UN team supports Paraguay in combatting discrimination against people of African descent

In Paraguay, the recent approval of the 6940 Law (Ley 6940, in Spanish), which establishes mechanisms and procedures to prevent and punish acts of racism and discrimination against people of Afro-descent, is an historic milestone. 

The main objective of this legal mechanism is to recognize, value and dignify the Afro-descendant Paraguayan population and Afro-descendant people living in the country who have historically been victims of racism and discrimination. 

The law sets out a path to acknowledge cultural diversity and ensure the sustained inclusion of people of African descent in public policies at the country level.

By promoting the contributions that people of African descent have made in the country and incorporating the Afro-descendant angle into national policies, Paraguay has brought to life the commitment to 'leave no one behind' and reach the most vulnerable people first.

"Leaving no one behind entails, precisely, advancing in terms of inclusive public policies, respectful of all people with their socio-cultural diversities. This law is one more step that encourages the Afro-descendant populations of our country to continue working for their rights," said Rocío Galiano Marés, UNFPA National Representative.

The National Secretariat of Culture in Paraguay, which supported this law-making process, formed a technical committee together with the United Nations in Paraguay and other state entities and civil society organizations to help regulate this new law. 

The UN Development System in Paraguay has long since supported people of African descent at the national, regional and local levels. The UN-led by OHCHR and other entities with country-level presence — including UNFPA — have organized a number of initiatives and events to help fight discrimination and support Afro-descendent communities in Paraguay. 

The Paraguayan Network of Afro-descendants (Red Paraguaya de Afrodescendientes, RPA, in Spanish) for example was established in 2008 with the support of the United Nations. The UN Country team also supported a preliminary census of African descendants in 2007. As a result of the joint work, the next national census of the whole country population, to be held in October of this year, already includes questions related to people of African origin.

In 2019, the UN team in Paraguay also took part in an UNESCO led training initiative, called Master Class Series against Racism and Discriminations which aims to spread awareness on how to deconstruct the mechanisms underlying racism and discrimination and empower young people to become proactive agents of change in their own communities, schools and families. 

Using this human rights approach, the training addressed a range of issues related to inclusion and non-discrimination and used peer-to-peer learning forums to build understanding and capacity to fight racism. 

In addition to the adoption of this recent legislation and other joint initiatives, Paraguay has been an active participant in other international human rights instruments of the UN to safeguard Afro-descendants and eliminate racial discrimination. 

Back in 2003, Paraguay was one of the countries that ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination to help put an end to racial discrimination through all means, including legislation, policies, educational initiatives, or prosecutions. 

Together with the outcome of the Durban Conference (the 2001 World Conference Against Racism) this helped strengthen grassroot campaigns across Latin America and the Caribbean to promote and protect the human rights of people of African descent. 

Although these movements and the newly adopted legislation helps empower and give greater visibility to people of African descent in Paraguay, many challenges remain to eliminating racial discrimination and ensuring the full exercise of their human rights. 

The COVID-19 pandemic in particular has exposed societal inequalities in Paraguay and has disproportionately affected victims of systemic discrimination and the legacy of racism.  

The UN in Paraguay continues to work closely with national authorities, civil society organizations and communities across the country to protect the rights of people of African descent and bring an end to racial discrimination and exclusion. 

Story originally posted in Spanish on UN Paraguay. Editorial support by the Development Coordination Office. For more information about the United Nations' work in Paraguay, please visit: Paraguay.UN.org.

To learn more about our work in this area and beyond, please read the 2022 UNSDG Chair Report on DCO.