

Production of manioc/cassava, corn, beans, peanuts, peppers, sesame, sugarcane, tomatoes, lettuce, melons, sweet potato, onions, carrots, cabbages, yerba mate (stimulant plant), and charcoal (6,9,10)
 

Raising poultry, hogs, cattle,† sheep, and goats and milk production (6)
 

Fishing, including using hooks and harpoons,† preparing bait, and cleaning fish† (6)

Industry

Construction, including handling heavy loads, machinery or equipment,† and production of bricks (1-3,5,9-12)
 

Limestone quarrying† and gold mining† (1,2,5,9,10,13)

Services

Domestic work† (1-5,11,14-16)
 

Street work,† including vending, shoe shining, and begging (1,3,5,9-11,15-17)
 

Horse jockeying (9,16)
 

Garbage dump scavenging† (5)

Categorical Worst Forms of Child Labor‡

Debt bondage in cattle raising, dairy farms, and charcoal factories (1-4,11)
 

Commercial sexual exploitation and domestic servitude (1,3,11,17,18)
 

Use in the production of child pornography (1-3,9-11,15)
 

Use in illicit activities, including drug smuggling and drug trafficking (1,2,11,15)

† Determined by national law or regulation as hazardous and, as such, relevant to Article 3(d) of ILO C. 182.
‡ Child labor understood as the worst forms of child labor per se under Article 3(a)–(c) of ILO C. 182.

Criadazgo, a practice in which middle-class and wealthy families informally employ and house child domestic workers from impoverished families, is pervasive in Paraguay. (1,3,11,18) Many of these children are in situations of domestic servitude, subjected to violence and abuse, and highly vulnerable to sex trafficking. (1,5,16,17) Lack of political will continues to prevent Congress from considering previously drafted legislation that would criminalize criadazgo. (11,19)

Children are subjected to commercial sexual exploitation in Ciudad del Este; in the Tri-Border area between Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil; and along commercial shipping routes on the Paraguay River. (1,3,11,20) The government has indicated it is investigating allegations that children are recruited by the Paraguayan People's Army for use in armed conflict against security forces, as well as investigating claims that children are used as forced labor in the production of marijuana in the Department of Amambay. (1,11) Furthermore, children work alongside their parents in debt bondage on cattle ranches, dairy farms, and charcoal factories in the remote Chaco region. (1-3,9,11,16)

Children from rural and indigenous communities face difficulties accessing and completing their education, including language barriers and inadequate facilities and staff. (1,2,21,22) A study released in 2019 by the Coordinator for the Rights of Infancy and Adolescence of Paraguay estimated that half of all children in indigenous communities do not attend school. (23) The government has noted that girls from rural areas leave school at an earlier age than boys and has estimated that more than 50 percent of children with disabilities could not attend school due to lack of access to public transportation. (9,10) Such challenges may leave these children more vulnerable to child labor. Approximately 13 percent of children engaged in child labor in agriculture do not attend school. (6)

II. Legal Framework for Child Labor

Paraguay has ratified all key international conventions concerning child labor (Table 3).

Table 3. Ratification of International Conventions on Child Labor

Convention

Ratification

ILO C. 138, Minimum Age

✓

ILO C. 182, Worst Forms of Child Labor

✓

UN CRC

✓

UN CRC Optional Protocol on Armed Conflict

✓

UN CRC Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography

✓

Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons

✓

The government has established laws and regulations related to child labor (Table 4). However, gaps exist in Paraguay’s legal framework to adequately protect children from the worst forms of child labor, including the lack of prohibition of child recruitment by non-state armed groups.

Table 4. Laws and Regulations on Child Labor

Standard

Meets International Standards

Age

Legislation

Minimum Age for Work

Yes

18

Article 1 of Law No. 2332; Article 58 of the Childhood and Adolescence Code (24,25)

Minimum Age for Hazardous Work

Yes

18

Article 54 of the Childhood and Adolescence Code; Article 3 of Decree No. 4951; Articles 122 and 125 of the Labor Code; Article 15 of the First Employment Law; Article 5 of Law No. 5407 on Domestic Work (24,26-29)

Identification of Hazardous Occupations or Activities Prohibited for Children

Yes

  

Article 54 of the Childhood and Adolescence Code; Article 2 of Decree No. 4951; Article 15 of the First Employment Law; Articles 122, 125, and 389 of the Labor Code; Article 5 of Law No. 5407 on Domestic Work (24-30)

Prohibition of Forced Labor

Yes

  

Articles 5–7 of the Comprehensive Law Against Trafficking in Persons; Articles 125, 129, 223, and 320 of the Penal Code; Articles 10 and 54 of the Constitution (31-34)

Prohibition of Child Trafficking

Yes

  

Articles 5, 6, and 7 of the Comprehensive Law Against Trafficking in Persons; Articles 125, 129, and 223 of the Penal Code; Articles 10 and 54 of the Constitution (31-34)

Prohibition of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Yes

  

Articles 135 and 223 of the Penal Code; Article 2.19 of Decree No. 4951; Article 31 of the Childhood and Adolescence Code (24,26,32,34)

Prohibition of Using Children in Illicit Activities

Yes

  

Article 1 of Law No. 1657; Article 32 of the Childhood and Adolescence Code (24,35)

Minimum Age for Voluntary State Military Recruitment

Yes

18

Articles 3 and 5 of the Obligatory Military Service Law (36,37)

Prohibition of Compulsory Recruitment of Children by (State) Military

Yes

  

Articles 3 and 5 of the Obligatory Military Service Law (36,37)

Prohibition of Military Recruitment by Non-state Armed Groups

No

    

Compulsory Education Age

Yes

17

Article 2 of Law No. 4088; Article 32 of the General Education Law No. 1264; Decree 6162 (38-40)

Free Public Education

Yes

  

Article 76 of the Constitution; Article 32 of the General Education Law No. 1264 (31,38)
III. Enforcement of Laws on Child Labor

The government has established institutional mechanisms for the enforcement of laws and regulations on child labor (Table 5). However, gaps exist within the operations of enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate enforcement of their child labor laws.

Table 5. Agencies Responsible for Child Labor Law Enforcement

Organization/Agency

Role

Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security (MTESS)

Enforces laws related to child labor, inspects workplaces for child labor, and recommends penalties or fines for companies found in violation of labor laws. Refers cases involving criminal violations of child labor to the Ministry of Adolescents and Children (MINNA). (11)

Paraguayan National Police

Maintain a special unit of 40 police officers known as the Anti‐Trafficking in Persons Unit, which handles trafficking in persons complaints, including in relation to children. Maintain offices in five cities across the country. (41)

Public Ministry (Attorney General)

Investigates and prosecutes criminal cases of forced child labor, child trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation, the recruitment and use of child soldiers, and use of children in illicit activities. (1) Maintains the Specialized Unit to Combat Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents (ATU). (2) Comprises 5 specialized prosecutors based in Asunción and 44 assistants. (41)

Ministry of Adolescents and Children (MINNA)

Maintains a hotline to report cases of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children. Provides social services to survivors referred by law enforcement agencies and refers cases of sexual exploitation and child labor to the Public Ministry's ATU. (1-3)

In 2021, the MTESS expanded its use of virtual outreach and training, including a virtual training to over 300,000 students at vocational schools nationwide, hosted in cooperation with the National Professional Promotion Service and the National System of Labor Training. (11) In addition, the Ministry of Women's Affairs also provides social services to female survivors of human trafficking and houses an office staffed with five personnel dedicated to addressing trafficking of children. (2)

Labor Law Enforcement

In 2021, labor law enforcement agencies in Paraguay took actions to address child labor (Table 6). However, gaps exist within the operations of the Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security (MTESS) that may hinder adequate labor law enforcement, including insufficient financial resource allocation.

Table 6. Labor Law Enforcement Efforts Related to Child Labor

Overview of Labor Law Enforcement

2020

2021

Labor Inspectorate Funding

$366,762 (1)

$119,089 (11)

Number of Labor Inspectors

21 (1)

25 (11)

Mechanism to Assess Civil Penalties

Yes (27)

Yes (42)

Initial Training for New Labor Inspectors

N/A (1)

N/A (11)

Training on New Laws Related to Child Labor

N/A (1)

N/A (43)

Refresher Courses Provided

Yes (1)

Yes (11)

Number of Labor Inspections Conducted

9,710 (1,44)

1,177 (45)

Number Conducted at Worksite

99 (1)

224 (11)

Number of Child Labor Violations Found

8 (1)

9 (11)

Number of Child Labor Violations for Which Penalties Were Imposed

7 (1)

13 (11)

Number of Child Labor Penalties Imposed that Were Collected

6 (1)

4 (11)

Routine Inspections Conducted

Yes (1)

Yes (11)

Routine Inspections Targeted

Yes (1)

Yes (11)

Unannounced Inspections Permitted

Yes (1)

Yes (42)

Unannounced Inspections Conducted

Yes (41)

Yes (11)

Complaint Mechanism Exists

Yes (1)

Yes (11)

Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Labor Authorities and Social Services

Yes (1)

Yes (11)

In February 2021, the MTESS finalized a resolution that established new procedures to allow for more prompt investigations of child labor. Upon receiving a complaint of child labor, inspectors must initiate an investigation within 24 hours and must refer children in need of specialized services to the proper agencies within 12 hours. (11,46) 

During the reporting period, MTESS operations continued to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Government funds were redirected through continuing issues of state of emergencies and the MTESS was again obliged to shift the focus of its inspections from compliance with labor regulations to compliance with emergency workplace sanitary measures. (11,47) During the reporting period, sanitary "verifications", which in 2020 served as opportunities to also inspect for child labor, were reduced as the government loosened restrictions. (45) Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, all inspectors received regular training on child labor issues during the reporting period. (11)

Although Paraguay has ratified ILO C. 81, its labor inspectors are contractors rather than public officials, and due to the instability of contract employment, the authority and training of these labor inspectors may be called into question. (1-3) The number of labor inspectors is likely insufficient for the size of Paraguay’s workforce, which includes over 3.5 million workers. According to the ILO’s technical advice of a ratio approaching 1 inspector for every 15,000 workers in developing economies, Paraguay would need to employ about 238 inspectors. (48,49) Government agencies, international organizations, NGOs, and labor organizations agree that inadequate funding and the insufficient number of labor inspectors hamper the labor inspectorate’s capacity to enforce child labor laws, especially in the informal sector, including in agriculture and domestic work, and particularly in rural areas such as the Chaco region. (1,3,9) With reduced ability to travel and access workplaces due to the pandemic, the MTESS attempted to make better use of its computer databases to identify labor violations, but noted limited success with this approach. (11) The MTESS, other government agencies, and NGOs agree that labor inspectors receive useful and necessary training, but that inspectors could benefit from more training specific to child labor. (1,3,11)

An additional constraint to labor law enforcement is the lack of efficient and timely cooperation by judicial authorities in granting workplace inspection search warrants to the Public Ministry and the MTESS when an employer does not permit an inspector to enter a workplace to conduct an inspection. (1-3) Research was unable to determine whether the government has implemented a 2016 agreement with judicial and law enforcement authorities that would accelerate the authorization of search warrants.

Criminal Law Enforcement

In 2021, criminal law enforcement agencies in Paraguay took actions to address child labor (Table 7). However, gaps exist within the operations of criminal enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate criminal law enforcement, including a lack of resources to sufficiently identify, investigate, and prosecute cases of the worst forms of child labor.

Table 7. Criminal Law Enforcement Efforts Related to Child Labor

Overview of Criminal Law Enforcement

2020

2021

Initial Training for New Criminal Investigators

N/A (1)

N/A (11)

Training on New Laws Related to the Worst Forms of Child Labor

N/A (1)

N/A (11)

Refresher Courses Provided

Yes (50)

Unknown (11,45)

Number of Investigations

160† (1)

170‡ (11)

Number of Violations Found

Unknown (1)

Unknown (11)

Number of Prosecutions Initiated

25 (1)

47 (11)

Number of Convictions

6 (1)

24 (11)

Imposed Penalties for Violations Related to the Worst Forms of Child Labor

Yes (1)

Yes (11)

Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Criminal Authorities and Social Services

Yes (1)

Yes (11)

† Number of investigations conducted between January and November 2020.
‡ Number of Investigations conducted between January and November 2021.

During the reporting period, the anti-trafficking unit investigated 170 child labor-related cases including 58 that involved labor trafficking, 96 involving pimping, and 16 involving child pornography. (11) The Specialized Unit to Combat Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents also removed 26 children from exploitative situations with collaboration from the Paraguayan National Police, the Public Defender's Office, and the Ministry of Adolescents and Children (MINNA). (11) The MINNA also held an internal training for officials on child labor, forced labor, sexual exploitation of children, and best practices in safely repatriating child and adolescent victims of international human trafficking. (51) The Ministry of Women's Affairs also held a training in cooperation with Attaining Lasting Change (ATLAS) Project and implementers Partners of the Americas for 30 public officials on best practices and challenges of applying Paraguayan anti-trafficking in persons law. (51) In addition, local authorities in the Caaguazú department organized two forums on Human Trafficking and Sexual Violence against Children and Adolescents. (51)

Despite these efforts, government agencies, international organizations, NGOs, and labor organizations have observed a nationwide need for more specialized prosecutors to support local prosecutors and increase the Public Ministry’s ability to investigate and prosecute cases involving human trafficking. (10,14) Overall, Paraguay’s criminal law enforcement agencies lack resources to sufficiently identify, investigate, and prosecute cases of the worst forms of child labor, especially in remote areas. Additionally, inconsistent application of fines and criminal penalties remain significant challenges in the elimination of the worst forms of child labor. (1,11)

IV. Coordination of Government Efforts on Child Labor

The government has established mechanisms to coordinate its efforts to address child labor (Table 8). However, gaps exist that hinder the effective coordination of efforts to address child labor, including insufficient financial and human resources.

Table 8. Key Mechanisms to Coordinate Government Efforts on Child Labor

Coordinating Body

Role & Description

National Commission to Prevent and Eradicate Child Labor and Protect Adolescent Labor

Leads government efforts against child labor and includes representatives from MTESS, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, MINNA and other government agencies, and labor union representatives, industry associations, and NGOs. (43) Met eight times during the reporting period and approved a plan for an interinstitutional project to support children living on the street. (11)

Interinstitutional Working Group on Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking

Coordinates interagency efforts to address all forms of trafficking in persons, including child trafficking, and collects and reports statistics on those efforts. (1,3) Headed by the Ministry of Foreign Relations. (2) Met three times during the reporting period. (11)

Defense Councils for the Rights of Children and Adolescents

Coordinate efforts to protect children’s rights at the municipal level, including by maintaining a registry of adolescent workers and coordinating with vocational training programs for adolescents. (24) In many municipalities, staff from the Defense Councils for the Rights of Children and Adolescents were informally involved in child labor investigations and supported judges in civil cases involving children during the reporting period. (11)

The National Commission to Prevent and Eradicate Child Labor and Protect Adolescent Labor continued to decentralize through the creation of Departmental Committees for the Eradication of Child Labor and opened new offices in the Departments of Concepción, Canindeyú, and Guairá during the reporting period. (11,51)

While the Interinstitutional Working Group on Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking was effective in fostering dialogue and coordination among government agencies on anti-trafficking in persons efforts, it faced challenges in collecting and reporting statistics and a lack of participation from all relevant government agencies. (18) Coordination between the MTESS and the Ministries of Education and Health remains insufficient to address the worst forms of child labor. In addition, the Defense Councils for the Rights of Children and Adolescents require additional financial and human resources to fulfill their mission to address child labor. (2,10,18,52) 

V. Government Policies on Child Labor

The government has established policies related to child labor (Table 9). However, policy gaps exist that hinder efforts to address child labor, including insufficient implementation.

Table 9. Key Policies Related to Child Labor

Policy

Description

National Strategy for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labor and Protection of Working Adolescents (2019–2024)

Focuses on raising awareness and strengthening enforcement of child labor laws. Provides child laborers with access to free quality education and offers livelihood alternatives for their families. (2,10,53) The government continued to implement this strategy during the reporting period. (11)

National Strategy to Prevent Forced Labor (2021–2024)†

Aims to prevent and eradicate forced labor and care for victims. (54) A second National Strategy for 2021–2024 was developed during the reporting period with the technical support of the Okakuaa Project. A total of 7 consultation workshops were held with the participation of 158 representatives from public and private institutions and unions to collect inputs for the new plan. (54,55)

National Plan for Development (2020–2030)

Addresses social exclusion and poverty, including by preventing and eliminating child labor. (56) During the reporting period, the strategy, which previously ended in 2020, was extended for the 2020–2030 period. (43)

National Plan on Human Rights

Promotes human rights, including the prevention and elimination of child labor and forced labor. (57) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken to implement the policy during the reporting period.

National Plan for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons (2020–2024)

Aims to guide government prevention, response, and protection actions and establish prosecution and penalty guidelines for trafficking in persons. Also prioritizes institutional capacity building and coordination between government entities. (1,58,59) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken to implement the policy during the reporting period.

† Policy was approved during the reporting period.

VI. Social Programs to Address Child Labor

In 2021, the government funded and participated in programs that include the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor (Table 10). However, gaps exist in these social programs, including inadequate coverage and funding to fully address the problem in all sectors.

Table 10. Key Social Programs to Address Child Labor

Program

Description

Immediate Response Network†

Program created to provide support to street children. Under the "Dispositivo de Respuesta Inmediata," MINNA employees with a range of specializations, including psychologists and social workers, respond to tips from the MINNA hotline for reporting mistreatment, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and negligence of children, as well as information from roving street patrols in high-risk areas. (3) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken to implement the program during the reporting period.

Embrace Program (Programa Abrazo)†

MINNA program to assist children engaged in exploitative work by providing them and their families with health and education services, food deliveries, and cash transfers conditioned on children’s school attendance and withdrawal from work. (2,60) During the reporting period, the program approved a new operations manual for coordinators at Abrazo centers across the country that will provide consistent operational guidance. The program continued to offer trainings on income generation, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship, while also referring victims and survivors of child labor and human trafficking to the appropriate government programs. (11)

Well-Being Conditional Cash Transfer Program (Tekoporã)†

Government-administered program through the Ministry of Social Development. Provides conditional cash transfers to families in rural communities. (11) Incorporates aspects of the Embrace Program, such as the family monitoring methodology, to ensure participant children do not engage in child labor. (61) During the reporting period, the program helped an additional 63,498 families. (11)

USDOL-Funded Projects

USDOL projects that aim to eliminate child labor, including its worst forms, through research, improved monitoring and enforcement, policy development, and awareness raising. These projects include Attaining Lasting Change (ATLAS), a $7.5 million project that aims to build the capacity of host governments to more adequately address child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking; and Paraguay Okakuaa (Paraguay Progresses), a $7.5 million project implemented by Partners of the Americas, which ended in September 2021. (62,63) In 2021, the Okakuaa Project worked with the Paraguayan National Observatory of Childhood and Adolescence on greater coordination among the Ministries of Labor and Childhood and Adolescence, developing a computer system in which the Departmental Committees for the Eradication of Child Labor can upload reports to share with MINNA and MTESS. In August, MTESS held a virtual presentation on the progress made in the implementation of the national strategy to address child labor. (55) During the reporting period, the ATLAS Project held a symposium for law enforcement officials on child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking, and held a training for MTESS and the National Police officials who are in charge of training their respective staff on trafficking-related subject matter. (51)

† Program is funded by the Government of Paraguay.
‡ The government had other social programs that may have included the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor. (2,3,60,64) 

A law enacted in 2021 expanded the Support for Community Kitchens Program to include beneficiaries of all ages. The program, founded in 2018, delivers food bimonthly to community kitchens nationwide that serve children with the goal of relieving economic strain on families at risk of child labor. (11) During the reporting period, the program provided food supplies and funds to 1,654 community kitchens, reaching 194,200 individuals. (45)

The 2012 Law Against Trafficking in Persons requires the Ministry of Women’s Affairs to provide compensation and financial assistance to survivors of sexual and labor trafficking, including minors, but NGO and government officials report that compensation takes too long to be helpful. (14,20,33) Although Paraguay has programs that target child labor, the coverage and funding of these programs is insufficient to fully address the extent of the problem, and programs are limited by the absence of government funding in education and health services in rural areas. Additional programs are needed to reach the large numbers of working children, especially in agriculture, including cattle herding, and domestic work. (1,9,14) 

VII. Suggested Government Actions to Eliminate Child Labor

Based on the reporting above, suggested actions are identified that would advance the elimination of child labor in Paraguay (Table 11).

Table 11. Suggested Government Actions to Eliminate Child Labor

Area

Suggested Action

Year(s) Suggested

Legal Framework

Ensure that the law criminally prohibits the recruitment of children under age 18 by non-state armed groups.

2016 – 2021
 

Raise the compulsory age of education to match the minimum age for work.

2021
 

Protect children from the abuse of the criadazgo system by regulating the practice with legislation.

2019 – 2021

Enforcement

Strengthen the labor inspectorate by making labor inspectors public officials rather than contractors and ensuring that they receive more training specific to child labor.

2017 – 2021
 

Increase the number of labor inspectors to meet the ILO’s technical advice.

2009 – 2021
 

Increase the funding and resources available to the labor inspectorate, specifically in the Chaco region, to build enforcement capacity to address child labor in the informal sector, including in agriculture and domestic work.

2009 – 2021
 

Implement the 2016 agreement to accelerate authorization of workplace inspection search warrants to improve the cooperation mechanisms among judicial authorities and labor enforcement officials.

2013 – 2021
 

Publish information on how many violations of child labor were found through criminal investigations and whether refresher courses were provided to investigators.

2020 – 2021
 

Increase efforts to prosecute crimes related to the worst forms of child labor, including by hiring and training more specialized criminal investigators and prosecutors, and by increasing penalties for crimes.

2012 – 2021
 

Provide resources to enable more criminal investigations in remote areas.

2012 – 2021
 

Ensure that fines and penalties for the worst forms of child labor are consistently applied.

2019 – 2021

Coordination

Ensure that the Interinstitutional Working Group on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Persons fulfills its mandate, including in collecting and reporting statistics.

2018 – 2021
 

Strengthen interagency coordinating mechanisms, with particular focus on the communication between the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security and the Ministries of Education and Health, to address child labor, including its worst forms.

2013 – 2021
 

Provide additional financial and human resources to the Defense Councils for the Rights of Children and Adolescents to strengthen their ability to address child labor at the municipal level.

2017 – 2021

Government Policies

Ensure that activities were undertaken to implement key policies related to child labor during the reporting period and that data on these activities are published.

2020 – 2021

Social Programs

Publish information on activities undertaken for all key social programs related to child labor during the reporting period.

2021
 

Increase access to education for children vulnerable to child labor, particularly children with disabilities, young girls, and children with language barriers living in rural and indigenous communities. Address the lack of infrastructure and staff to improve access to education for all children.

2014 – 2021
 

Ensure that financial assistance programs for child trafficking and forced labor survivors are properly funded.

2018 – 2021
 

Further expand government programs to assist more families and children affected by child labor in agriculture in rural areas, including cattle herding, and domestic work.

2010 – 2021
References
  1. U.S. Embassy- Asunción. Reporting. January 14, 2021.
  2. U.S. Embassy- Asunción. Reporting. February 8, 2019.
  3. U.S. Embassy- Asunción. Reporting. January 15, 2020.
  4. Partners of the Americas official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. April 14, 2020.
  5. ILO and Dirección General de Estadística, Encuestas y Censos del Paraguay. Magnitud y características del trabajo infantil y adolescente en el Paraguay. 2018. Source on file.
  6. ILO and Dirección General de Estadística, Encuestas y Censos del Paraguay. Trabajo infantil y adolescente en el sector rural agrícola, pecuario, forestal y de pesca y piscicultura en Paraguay - Encuesta de actividades de niños, niñas y adolescentes - EANA RURAL 2015. Geneva: Organización Internacional del Trabajo; Servicio de principios y derechos fundamentales en el trabajo (FUNDAMENTALS), 2016.
    http://www.ilo.org/santiago/sala-de-prensa/WCMS_533723/lang--es/index.htm
  7. UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes (%). Accessed March 3, 2022. For more information, please see "Children's Work and Education Statistics: Sources and Definitions" in the Reference Materials section of this report.
    http://data.uis.unesco.org/
  8. ILO. Analysis of Child Economic Activity and School Attendance Statistics from National Household or Child Labor Surveys. Original data from Encuesta Permanente de Hogares Continua (EPHC), 2020. Analysis received March 2022. Please see "Children's Work and Education Statistics: Sources and Definitions" in the Reference Materials section of this report.
  9. U.S. Embassy- Asunción. Reporting. January 18, 2018.
  10. U.S. Embassy- Asunción. Reporting. January 18, 2017.
  11. U.S. Embassy- Asunción. Reporting. January 7, 2022.
  12. ABC Color. Adolescente muere al caer en una trituradora de piedra. June 3, 2021.
    https://www.abc.com.py/este/2021/06/03/adolescente-muere-al-caer-en-una-trituradora-de-piedra/
  13. Hoy. Paso Yobái: fiebre por oro expone a niños a peligros. May 10, 2017.
    http://www.hoy.com.py/nacionales/paso-yobai-fiebre-por-oro-expone-a-ninos-a-explotaciones
  14. ILO Committee of Experts. Individual Observation concerning Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) Paraguay (ratification: 2001). Published: 2017.
    http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID:3294985:NO
  15. U.S. Embassy- Asunción. Reporting. February 12, 2021.
  16. U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report- 2021: Paraguay. Washington, D.C., July 1, 2021.
    https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-trafficking-in-persons-report/paraguay/
  17. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. End of mission statement of Urmila Bhoola, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences following her visit to Paraguay between 17–24 July 2017.
    https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2017/07/end-mission-statement-urmila-bhoola-special-rapporteur-contemporary-forms
  18. U.S. Embassy- Asunción. Reporting. February 14, 2020.
  19. U.S. Embassy- Asunción official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. May 19, 2022.
  20. U.S. Embassy- Asunción. Reporting. March 13, 2019.
  21. UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. List of issues and questions in relation to the seventh periodic report of Paraguay. Replies of Paraguay. CEDAW/C/PRY/Q/7/Add.1. July 5, 2017.
    http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CEDAW/C/PRY/Q/7/Add.1&Lang=en
  22. ILO Committee of Experts. Individual Direct Request concerning Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) Paraguay (ratification: 2001). Published: 2017.
    http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO:12100:P12100_INSTRUMENT_ID:312327:NO
  23. Nanduti. Trabajo infantil y embarazos juveniles, retos de Paraguay en la Agenda 2030. March 12, 2019.
    https://www.efe.com/efe/america/sociedad/el-trabajo-infantil-y-embarazos-juveniles-retos-de-paraguay-en-la-agenda-2030/20000013-3921352
  24. Government of Paraguay. Código de la Niñez y la Adolescencia, No. 1680. Enacted: May 30, 2001. Source on file.
  25. Government of Paraguay. Ley N° 2332, Que Aprueba el Convenio N° 138 Sobre la Edad Minima, 1973. Enacted: December 19, 2003.
    http://paraguay.justia.com/nacionales/leyes/ley-2332-dec-19-2003/gdoc/
  26. Government of Paraguay. El Listado de Trabajo Infantil Peligroso, Decree 4951. Enacted: March 22, 2005.
    https://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELECTRONIC/95150/111923/F-910630018/PRY95150.pdf
  27. Government of Paraguay. Código del Trabajo, No. 213. Enacted: June 15, 1993. Source on file.
  28. Government of Paraguay. Ley N° 5407 Del Trabajo Doméstico. Enacted: October 12, 2015.
    https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/4392/ley-n-5407-del-trabajo-domestico
  29. Government of Paraguay. Ley De Primer Empleo, Ley N° 1980/02. Enacted: September 20, 2002.
    https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/8725/ley-n-1980-de-primer-empleo
  30. Government of Paraguay. Ley N° 496 Que Modifica, Amplia y Deroga Artículos de la Ley 213/93, Codigo del Trabajo. Enacted: August 22, 1995.
    https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/2514/ley-n-496-modifica-amplia-y-deroga-articulos-de-la-ley-21393-codigo-del-trabajo
  31. Government of Paraguay. Constitución Política de 1992. Enacted: June 20, 1992. Source on file.
  32. Government of Paraguay. Código Penal de Paraguay, No. 1.160/97. Enacted: November 26, 1997. Source on file.
  33. Government of Paraguay. Ley Integral Contra la Trata de Personas, No. 4788. Enacted: September 6, 2012. Source on file.
  34. Government of Paraguay. Ley N° 3.440/08 Que Modifica Varias Disposiciones de la Ley No. 1.160/97, Código Penal. Enacted: July 16, 2008.
    http://www.pj.gov.py/images/contenido/ddpi/leyes/ley-3440-2008-que-modifica-el-codigo-penal.pdf
  35. Government of Paraguay. Ley N° 1657, Que Aprueba el Convenio N° 182 y la Recomendación Sobre la Prohibición de las Peores Formas de Trabajo Infantil y la Acción Inmediata Para Su Eliminacion. Enacted: January 10, 2001.
    http://paraguay.justia.com/nacionales/leyes/ley-1657-jan-10-2001/gdoc/
  36. Government of Paraguay. Ley que Deroga el Artículo 10 y Modifica el Artículo 5 de la Ley Número 569/75 "Del Servicio Militar Obligatorio," No. 3360. Enacted: November 6, 2007.
    http://paraguay.justia.com/nacionales/leyes/ley-3360-nov-2-2007/gdoc/
  37. Government of Paraguay. Ley del Servicio Militar Obligatorio, Ley N° 569. Enacted: December 1975.
    http://paraguay.justia.com/nacionales/leyes/ley-569-dec-24-1975/gdoc/
  38. Government of Paraguay. Ley General de Educación, No. 1264/98. Enacted: April 21, 1998. Source on file.
  39. Government of Paraguay. Ley N° 4088 Que Establece la Gratuidad de la Educacion Inicial y de la Educacion Media. Enacted: May 20, 2010. Source on file.
  40. Government of Paraguay. Decree No. 6162_Law 4088. February 15, 2011.
    https://siteal.iiep.unesco.org/sites/default/files/sit_accion_files/py_3184.pdf
  41. U.S. Embassy- Asunción official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. May 3, 2021.
  42. Government of Paraguay. Resolution Number 47. January 29, 2016.
    https://www.mtess.gov.py/application/files/2716/2160/5705/Resolucion_MTESS_N_47-16.pdf
  43. U.S. Embassy- Asunción official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. March 21, 2022.
  44. U.S. Embassy- Asunción official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. March 18, 2021.
  45. U.S. Embassy- Asunción official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. January 18, 2022.
  46. Government of Paraguay. Resolucion No. 217. February 24, 2021.
    https://www.mtess.gov.py/documentos/resolucion-mtess-n-2172021
  47. Government of Paraguay. Decree No. 3546. April 21, 2020.
    https://www.mspbs.gov.py/dependencias/portal/adjunto/aff855-DecretoN3546Reglamentacinart.46deLey6524.pdf
  48. ILOSTAT. ILO Labor Force Statistics (LFS)–Population and labour force. Accessed (January 25, 2022). Labor force data is government-reported data collected by the ILO. Please see "Labor Law Enforcement: Sources and Definitions" in the Reference Materials section of this report.
    https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/
  49. UN. World Economic Situation and Prospects 2019 Statistical Annex. New York: 2019. Please see "Labor Law Enforcement Sources and Definitions" in the Reference Materials section of this report.
    https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/WESP2019_BOOK-web.pdf
  50. U.S. Embassy- Asunción official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. March 24, 2021.
  51. U.S. Embassy- Asunción. Reporting. January 28, 2022.
  52. Government of Paraguay. La Estrategia Nacional de Prevención del Trabajo Forzoso, Decree 6285. Enacted: November 15, 2016.
    http://www.presidencia.gov.py/archivos/documentos/DECRETO6285_1a5msfru.pdf
  53. Government of Paraguay. Estrategia Nacional de Prevención y Erradicación del Trabajo Infantil y Protección del Trabajador Adolescente. December 8, 2018.
    https://www.mtess.gov.py/application/files/9715/6926/1549/Estrategia_Nacional_-_para_impresion.pdf
  54. Government of Paraguay. Estrategia Nacional de Prevención Y Erradicación del Trabajo Forzoso. April 27, 2021.
    https://www.mtess.gov.py/application/files/5616/4382/0503/Estrategia-Nacional-Trabajo-Forzoso-2021-2024-web.pdf
  55. Partners of the Americas official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. April 13, 2022.
  56. Government of Paraguay. Paraguay para todos y todas: Propuesta de Política Pública para el Desarrollo Social 2010–2020. Asunción: 2010.
    http://extwprlegs1.fao.org/docs/pdf/par157171.pdf
  57. Government of Paraguay. Plan Nacional de Derechos Humanos, Decree 10747. Enacted: March 6, 2013. Source on file.
  58. Government of Paraguay. Cancillería coordinará el Plan Nacional contra la Trata de Personas aprobado por el Ejecutivo. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, December 15, 2020.
    https://www.mre.gov.py/index.php/noticias-de-embajadas-y-consulados/cancilleria-coordinara-el-plan-nacional-contra-la-trata-de-personas-aprobado-por-el-ejecutivo#:~:text=El Plan Nacional tiene como,Trata de Personas en la
  59. Government of Paraguay. Decree 4473: Plan Nacional Prevención Trata de Personas December 14, 2020. Source on file.
  60. U.S. Embassy- Asunción official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. January 26, 2017.
  61. Government of Paraguay. Mediante Tekoporã más niños y niñas accedieron a servicios de salud este año. December 11, 2019.
    https://www.ip.gov.py/ip/mediante-tekopora-mas-ninos-ninas-accedieron-servicios-de-salud-este-ano/
  62. U.S. Department of Labor. Attaining Lasting Change (ATLAS). Accessed May 7, 2021.
    https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/attaining-lasting-change-atlas
  63. U.S. Department of Labor. Paraguay Okakuaa (Paraguay Progresses). Accessed May 7, 2021.
    https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/paraguay-okakuaa-paraguay-progresses#:~:text=Paraguay Okakuaa (Paraguay Progresses) In partnership with the,families vulnerable to child labor, particularly young women
  64. Government of Paraguay. Ministerio de la Niñez y Adolescencia Programa Abrazo. 2018.
    http://www.minna.gov.py/pagina/229-abrazo.html
ecoi.net description:
Annual report on child labor (covering 2021)
Country:
Paraguay
Source:
USDOL – US Department of Labor (Author)
Original link:
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/paraguay
Document type:
Periodical Report
Language:
English
Published:
28 September 2022
Document ID:
2082795

ecoi.net is run by the Austrian Red Cross (department ACCORD) in cooperation with Informationsverbund Asyl & Migration. ecoi.net is funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Austrian Ministry of the Interior and Caritas Austria. ecoi.net is supported by ECRE & UNHCR.