Paraguay | Gender in Infrastructure

Legal Framework and Institutional Mechanisms

Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Accession in 1987. Ratification of Optional Protocol in 2001. Main reference document for equality between men and women. Through its ratification or accession to it the States are legally bound to adopt all necessary measures, including special temporary measures and laws, in order for women to fully enjoy all their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995). The signatory countries take responsibility for the implementation of the Platform for Action, in which 12 critical areas of concern for the advancement of women are defined.
Political Constitution (1992). Art. 48: On Equal rights between men and women. Men and women enjoy equal civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights. It establishes that the State shall promote conditions and create adequate mechanisms for equality to be real and effective, thus leveling obstacles which hinder or interfere with its exercise while facilitating women's participation in all spheres of national life.
Ministry of Women (2012). It promotes and implements public policies with gender perspective, for the full enjoyment of women's human rights.

Equal opportunities

Plan for Equality between Men and Women 2008-2017. It promotes the inclusion of the gender perspective into the development, coordination, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of public policies, through efficient regulatory instruments and actions aimed at eliminating all forms of gender discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity and results, encouraging the democratization of the society.
National Development Plan 2014-2030. It includes gender equality policies for the achievement of equality of opportunity and treatment between men and women.
Labor Code (1993). It ensures that women enjoy the same labor rights and have the same obligations as men.

Personal and labor conciliation

Act 5.508 on promotion and protection of maternity, and support of breastfeeding (2015). This act's goal is to promote, protect and support breastfeeding among working women. In its 11th article, it establishes that all working women shall have the right to fully accessmaternity leave for a period of 18 (eighteen) uninterrupted weeks; besides, it grants – in its 13th article and bearing "non-waivable status" – 2 (two) weeks after birth, toany father of a newborn, whose full payment is to be covered by the employer.

Violence due to gender

Act 1.600 against Domestic Violence (2000). It is a provisional measure to protect a victim of violence's life, whether the person cohabitates with the aggressor or not. It stipulates protection measures, as ordered by the zone's justice of the peace, anticipating police protection.
Criminal Code (1997). The concept of punishable acts against sexual autonomy is introduced in the existing Criminal Code.

Legal Framework and Institutional Mechanisms

Equal opportunities

Personal and labor conciliation

Violence due to gender

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