Since 2017, TEDIC has been part of the Personal Data Coalition of Paraguay, an interdisciplinary group whose goal has been the enactment of a comprehensive law on personal data that complies with international human rights standards and ensures autonomy over our personal data, security and transparency on the collection of the same by companies, organisations and state institutions.
Our commitment to human rights and the privacy of individuals in the context of rapid technological innovation has led us to advocate actively in the National Congress. This article seeks to reflect our actions and results in this path that, despite not having culminated, has had significant progress during 2023.
A working and meeting route
In January, our first meeting was with Congresswoman Rocio Vallejos, secretary of the Partido Patria Querida (PPQ) bench, member of the Social Development, Population and Housing Committee and president of the Constitutional Affairs Committee in the Chamber of Deputies, with whom we held a meeting and to whom we presented our project for her support. In March, we continued with Congresswoman Kattya González, leader of the National Encounter Party (PEN), member of the Science and Technology Committee and vice-chairwoman of the Accounts and Budget Execution Control Committee in the Chamber of Deputies. In June, we had a fruitful meeting with Congressman Rodrigo Blanco, member of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA), president of the Children, Youth and Development Committee and vice-president of the National Defense, Security, Intelligence and Internal Order Committee. To each of them, we extended our proposals and jointly analysed the need for regulation in accordance with our times.
These advocacy meetings throughout the year, together with the Paraguayan Personal Data Coalition and the Science and Technology Commission of the Honourable Chamber of Deputies, with the support of different deputies, allowed the bill to be included three times in the agenda of the deputies’ sessions, on June 14, 21 and 28.
On June 14, the bill was on item 11 of the agenda, but was not dealt with, and appeared on item 17 of the June 21 agenda, with a new recurrence on item 18 of the June 28 agenda.
Unfortunately, the bill was not approved, but we saw an important interest from deputies to put this discussion on the table and deal with it again in the new legislative period.
A path of consensus and teamwork
At the end of the legislative period, we participated in a public hearing with specialists and technicians, in order to analyse the scope of the bill “On Personal Data Protection of the Republic of Paraguay”. Together with the Science and Technology Commission of the Honourable Chamber of Deputies and the Personal Data Coalition of Paraguay, we continued to seek the treatment of the regulation. This technical round table was hosted by
The activity was attended by representatives of several institutions, such as the Ministry of Finance, the Public Ministry, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MITIC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Civil Registry. Likewise, representatives of the Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP); National Telecommunications Commission (CONATEL); National Directorate of Intellectual Property (DINAPI); among others.
Congressman Blanco emphasised the importance of adapting Paraguayan legislation and promoting personal data protection, in line with technological innovation and globalisation.
The way forward and how you can support us
To learn more about the draft bill that we are promoting, we invite you to read our fanzine, where we break down the proposals and benefits of this initiative. You can find it here.
How can you support us? Share the images, add your testimonies and tag the deputies with the hashtag #MisDatosMisDerechos with information about the importance of having this law. Your support counts!
Although this year we have not achieved the sanction of the law, the road continues.
The return of the Pyrawebs law 
ABC of our community in 2023