Paraguay is quietly becoming a model for refugee protection in South America, with the UNHCR now calling for partners to deepen the work that's already underway. The organization has launched a Call for Expressions of Interest in Paraguay—with a deadline of June 29, 2026—to strengthen legal protection, humanitarian assistance, and durable solutions for refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless persons, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations and Venezuelan nationals.
The initiative matters because Paraguay has spent nearly two decades building the legal scaffolding to protect displaced people. Refugee Law No. 1938, enacted in 2002, established the National Commission for Refugees (CONARE) as the authority responsible for refugee status determination and protection procedures. Then, in 2018, Law No. 6149 created formal pathways for statelessness determination and documentation. Most recently, Migration Law No. 6984 in 2022 further strengthened human rights protections and migrant safeguards. These laws exist on paper, but they need real institutions and funding to work—which is why UNHCR is now seeking civil society organizations, government institutions, and humanitarian actors to partner on implementation.
The work spans eight interconnected areas. Legal assistance and case management help people navigate asylum systems and access their rights. Humanitarian assistance—temporary accommodation, food support, cash-based aid—addresses immediate needs. Labour market inclusion programs tackle one of the most pressing obstacles: Venezuelan nationals and other refugees struggle to obtain tax registration (RUC) and social security enrollment (IPS), and employers often don't recognize CONARE-issued documents, leaving many trapped in informal work with no protection. Local integration initiatives help displaced persons achieve self-reliance and community belonging. Voluntary return assistance supports those who choose to go home with dignity and safety.
The challenges are real. Refugees and asylum seekers in Paraguay face barriers to public services, social assistance programs, formal employment, financial services, and legal documentation systems. These systemic gaps mean that even those with legal status can struggle to build stable lives. Many Venezuelan nationals, meanwhile, are increasingly considering voluntary return—but face their own set of obstacles in repatriation planning.
Yet Paraguay's government institutions—the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Ministry of Justice, Public Defender's Office, and CONARE itself—are actively engaged. This coordination among protection stakeholders is rare and valuable. By partnering with NGOs and humanitarian organizations, these institutions can extend their reach and strengthen the protection environment from the ground up.
The UNHCR's call invites organizations to apply for funding to support protection monitoring, legal counselling, documentation assistance, livelihood development, community integration, and reintegration support. The goal is not just to meet urgent humanitarian needs, but to help displaced and stateless populations become self-reliant members of Paraguayan society—or to support them in returning home safely if that is their choice.
This is infrastructure-building work: unglamorous, incremental, and essential. Paraguay's commitment to legal frameworks is notable; so too is UNHCR's willingness to invest in partnerships that turn those frameworks into lived protection.