International Mechanism Submissions

The Advocates for Human Rights submitted a Suggested List of Issues relating to violence against women in Honduras for the 81st session of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Pre-Sessional Working Group). 

Honduras has made some improvements since its last review by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, but widespread and systematic violence against women persists. Honduras has the second-highest rate of femicide in Latin America, with a reported 338 women murdered in 2017.Domestic violence has not been reduced since Honduras implemented the Reformed Law on Violence Against Women and has greatly risen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite government efforts to create units to address these issues, a general fear of reporting and lack of responsiveness to reports contributes to pervasive domestic violence and femicides. Lack of accountability exacerbates the problem of femicide, with 95% of perpetrators of femicides committed between 2017 and 2018 acted with impunity.  

The authors of the report suggest the following questions for the Government of Honduras: 

• What policies and procedures are in place to ensure that victims of domestic violence are protected from their abusers, even without the involvement of criminal authorities? To what extent do these procedures allow for removal of the abuser, no contact in any way with the applicant, and for children to stay in the home with the applicant? What other measures does the State Party take to ensure the safety of victims of domestic violence apart from criminal measures? 

• Please provide disaggregated data about femicide cases over the reporting period, separating cases by the gender, age, ethnic background, and relationship status of both the victim and the offender.  

• How many shelter beds or positions are available to victims of domestic violence? How does the State Party ensure that victims of domestic violence receive social and legal assistance proportionate to the scope of the need? What policies and procedures are in place to ensure that such assistance is accessible to victims and to minimize barriers to eligibility? What forms of emergency financial assistance exist for victims of domestic violence? 

• What steps, if any, has the State Party taken to prioritize the safety of domestic violence victims during the coronavirus pandemic?