Paraguay After acceding to the 1954 Convention in July 2014 and subsequently adopting the Brazil Plan of Action, Paraguay made a commitment to establish an SDP in December 2014. In 2016, Paraguay also accepted a recommendation made at the Universal Periodic Review to implement an SDP to ensure the protection of stateless persons who are not refugees.44 In 2017, UNHCR provided Paraguay with technical assistance to draft a bill establishing an SDP and introducing procedures for facilitated naturalization, which was adopted in September 2018.45 The provisions establishing the SDP are based on UNHCR’s Draft Articles on the Protection of Stateless Persons and the Facilities for their Naturalization. The Draft Articles refer to the Brazil Plan of Action’s recommendation to include the procedure of determining statelessness among the areas of competency of the National Commissions for Refugees (CONARE) or an equivalent body. The Paraguayan legislation followed this approach. One of its provisions expanded the name of the National Commission on Refugees to the ‘National Commission for Stateless Persons and Refugees’ (CONARE). Thus, the body that has experience in refugee status determination is also responsible for statelessness status determination. An application can be initiated orally or in writing, in person or through a legal representative. However, the essential content of a verbal request is to be recorded in writing. The applicant has the right to be represented by a lawyer at all stages of the procedure. For those without financial means, CONARE will facilitate access to free legal assistance services specialized in the international protection of refugees and stateless persons. The application is free for the applicant and their family. Once an application has been submitted, the Executive Secretariat is required to inform the applicant of their rights and obligations as an applicant, and the criteria and procedures for being recognized as stateless. Any public authority that identifies a potentially stateless person is to immediately refer the case to the Executive Secretariat of CONARE (Article 40). CONARE will interview the person and ask him or her whether they want to apply for statelessness status. 44 Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review – Paraguay, A/HRC/32/9, 12 April 2016, available at: https://ap.ohchr.org/documents/dpage_e.aspx?si=A/HRC/32/9 45 Ley N° 6.149 - Protección y Facilidades para la Naturalización de las Personas Apátridas, 19 September 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org.es/topic,57f5047260,57f50920b9,5bac0bc84,0,,LEGISLATION,.html U N H C R > G P P AC T I O N 6 : E S TA B L I S H I N G S TAT E L E S S N E S S D E T E R M I N AT I O N P R O C E D U R E S 39