[ Human Trafficking, Country-by-Country ]

PARAGUAY (Tier 2) – Extracted in part from the U.S. State Dept 2023 TIP Report

The Government of Paraguay does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.  The government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period, even considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, if any, on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore Paraguay remained on Tier 2.  These efforts included convicting considerably more traffickers, awarding restitution to two trafficking victims for the first time since 2018, drafting and implementing a protocol to support trafficking victims departing the shelter via at-home visits, and translating existing trafficking awareness materials into braille to expand accessibility.  However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas.  The government identified significantly fewer trafficking victims and newly prosecuted only two alleged traffickers.  The government did not establish the dedicated anti-trafficking agency or funding source required by law and reported limited efforts to implement the NAP to combat trafficking.  There were no shelter options for male victims, and the government only provided shelter to a subset of female trafficking victims.  Further, the government remained without effective approaches to tackling the abusive practices and working conditions common in situations of criadazgo, a practice which amounted to child domestic servitude.

Prioritized Recommendations

Increase efforts to identify trafficking victims, including among vulnerable populations.

Fund and expand access to adequate specialized victim services, including for male victims.

Investigate and prosecute alleged traffickers, including complicit officials, and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should include significant prison terms.

Fund and fully implement the 2020-2024 NAP, including its provisions to establish the national anti-trafficking secretariat and fund.

Train officials to consistently utilize victim identification protocols and referral mechanisms to increase proactive identification of trafficking victims, including among minority and Indigenous populations.

Increase engagement with civil society actors to complement the government’s efforts to prevent trafficking and protect victims; encourage regular civil society participation in the interagency roundtable.

Increase funding and staffing for the Paraguayan National Police Anti-Trafficking Unit (PNPTU).

Revise the definition of human trafficking under Law 4788/12 to ensure force, fraud, or coercion are essential elements of the crime as established under the UN TIP Protocol.

Adopt reforms to eliminate abusive practices and working conditions that may amount to trafficking in criadazgo (child domestic servitude).

Train law enforcement officials to understand, investigate, and prosecute child sex tourism cases under the anti-trafficking law.

Improve interagency coordination and adopt or develop a case management database for trafficking cases.