Paraguay’s Ministry of Public Defense has taken the lead in building a specialized defense protocol for misdemeanors, recognizing the importance of gender-sensitive legal representation for women facing charges for these crimes.
This is the objective of the workshop “Building More Justice: A Gender-Sensitive Criminal Defense in Cases of Minor Drug Offenses in Paraguay,” which takes place May 6-8 in Asuncion. It is promoted by the Cooperation Program on Drugs between Latin America and the Caribbean COPOLAD III, the Ministry of Public Defense of Paraguay and the regional organization that represents public defenders (AIDEF). The protocol being discussed at the workshop is inspired by the notebook of strategies for criminal defense with a gender approach developed in other countries in the region. It seeks to adapt and specialize these strategies for the Paraguayan context, with the objective of guaranteeing a fairer and more equitable legal response for the women affected. In addition, AIDEF’s participation serves to elevate the national exercise developed in Paraguay to a Regional Specialized Criminal Defense Model for Women Prosecuted for Minor Drug Offenses, which will contribute to the promotion of gender-based criminal defense standards in a cohesive and consistent manner in Latin America.
Alarming data
With a rate of 30 per 100,000 people, the rate of women deprived of liberty in Latin America is the highest in the world. The search for proportionality and alternative penalties for minor drug-related crimes is of fundamental importance. The disproportionate criminalization of these offenses, together with the lack of consideration of socioeconomic and gender circumstances, has led to prison overcrowding and systematic injustice, particularly for people in vulnerable situations.
Participating in the Paraguay event are representatives of the Public Defense, the Ministries of Justice, Women, Health and the Interior, as well as the National Anti-Drug Secretariat and Paraguayan judicial authorities.
At the regional level, the Inter-American Association of Public Defender’s Offices and the Public Defenders of Costa Rica, Chile and Argentina will be present. From Europe, in addition to the team of experts and technicians of the COPOLAD III Program, the General Council of Spanish Lawyers is participating.
