Country profile PRY
Context
Context
| Year | Age group | Proportion | Gender | Indicator | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 10-17 | 7.2 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | UN SDG Indicators Database |
| 2023 | 10-17 | 2.6 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | UN SDG Indicators Database |
| 2023 | 10-17 | 4.9 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | UN SDG Indicators Database |
| 2016 | 5-17 | 20.3 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | UN SDG Indicators Database |
| 2016 | 5-17 | 13.1 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | UN SDG Indicators Database |
| 2016 | 5-17 | 17.9 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | UN SDG Indicators Database |
National Legal Framework
National Legal Framework
| Provision | Legislation date | Convention | Legislation info | sources | Value | sort_order | Provision description | Legislation description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? | 2010-09-13 ; 1998-05-26 | C138 | Law No. 4088 establishing free early childhood education and secondary education - Article 2 ; General Education Law No. 1264 - Articles 32 and Article 37 | [{"link_name":"-Law No. 4088 establishing free early childhood education and secondary education","source_link":"https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/589/ley-n-4088-establece-la-gratuidad-de-la-educacion-inicial-y-de-la-educacion-media"},{"link_name":"-General Education Law No. 1264","source_link":"https://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/sites/default/files/ressources/paraguay_ley_de_educacion_1264.pdf"}] | N/A | 4 | C138 requires that the minimum age for admission to work shall not be less than the age of completion of compulsory schooling and, in any case, shall not be less than 15 years. | Article 2 of Law No. 4088 stipulates that early childhood education and secondary education are compulsory and provided free of charge in publicly managed schools. Moreover, Articles 32 and 37 of the General Education Law elaborate on the terms and conditions governing early childhood and secondary education. However, the specific age at which compulsory schooling is to be completed is not explicitly defined. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, prohibited? | 2001-01-10 | C182 | Law No. 1657 approving Convention No. 182 and the recommenfation concerning the prohibtion of the worst forms of child labour and immediate action for its elimination - Article 3. c) | [{"link_name":"Law No. 1657","source_link":"https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/621/aprueba-el-convenio-n-182-y-la-recomendacion-sobre-la-prohibicion-de-las-peores-formas-de-trabajo-infantil-y-la-accion-inmediata-para-su-eliminacion"}] | Yes | 11 | C182 prohibits the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. | Article 3. c) prohibits the use of children for the commission of illegal activities, in particular the production and trafficking of narcotic drugs. |
| Is forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict prohibited? | 1975-12-24 | C182 | Law on compulsory military service - Article 3 | [{"link_name":"Law on compulsory military service","source_link":"https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/2458/ley-n-569-servicio-militar-obligatorio"}] | Yes | 9 | C182 defines forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict as a worst form of child labour. Nevertheless, C182 only prohibits the forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18, and does not cover the voluntary recruitment of children under 18. | Article 3 of the Law sets the minimum legal age for recruitment into the armed forces at 18 years old. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? | 1997-11-26 ; 2006-01-17 | C182 | Penal Code - Article 139 ; Law No. 2861/2006 prohibiting the commercial and non-commecial distribution and dissemination of pornographic material using the image or other representation of minors or incapacitated people - Article 3 | [{"link_name":"-Penal Code","source_link":"https://www.oas.org/dil/esp/codigo_penal_paraguay.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Law No. 2861/2006","source_link":"https://www.oas.org/juridico/spanish/cyb_par_ley_2861_2006.pdf"}] | Yes | 10 | C182 prohibits the use of a child under the age of 18 for prostitution, regardless of the child's consent. The use, procuring or offering of any person under the age of 18 for commercial sexual exploitation constitutes a worst form of child labour, even if prostitution is a legalised. In regard to the prohibition of child pornography, States need to make sure that national legislation addresses the involvement of a child in the production of pornographic materials, including non-recorded performances. | Article 139 of the Penal Code punishes anyone who induces a person aged below 18 years into prostitution. For its part, Article 3 of the Law No. 2861/2006 prohibits the use of children for the production of pornographic material. |
| Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? | 2012-12-13 | C182 | Comprehensive Law Against Trafficking in Persons - Article 5 and Article 6.1 | [{"link_name":"Comprehensive Law Against Trafficking in Persons","source_link":"https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/3158/ley-n-4788-integral-contra-la-trata-de-personas"}] | Yes | 8 | C182 defines all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour as worst forms of child labour. | Article 5 of the Law prohibits Human trafficking while Article 6.1 considers an aggravating circumstance the committing of such offence on a person aged between 14 and 17 years inclusive. |
| List of hazardous activities prohibited for children | 1993-10-29 | C138 & C182 | Labour Code - Article 125 | [{"link_name":"Labour Code","source_link":"https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/2608/ley-n-213-establece-el-codigo-del-trabajo"}] | Yes | 7 | C138 and C182 require the national determination of a list of hazardous work prohibited for children under 18 years of age. The competent authorities should consult with workers' and employers' organizations to determine what types of employment or work are considered to be hazardous. Such a list shall be periodically examined and revised as necessary. | Article 125 of the Labour Code sets the list of occupations prohibited to children aged less than 18 years. The list includes the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption; tasks or services that may affect children's morality or good manners; street work, unless specially authorised; dangerous or unhealthy work; work exceeding the established working hours, children's physical strength, or that may prevent or delay normal physical development; and, night work, during the periods provided for in Article 122 and others determined by law. |
| Minimum age for hazardous work | 1993-10-29 | C138 & C182 | Labour Code - Article 125. d) | [{"link_name":"Labour Code","source_link":"https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/2608/ley-n-213-establece-el-codigo-del-trabajo"}] | 18 | 6 | C138 and C182 set 18 as the minimum age for hazardous work, which is defined as work that, due to its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to jeopardize children’s health, safety or morals. C138 and C182 allow countries to permit hazardous work exceptionally as from 16, provided that the health, safety and morals of the young persons concerned are fully protected and that they have received adequate specific instruction or training. | Article 125. d) prohibits the employment of children aged less than 18 years in hazardous and unhealthy work. |
| Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship | 1987-10-03 ; 1993-10-29 | C138 | Law 1265/1987 amending Law No.253/71"Creating the national professional promotion service" - Article 20 ; Labour Code - Article 105 | [{"link_name":"-Law 1265/1987","source_link":"https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/723/ley-n-1265-modifica-la-ley-n-25371-que-crea-el-servicio-nacional-de-promocion-profesional"},{"link_name":"-Labour Code","source_link":"https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/2608/ley-n-213-establece-el-codigo-del-trabajo"}] | 15 | 5 | C138 does not apply to work done in school for general, vocational or technical education or in training institutions or work done by children at least 14 years of age in undertakings, where such work is carried out in accordance with conditions prescribed by the competent authority. Such work must be an integral part of: (i) a course of education or training for which a school or training institution is primarily responsible; (ii) a programme of training mainly or entirely in an undertaking, which programme has been approved by the competent authority; or (iii) a programme of guidance or orientation designed to facilitate the choice of an occupation or of a line of training. | Article 20 of Law 1265/1987 allows minors between 15 and 18 years of age to apply for apprenticeship programmes. Furthermore, it is worth noting that Article 105 of the Law No.213/1993 on the Labour Code also regulates the apprenticeship contract. |
| Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities | 1993-10-29 | C138 | Labour Code - Article 120 ; Childhood and Adolescence Code - Article 58 | [{"link_name":"-Labour Code","source_link":"https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/2608/ley-n-213-establece-el-codigo-del-trabajo"},{"link_name":"-Childhood and Adolescence Code","source_link":"https://www.oas.org/dil/esp/ley_de_adopcion_paraguay.pdf"}] | Yes | 3 | If the country chooses to allow light work, States must determine what activities are considered light work, and the hours and the circumstances under which they may be carried out. | Article 120 of the Labour Code details the circumstances and hours under which light work can be allowed from 14 years old. In includes the following : a) That they have completed compulsory primary education or that the work does not prevent them from attending school; b) That they possess a certificate of physical and mental fitness for work, issued by the competent health authority; c) That the work is daytime, light, non-hazardous and non-unhealthy; d) That authorisation has been given by the minor's legal representative, endorsed by the competent authority; e) That they do not work more than four hours a day or more than twenty-four hours a week. For minors who are still attending school, the daily working hours shall be reduced to two, provided that the total number of hours devoted to school and work does not exceed seven hours per day in any case; and f) They do not work on Sundays or on public holidays designated by law. Furthermore, Article 58 of the Childhood and Adolescence Code states that, working adolescents who are 14 years of age or older but under 16 years of age may not work more than 4 hours per day or 24 hours per week. |
| Minimum age for light work | 03-11-27 | C138 | Law 2.332/03 ratifying ILO Convention 138 | [{"link_name":"Law 2.332/03 ratifying ILO Convention 138","source_link":"https://www.bacn.gov.py/leyes-paraguayas/5029/ley-n-2332-aprueba-el-"}] | 12 | 2 | C138 defines light work as work that does not interfere with children’s schooling, or their ability to benefit from it, and that is not hazardous. C138 allows countries to permit light work for children younger than the general minimum age. For countries that set the minimum age at 15, this means children aged 13-14, and for those that set it at 14, children aged 12-13 may engage in light work. | The minimum age for light work is set to 12 years. |
| Minimum age for admission to work | 2001-05-08 | C138 | Law 1680/2001 on the Children and Adolescents Code - Article 58 | [{"link_name":"Law 1680/2001 on the Children and Adolescents Code","source_link":"https://www.oas.org/dil/esp/ley_de_adopcion_paraguay.pdf"}] | 14 | 1 | C138 establishes 15 as the minimum age for work in general. Developing countries have the option of setting a minimum age of 14 as a transitional measure as they strengthen their education systems and economies. | Article 58 of the Law sets the minimum age for admission to work to 14 years. |
International Legal Framework
International Legal Framework
| Ratification status | Convention | Convention description | Date of ratification | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in-force | C182 | Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) | 07-MAR-2001 | Source |
| in-force | C138 | Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) | 03-MAR-2004 | Source |
Policies and Plans
Policies and Plans
| Description | sources | Period | Policy name | Implementing agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The programme is a Conditional Cash Transfer Programme whose objective is to improve the quality of life of families in situations of extreme poverty and vulnerability, facilitating the exercise of the right to food, health, education and the strengthening of social networks with a view to preventing the intergenerational transmission of poverty. In an Observation published in 2024, the CEACR noted that, in 2021, 61.2 per cent of children in situation of poverty benefitted from the Tekopora programme by receiving conditional cash transfer. | [{"link_name":"-CEACR Observation","source_link":"https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/nrmlx_en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID,P13100_COUNTRY_ID:4366217,102796"},{"link_name":"-Tekopora programme","source_link":"https://www.cadep.org.py/uploads/2022/05/cartilla-16-OK.pdf"}] | No information | Tekopora programme | Ministry of Social Development |
| In a Direct Request published in 2024, the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR) noted the adoption of the Plan, in which, "objective 3.2 seeks to improve education for children of indigenous communities by, among others: (1) building and improving school infrastructures for communities; (2) guaranteeing pertinent and relevant education for all indigenous children; and (3) allocating the necessary resources to achieve this goal. Objective 4.3 which aims to guarantee the rights of indigenous children, also envisages: (1) the development of adequate measures to encourage children to stay in school; (2) building strategies to prevent indigenous children from becoming engaged in the worst forms of child labour, including the criadazgo system and hazardous work; and (3) the design of a protocol to approach the situation of indigenous children in the streets.". | [{"link_name":"CEACR Direct Request","source_link":"https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/nrmlx_en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID,P13100_COUNTRY_ID:4366334,102796:NO"}] | 2020-2030 | Decree No. 5897/2021 approving the National Plan for Indigenous Peoples | Operative Working Group |
| The Plan seeks to promote the effective enforcement of the Comprehensive Law against Human Trafficking (Law No. 4.788/12), which, in its first article, sets out its purpose as: “to prevent and punish Human trafficking in all its forms, whether committed within the national territory or abroad, and to protect and assist victims, thereby strengthening state action against this punishable offence.” To achieve this objective, the Plan defines several strategic axes to guide its actions. These include strengthening institutional and inter-institutional coordination, prevention measures, comprehensive care and protection for victims, as well as the investigation and punishment of offenders. | [{"link_name":"National Plan for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons","source_link":"http://www.annaobserva.org/observatorio/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/PLAN_NACIONAL_2020-2024_compressed.pdf"}] | 2020-2024 | National Plan for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons | Inter-institutional Committee for the Prevention and Combating of Human Trafficking |
| The overarching objective of the Strategy is to focus and coordinate public policies targeting children and adolescents engaged in, or at risk of engaging in, the worst forms of child labour. It seeks to generate income opportunities for their families, provide training and awareness-raising for both families and key societal actors on children’s rights and child labour, ensure access to free and quality education, and strengthen the effective regulation of adolescent labour. To achieve these goals, the Strategy sets out a series of actions, including: the identification of children and adolescents involved in, or at risk of, the worst forms of child labour, along with their families; the provision of comprehensive care and reintegration support for victims (through the Abrazo and Tekoporá programmes); the reinforcement of the family as a protective environment for children’s rights; and broad awareness-raising efforts within society, particularly through mass media, on children’s rights and the eradication of the worst forms of child labour. | [{"link_name":"National Strategy for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labour and the Protection of Adolescent Workers in Paraguay","source_link":"https://www.rialnet.org/sites/default/files/%281a%20Sesio%CC%81n%29%20Presentacio%CC%81n%20de%20Paraguay_0.pdf"}] | 2019 - 2024 | National Strategy for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labour and the Protection of Adolescent Workers in Paraguay | Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security |
| The plan seeks to place childhood and adolescence at the heart of public policy across three key life stages: early childhood, childhood, and adolescence. Its main priorities include promoting the active participation of children and adolescents in social and political processes so they can influence decisions that affect them; strengthening the role of families and communities in protecting children’s rights to support their full development through a community-based approach; and implementing targeted actions for situations of high social vulnerability, ensuring the restoration of rights through effective protection mechanisms for children and adolescents. | [{"link_name":"National Plan for Children and Adolescents","source_link":"https://siteal.iiep.unesco.org/sites/default/files/sit_accion_files/10048.pdf"}] | 2020-2024 | National Plan for Children and Adolescents | National Council for Children and Adolescents |