Institutional framework
In Paraguay, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE), which is responsible for representing the country before international organizations, and the Technical Secretariat for Planning (STP), as the institution responsible for national coordination and follow-up, serve as the main focal points before the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition, the National Institute of Statistics (INE) plays a key role in population and development matters.
Leadership in these issues has been assumed by the STP, which is responsible for coordinating, monitoring and evaluating economic, social and environmental policies aimed at development. In this context, the STP has worked closely with various ministries and sectoral secretariats involved in population and development issues.
In recognition of the importance that the Paraguayan State attaches to population and development issues, and of its commitment to the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (RCPD), the Second National Action Plan on Population and Development of Paraguay 2023–2028 was recently launched, coordinated by the Technical Secretariat for Planning (STP) pursuant to Decree No. 2,128/2014. The Action Plan covers the nine thematic areas established in the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development and, in order to ensure its effective implementation, a parallel strategy has been designed to monitor progress.
One of the areas addressed by the Plan is the strengthening of the public institutional framework responsible for population and development management. The need to review and revise Paraguay’s 2005 Population Policy is recognized. Furthermore, the importance of having a coordinating body responsible for the implementation of this policy is highlighted.
Participation
The Paraguayan State has not established a mechanism guaranteeing the participation of non-governmental stakeholders within the population and development institutional framework responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development.
Nevertheless, the preparation of the Second National Action Plan on Population and Development of Paraguay 2023–2028 was participatory in nature throughout the entire process, involving institutional representatives, approximately one hundred individuals from around 20 public institutions, and representatives from 28 civil society and academic organizations working on population and development issues.
The Action Plan proposes the reactivation of the Inter-institutional Population Committee, or the creation of a similar body, supported by an active and participatory technical team that would include key stakeholders from civil society, academia, the private sector and international cooperation organizations. The objective of this committee would be to monitor activities and ensure compliance with the targets and indicators established in the Plan.
The information on Institutionality comes from the regional survey for the update of the Virtual Platform for the follow-up of the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development, implemented by the technical secretariat in 2023, as well as from the Voluntary National Report submitted by the country in 2023.