An Interview with Maria Gloria Báez, the Paraguayan Ministry of Women’s Director General for TIP Prevention and Care
In 2020, the Paraguayan government reported identifying 299 human trafficking victims. A lack of information makes rural and peri-urban populations the most vulnerable to this crime, whether for labor or sexual purposes, both domestically and abroad. As such, the country has made many efforts to prevent and combat trafficking in persons (TIP). Since 2019, Paraguay’s Ministry for Woman’s Affairs (MOW) has been one of the most prominent institutions working to address TIP and providing comprehensive assistance to victims.
Maria Gloria Báez, MOW’s Director General for TIP Prevention and Care, talked with Partners of the Americas (Partners) about the MOW’s efforts to combat TIP with the support of Partners’ U.S. Department of State-funded Ñande Ko’ẽ project.
These efforts include strengthening mechanisms for the prevention, care, and protection of women from TIP through awareness-raising campaigns, workshops, trainings, and international seminars to raise awareness of this crime. Ñande Ko’ẽ’s activities have reached Paraguayan officials working across the Paraguayan National Government, educating on the signs and dangers of TIP.
“The alliance that was created between the Government of Paraguay and Partners has provided us with the knowledge and expertise to address trafficking in persons cases with greater precision,” Báez said. “The assistance that Partners provides is very important for an institution like ours, so we can be more efficient in combating and preventing this crime.”
Additionally, Báez indicated that the MOW has worked in partnership with Grupo Luna Nueva (GLN), Ñande Ko’ẽ’s implementing partner, in training public officials from several national institutions and departmental and municipal governments in addressing TIP cases in Itapúa and Caaguazú. These trainings were replicated at different levels and sectors to maximize the reach of the important and informative activities.
“A lot of work was put into training officials and the general public on the best approaches to tackle trafficking in persons and the early detection and prevention of cases,” Báez said.
Developing and training government officials on the Referral Mechanism for the Care of TIP Victims to all relevant national institutions was one of the most important initiatives carried out with Ñande Ko’ẽ’s support, according to Báez. This instrument has been meticulously elaborated on and provides information on the steps to follow for the appropriate detection, investigation, and follow-up of potential TIP cases.
“It is certainly one of the most valuable resources that we now have, with a roadmap that comprehensively analyzes all the processes for the care of trafficking in persons victims,” Báez said.
Báez added that the technical assistance and support received by Ñande Ko’ẽ has been essential for boosting the Government of Paraguay’s commitment in the fight against TIP.
“All the actions carried out along with the Project have been extremely valuable, especially because where there are governmental limitations, organizations such as Partners and its allied organization Grupo Luna Nueva can provide an extremely positive contribution to our society. Building these types of alliances is key to effectively fighting trafficking in persons,” Báez said.