The year 2022 was a year of change for Honduras: it was the first time in the country’s history that a woman assumed the presidency. For PBI Honduras, 2022 was also a year of change, but above all a year of growth: we began to accompany the organisations SOMOS CDC and ARCAH and we increased the number of activities carried out compared to 2021.
Throughout the year, we observed certain advances in human rights issues: the Honduran state recognised its responsibility in the death of transgender defender Vicky Hernández, Congress repealed the Law of Secrets and the state signed an agreement with the peasant organisations of the Bajo Aguán to seek a lasting solution to the violence against peasant communities. At the same time, the situation of risk faced by defenders in 2022 continued to be worrying, as in the case of the defenders of the Committee for the Defence of Common and Public Goods of Tocoa or the LGBT Association Arcoíris de Honduras, among others. Read our publication ‘Breaking down in order to rebuild’ for more information on the human rights situation in Honduras after the first months of Xiomara Castro’s government.
In the current context, we remain convinced that it is fundamental and urgent to ensure the protection of defenders in Honduras. According to the information gathered in our annual infographic, in 2022 we accompanied defenders in Honduras in at least 260 actions of physical presence: in trial observations, in marches and sit-ins organised by the LGTBI+ collective or in visits to different rural communities, such as those of ASODEBICOQ, Guapinol and those accompanied by CEHPRODEC in the Sierra de Agalta.
We also held 86 meetings with the international community and the diplomatic corps, as well as 48 meetings with national authorities. In these meetings, we discussed issues such as the progress and pending compliance with the sentence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on the case of the murder of transgender defender Vicky Hernández, the functioning of the National Protection Mechanism and threats against defenders of land and territory, among other issues. To contribute to reducing the risks for defenders, we also carried out 38 activities related to capacity-building workshops, with a digital, psychosocial and gender focus.
All of this work would not have been possible without the support of donors and members of PBI’s Country Groups in Europe and North America, the tireless work of the eleven volunteers who were involved in the PBI Honduras 2022 project and the great commitment of the Honduran human rights defenders. In the challenging context of 2023, we want to highlight the essential work of organisations such as ARCAH, Arcoíris, ASODEBICOQ, ASOPODEHU, CEHPRODEC, CNTC, COPINH and SOMOS CDC and many others in protecting the rights of the entire Honduran population.
Click here to consult the 2022 Infographic (PDF)
