UN expert commends efforts of Paraguay but calls for stronger measures to enhance effective protection and inclusion of minorities

ASUNCIÓN/GENEVA (25 November 2022) – A UN expert said today Paraguayan society’s inclusive and generous attitudes towards minorities must be bolstered by stronger and more effective government action to protect human rights and strengthen the rule of law.

“The Republic of Paraguay has come a long way since embarking on the path of democracy in 1989. It must continue in this direction by developing much-needed human rights infrastructure and put into action the many significant legislative and policy measures adopted in more recent years,’’ said Fernand de Varennes, the UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues.

In a statement at the end of a 12-day visit, de Varennes said Paraguay’s sometimes tragic history, and the central place of the indigenous language Guaraní, have resulted in a society tolerant of ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity. “It is in a unique position to build on that by ensuring that there are legal and other tools, as well as the resources, to implement the rights, protections and promises made in the country’s constitution, legislation and policies.”

The Special Rapporteur said Paraguay should strengthen the Office of the Ombudsman and create a national human rights institution to ensure compliance with its international obligations under UN human rights treaties it has ratified.

De Varennes highlighted that despite the theoretical protections in place recognising the rights of indigenous peoples and recent significant legislation for Afro-descendants and users of sign language, the resources are often not available to implement the rights of these minorities, or in some cases laws appear to be simply ignored by state officials.

“I learned in my meetings that there is frustration at the inability to enforce even existing rights. For these not to remain paper tigers, it’s essential to have in place effective mechanisms to deal with failures of implementation and to allocate the needed budgetary and human resources.”

De Varennes provided numerous recommendations to the government at the end of his visit, including in relation to indigenous land ownership disputes to create a national commission to seek a structural solution to the land problem, on the need to include Afro-descendant as a category in future censuses, on enhancing the use of the Guaraní language as a language in administration, and on the recognition and use of sign language in education, among others.

ENDS

The Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Dr Fernand de Varennes, is Visiting Professor, Université catholique de Lyon, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, and National University of Ireland, Galway. He was appointed United Nations Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues by the Human Rights Council and assumed his functions on 1 August 2017. His work and commitment focusses on the human rights of minorities, as well as the prevention of ethnic conflicts, the rights of migrants, the relationship between ethnicity, human rights and democracies, and the use of federalism and other forms of autonomy arrangements to balance competing cultural interests. Fernand de Varennes holds degrees from the Université de Moncton (LLB, 1988), the London School of Economics and Political Science (LLM, 1992), and the Rijksuniversiteit Limburg (becoming in 1996 the University of Maastricht, Dr Juris, 1996).

Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms. Special Procedures mandate-holders are independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council to address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. They are not UN staff and are independent from any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.