Under Article 48 of Paraguay’s National Constitution it states that “Men and women have equal civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights. The State will promote the conditions and will create the adequate mechanisms for, making equality real and effective, by leveling the obstacles that prevent or hinder its exercise and facilitating the participation of women in all areas of the national life.” Women gained the right to full suffrage in 1961, and in 1987 the Paraguayan government ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). In 2007, Alicia Beatriz Pucheta de Correa became the first woman to hold the position of Minister of the Supreme Court of Justice, and a little over a decade later became the country’s first female vice president. Paraguay has remained consistent over the past several decades and continued steady progress towards advancing women’s rights. However, work still remains as the 2021 Global Gender Gap Report shows that female representation in parliament is a mere 15 percent, and women in Paraguay only earn 61 percent of the income earned by men. The country also has high adolescent birth rates, and in 2017, Paraguay became the first country in the world to ban gender issues from school lessons, further exacerbating the problem. Fortunately, feminism runs deep in Paraguay and the Coordinación de Mujeres del Paraguay (Coordinating Body of Paraguayan Women) or CMP has been mobilizing around women’s equality since 1987. CMP is a network of organizations—Aireana-Group for Lesbian Rights, Trinidad Association, Community Support Educational Base, Center for Documentation and Studies, Kuña Róga, and United in Hope—who are fighting for the rights of women and girls across all sectors of Paraguayan society.
Women have experienced generations of discrimination and exclusion across the sports sector in Paraguay. However, over the past decade, female athletes have overcome the barriers to begin developing a strong sporting tradition. The national soccer team finished fourth at the 2006 CONMEBOL Copa América Femenina and fourth at the 2019 Pan American Games. The national handball team won the 2007 International Handball World Championship and placed third in the 2017 Pan American Championship. Women first competed in the Olympics in 1992 and the Paralympics in 2020. Professional golfers, Julieta Granada and Celeste Troche won the 2007 Women’s World Cup of Golf. Granada also finished fifth at the 2014 Women’s British Open and was the flag bearer for Paraguay at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Meet and support global leaders creating change in Paraguay:
Camila Pirelli
How does Paraguay compare to other countries?
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Women in Leadership
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT AS OF 2020
15%
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN MINISTRY POSITIONS AS OF 2020
21%
Has a Woman Ever Been Head of State or Head of Government?
No
HAS A WOMAN EVER BEEN SPORTS MINISTER?
Unknown
Title IX Timeline
1811
Paraguay declared independence from Spain on May 15.
1961
Women gained the right to vote (full suffrage).
1987
Paraguay ratified of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
1992
Natalia Toledo, Rossana de los Ríos and Larissa Schaerer became the first women to represent Paraguay in the Olympics.
2001
Paraguay ratified the Optional Protocol to CEDAW.
2015
Paraguay signed the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, affirming that peace and security efforts are more sustainable when women are equal partners in the prevention of violent conflict, the delivery of relief and recovery efforts and in the forging of lasting peace.
2020
Melissa Nair Tillner Galeano became the first woman to represent Paraguay in the Paralympics.
Women in the olympics
participation through the years
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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4
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9
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10
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5
Women in the Paralympics
participation through the years
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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1
Elite Sports Participation
First Year Women Participated In The Olympics
1992
Year Women’s Participation In Olympics Was Equal To Men’s
2000
First Time A Woman Won An Olympic Medal
The first woman could be you!
First Year Women Participated In The Paralympics
2020
Year Women’s Participation In Paralympics Was Equal To Men’s
2020
First Time A Woman Won A Paralympic Medal
The first woman could be you!
FIFA
Fédération Internationale de Football Association
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
1998
Pay Gap Comparison
Pay Unknown
Gender Initiatives
The Fundación Paraguaya is partnering with the Paraguayan Football Association to provide online soft skills programs to the women of the U-17 National Team.
FIFA is committed to the growth and development of women’s football around the globe.
For More Information
Fundación Paraguaya’s partnership with the Paraguayan Football Association
FIFA: Women’s Development Program
FIBA
Fédération Internationale de Basketball
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
1952
Pay Gap Comparison
Pay Unknown
Gender Initiatives
Increasing the participation of women in basketball at all levels was named as one of FIBA’s eight strategic objectives (2019- 2027) and one of FIBA’s three strategic priorities (2019-2023).
For More Information
LOCAL
Sports
Initiatives
Community Organizations That Have Signed The Brighton + Helsinki Declaration
