Promises and Persistent Challenges: Paraguay’s Fourth Universal Periodic Review Cycle

By Marianne Stintzi / GICJ

Paraguay’s fourth-cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) took place on 7 May 2026 during the 52nd session of the UPR Working Group in Geneva. The national report was presented by Rodrigo Nicora, Minister of Justice, who reaffirmed Paraguay’s commitment to multilateral cooperation and to the progressive implementation of international human rights obligations. 

He was accompanied by a high-level delegation composed of Javier Dejesús Esquivel González, Ombudsman; Rafael Caballero Campos, Vice-Minister of Justice; Belén Morra, Director-General for Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Leticia Ocampos Núñez, Director of Human Rights at the Ministry of Children and Adolescents; Ana Rolón Candia, Deputy Permanent Representative of Paraguay to the United Nations Office at Geneva; Rafael Escobar Sarubbi, Director-General for Human Rights at the Ministry of Justice; and Sergio Velilla, Director of International Affairs at the Ministry of Justice. Concluding remarks were delivered by Raúl Cano Ricciardi, Permanent Representative of Paraguay to the United Nations Office at Geneva. 

The session addressed a broad range of recurring human rights concerns, including anti-discrimination legislation, women’s rights and sexual and reproductive health, child protection, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, prison overcrowding and judicial independence, corruption and impunity, the protection of civic space, and socio-economic inequalities. 

Read the full report by clicking on the image below.