E/C.12/PRY/CO/4 Minimum wage 18. The Committee is concerned that the minimum wage established by the State party is not sufficient to ensure a decent standard of living for workers and their families and that a large number of workers receive less than the statutory minimum wage (art. 7). The Committee urges the State party to take the legislative and administrative measures needed to ensure that all workers receive a minimum wage that enables them to attain decent living conditions for themselves and their families, in keeping with the provisions of article 7 (a) (ii) of the Covenant. Forced labour 19. The Committee notes with concern reports that many workers, especially indigenous workers, are victims of forced labour on farms and ranches in the Paraguayan Chaco (art. 7). The Committee urges the State party to adopt immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour and ensure that victims receive the appropriate protection and that offenders are duly prosecuted and punished in accordance with the severity of the offence. Domestic work and labour inspections 20. The Committee notes with concern that the State party has made no progress in eliminating either discriminatory legal provisions or discriminatory practices in domestic work. The Committee also notes with concern the deficiencies in the labour inspection system, in particular the scant financial, human and technical resources at its disposal (art. 7). The Committee repeats its previous recommendation (E/C.12/PRY/CO/3, para. 26) and urges the State party to amend the articles of the Labour Code that establish discriminatory conditions for domestic work and to continue its efforts to strengthen the inspection service under the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security by allocating to it the financial, human and technical resources it needs to operate effectively. Trade union rights 21. The Committee is concerned that the exercise of trade union rights is subject, both in law and in practice, to excessive restrictions, such as the 300-employee minimum requirement for the establishment of a trade union. The Committee is also concerned about cases of mass layoffs of trade union members and leaders (art. 8). The Committee urges the State party to bring its legislation on trade union rights into line with article 8 of the Covenant and with the provisions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and the ILO Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98). It also calls on the State party to protect trade union rights and effectively investigate all reports of violations of these rights that are brought to its attention, and to establish adequate compensation for the workers affected. Social security 22. The Committee takes note of the State party’s efforts to strengthen social protection measures, including through the establishment of conditional cash transfer programmes, such as the Tekoporã and Abrazo Programmes. However, the Committee is concerned that the State party still lacks a universal social protection system and that a high percentage of the population does not receive social protection of any sort (art. 9). 6 GE.15-04384E