Paraguay should adopt necessary laws to protect the rights of minorities, women and indigenous people. Calling on the Paraguay Government to scale up its efforts to stop discrimination and injustice towards these groups, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kyung-wha Kang met with leaders from minority groups and civil organizations – which included women, indigenous people, people with disabilities, older persons and Afro-descendants among others: “I have heard their plight and I have heard of how their everyday lives are made difficult by fear, bigotry and abuse. Many even suffer physical attacks. And I am concerned that the anti-discrimination bill, and important framework to protect them, has not yet been passed as law. I urge Congress to pass this essential piece of legislation without further delay.” Women Exposed to Domestic Violence, Sexual Abuse & Trafficking: Ms. Kang said the situation of women is particularly precarious as they are vulnerable to domestic violence, sexual abuse and trafficking for labor and sexual exploitation purposes. Paraguay’s rate of maternal and infant mortality is one of the highest in the region. Ms. Kang urged that Paraguay “adopt concrete measures to tackle these prevalent problems through adequate education programs and the protection of sexual and reproductive rights, in compliance with international standards and recommendations issued by UN human rights mechanisms.” Soy Production Over Indigenous Land Rights? Ms. Kang also visited the Maká indigenous community and met with indigenous leaders who expressed concern about their ancestral lands, many fearing eviction, as the Government has forced indigenous owners in the past to leave their properties to make way for soy production. Ms. Kang urged that Paraguay should “increase efforts to ensure that indigenous peoples’ rights are respected, their participation in decision-making processes guaranteed and their right to prior consultation is exercised. I urge the Government to enact comprehensive legislation and policies to address the highly unequal land distribution and thus protect the rights of indigenous peoples and other communities.” FILM REPORT –“Exploitation, Subjugation, Domination-Indigenous Forum” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/exploitationsubjugationsdomination-indigenous-forum/27009 By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey Facebook - Become a Fan at "Diplomatically Incorrect" Twitter - Follow at DiplomaticallyX “War Crimes Justice” Channel - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/war-crimes-justice