[{"bbox": [96, 152, 1134, 261], "category": "Text", "text": "population. According to the latest census in 2012, 10.7% of people have some type of disability. Furthermore, the illiteracy rate among the population with disabilities aged 15 and over is 17.2%, while the national rate is 5.5%. As for the census population aged 10 and over with disabilities, according to economic activity status, 38.2% are employed; 0.7% are unemployed, and the inactive represent 61.0%⁵."}, {"bbox": [96, 270, 1134, 405], "category": "Text", "text": "Although economic growth has been consistently above the regional average, there is a need to diversify economic production by integrating marginalised populations that are excluded from productive employment (poor, rural, remote and indigenous populations). It is necessary to move towards a more diversified and sustainable production matrix, as well as to include education and social welfare at the core of development strategies."}, {"bbox": [96, 416, 1134, 657], "category": "Text", "text": "Paraguay is one of the most economically and socially unequal countries in Latin America. The country continues to depend heavily on agriculture and livestock, characterised by the high concentration of land in the hands of the elite. A basic indicator of inequality is the distribution of land. The distribution model, based on land concentration, leads to the expulsion of the rural population and migration to urban areas, which, added to the low industrialisation of the country, results in few opportunities for access to salaried work for the displaced population, especially young people. This situation contributes to poverty, inequality and social exclusion. Poverty rates have decreased in the last 25 years, from 40.5% in 1998, to 22.7% in 2023 (INE 2024). Moreover, while the Human Development Index (HDI) in 2022 was 0.731, it decreases until 0.582 when accounting for inequalities.⁶"}, {"bbox": [96, 666, 1134, 749], "category": "Text", "text": "Social protection is very limited in Paraguay, as demonstrated by the restricted access to formal work (covered by social security), the persistent vulnerability of ample segments of the population (especially childhood and adolescence), and the discrimination against women and persons with disabilities in the labour sphere."}, {"bbox": [96, 760, 489, 788], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## Restricted access to formal employment"}, {"bbox": [96, 798, 1134, 906], "category": "Text", "text": "The labour market is segmented. Only a small portion of the economically active population (23.2%) is employed in jobs that pay at least the current minimum wage, have an employment contract, benefit from health insurance, and contribute/have access to a pension. 13.2% people between 15 to 29 have no access to employment or education, representing some 258,830 people (INE- National Statistic Institute, 2021)."}, {"bbox": [96, 917, 1134, 1078], "category": "Text", "text": "There are two types of entities involved with contributory social policy, namely, a) the Social Security Institute (IPS) that covers social security for the economically active population in the private sector and, b) a number of fiscal funds that covers the social security of the population employed mainly in the public sector and part of the private sector (financial sector). The IPS provides health and retirement coverage, while the set of fiscal funds only covers retirement. Both types of entities cover only about a quarter of the economically active population. This contributory-based system excludes the working population that is not formally employed."}, {"bbox": [96, 1088, 1134, 1196], "category": "Text", "text": "In 2022, out of a population of 1,063,000 people between 10 and 17, approximately 64,000 were working, with high levels of unpaid work (especially girls, either in their homes or as servants) (INE, 2023). This is mainly due to the poverty condition of these households, which cannot ensure that basic needs of their young family members are met and lead them to work at a such young age."}, {"bbox": [96, 1207, 614, 1235], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## Women's disadvantage and caregiving responsibility"}, {"bbox": [96, 1246, 1134, 1301], "category": "Text", "text": "Women labour indicators in terms of type of occupation, position and income are worrysome, mainly due to traditional gender roles."}, {"bbox": [96, 1311, 1134, 1419], "category": "Text", "text": "Out of every 10 men, 8 are employed, while out of 10 women only 6 are employed. Unemployment affects 9.4% of women and 4.8% of men (INE, 2021). At the national level, the gap between men and women in managerial positions is 25% in favor of men: this gap is even greater in rural areas (INE, 2021). As for remuneration, women's income represents 83% of men's income."}, {"bbox": [96, 1430, 1134, 1538], "category": "Text", "text": "Inactivity mainly affects women (tripling that of men and accentuating in the rural area). This difference is associated with the traditional distribution of roles. Women explain the reason for their inactivity not because of their dependence on others - as is the case of men: elderly, sick, disabled – rather to fulfill household duties and family reasons (care activities). 26.2% of men vs. 8.8% of women report to be inactive due to “studies”."}, {"bbox": [85, 1596, 651, 1622], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁵ National Institute of Statistics Paraguay, Government of Paraguay"}, {"bbox": [85, 1622, 207, 1643], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁶ UNDP 2022"}, {"bbox": [1038, 1681, 1143, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 25"}]