Ministry of Women (Paraguay) explained

The Ministry of Women or Ministry of Women's Affairs (MWA) is a Paraguayan state ministry established in 2012. The current Minister of Women is Celina Esther Lezcano, who succeeded Nilda Romero in March 2021.^[1]

History of the ministry

In 1993 the Paraguayan state created a Secretariat for Women's Affairs within the Office of the President.^[2] This secretariat was raised to the status of a Ministry of Women's Affairs by Act No. 4675, in 2012.^[3]

In 2013 the Ministry took action to address high rates of domestic violence, promoting a national 24-hour telephone hotline for victims and operating a shelter in Asunción for female victims of sex trafficking or domestic violence.^[4] The Ministry is participating in the National Commission on Climate Change, which is preparing a National Gender Strategy on Climate Change to advance women's rights in relation to the environment.^[5] In 2018 Presidential Decree no. 936 established a National Equality Plan, setting out 2018-2024 plans for the Ministry of Women to work towards gender equality in partnership with UN Women.^[6]

List of ministers

Secretaries for women's affairs (1993–2013)

• Cristina Muñoz (1993–??)
• Nilda Cabrera (1997–1998)
• Haydee Carnagnola de Aquino (1998–1999)
• María José Argaña de Mateu (2003–2008)
• Gloria Rubin (2008–2013)

Ministers of women (2013 to present)

• Ana María Baiardi (14 August 2013 – 15 August 2018)
• Nilda Romero (15 August 2018 – 6 March 2021)
• Celina Esther Lezcano (9 March 2021 – present)

External links

• Official website

Notes and References

1. News: Quién es Celina Lezcano Flores, la nueva ministra de la Mujer . La Nacíon . 9 March 2021 . Spanish . 29 August 2021.
2. Web site: Inter-American Commission of Human Rights . Third Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Paraguay . Organization of American States . 9 March 2021 .
3. Web site: Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women . Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of Paraguay . 2017 . 28 August 2021.
4. Web site: Paraguay 2013 Human Right Report .
5. Web site: Regional report on the review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in Latin American and Caribbean countries, 25 years on . 28 August 2021 .
6. Web site: IV Plan Nacional de Igualdad 2018 – 2024 IV National Equality Plan 2018 - 2024 . .