Democracy and Governance

USAID works closely with the Government of Paraguay to promote transparency and good governance. Our programs help foster a more efficient and effective judicial system and strengthen civil society and civic participation.

1.  Judiciary

USAID supports the rule of law in Paraguay by working with the Supreme Court and the Public Ministry, as well as civil society, such as law schools and bar associations.  This comprehensive program includes technical assistance to the Supreme Court to create a specialized economic crimes and corruption jurisdiction that will increase the judiciary’s effectiveness in resolving complex cases.  In addition, we support the development of a continuing education program in the judiciary, aimed at the professionalization of judges and judicial staff.  This is an important step toward establishing a strong judicial career path in Paraguay.  Finally, USAID also supports the Judicial Ethics System and the Office of Transparency of the Supreme Court with the goal of reducing opportunities for corruption and increasing the Supreme Court’s commitment to transparency.

2. Good Governance

USAID supports the Civil Service National Secretariat (CSNS) in the development of the People Management Index a performance measurement tool  which measures key components of human resources within ministries and other public institutions.  Results help participating ministries identify areas of weakness and implement plans to improve their performance. 

USAID also supports the evaluation component of the Finance Ministry’s Results Based Budget program, which allows government entities to identify programs’ strengths and weaknesses and impact the decision making process. Our assistance helps build institutional evaluation capabilities in public and private research organizations.

3. Civil Society

USAID continues to strengthen and expand civil society organizations’  ability to demand public sector accountability, support broader  alliances, and enhance civil society interaction with the government.  At the same time, we help increase the institutional capacity of organizations in areas such as managerial capability, financial processes, organizational structure, fund-raising, project development, communications strategies, and monitoring and evaluation.  We foster alliances and coalitions to enhance their ability to achieve policy changes, demand citizens’ rights, and achieve democratic reforms.  USAID also works to increase job opportunities and services for people with disabilities while working with public and private institutions to improve accessibility standards.