On this page, you will find:
To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our Paraguay LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For Paraguay country of origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our Paraguay COI page.
Refugee protection
Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by Paraguay.
The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which Paraguay is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.
Since 1970 Paraguay has been both a party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and to its 1967 Protocol. It has also accepted the UN Statelessness Conventions.
According to regional standards, Paraguay applies the refugee definition as per the Cartagena Declaration in its internal law.
Paraguay’s domestic framework on refugee protection is based on its Refugee Law No. 1.938 (Ley N° 1938, General Sobre Refugiados de 2002). The law includes the traditional refugee definition set forth in the 1951 Convention and the broader definition set forth in the
1984 Cartagena Declaration. It establishes the National Refugee Commission (Comisión Nacional de Refugiados, “CONARE”), which is authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responsible for the refugee status determination process.
Legal aid organisations
Website
Address: Víctor Haedo 386 entre Alberdi y Chile, Piso 4, Asunción, Paraguay.
Tel: (+595) 985323600
Email: conare@mre.gov.py
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 15:00.
In Paraguay, CONARE (Comisión Nacional de Apátridas y Refugiados) is the public body in charge of receiving applications for recognition of refugee status, assessing cases and resolving them. CONARE has the responsibility to protect the rights of refugees and applicants and to contribute to the search for options for their local integration and assistance.
Website
Tel: +595212893000 or 133
The Public Defence Office is an autonomous and autarchic institution that provides free legal assistance and representation to people in vulnerable situations, monitoring the effective application of due process in the jurisdictional sphere. They offer their services on numerous locations, which can be found here.
Organisations providing other support to refugees
Website
Address: Roma 1055 esquina Colón, Asunción, Paraguay.
Tel: (+595 21) 420-323 or (+595 971) 888 – 172 (Whatsapp)
Email: semillas@semillas.org.py
In Paraguay, UNHCR works with Semillas para la Democracia, a civil association that provides support and guidance to refugees and asylum seekers since their arrival in the country, ensuring that the state guarantees protection and access to basic socio-economic rights as a means for local integration. Semillas provides information, advice and guidance on: accompaniment and guidance for documentation procedures and access to rights as refugees in Paraguay, access to state social programmes and public health, education and technical training services, guidance for job and/or vocational training, guidance on access to self-employment, information on access to naturalisation, basic humanitarian assistance, support in the process of adaptation in the community, with a sensitive approach to gender and diversity of people and the special needs of women and girls in situations of greater vulnerability.
Paraguay LGBTQI+ Resources
Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in Paraguay.
Paraguay COI
Find Paraguay Country of Origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents.
We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.
Last updated June 2023