The law criminalizes discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity characteristics and includes crimes committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity as aggravating circumstances to increase penalties for criminal offenses. According to UNICEF, 34 percent of women and 12 percent of men ages 20 to 24 married before age 18. On March 3, unknown assailants killed Martin Pandy, president of the Garifuna community of Corozal, and another community member. Congressional Research Service - Honduras - 2019, 2020. The law prohibits discrimination against persons with physical, sensory, intellectual, and mental disabilities. Honduras' population growth rate has slowed since the 1990s and is now 1.2% annually with a birth rate that averages 2.1 children per woman and more among rural, indigenous, and poor women. Through August CONADEH received six reports of discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Nevertheless, social discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons persisted, as did physical violence. Health-care workers protested the lack of adequate protective equipment and delayed salary payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The country has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Impunity for such crimes remained high, as was the impunity rate for all types of crime. Its operations to receive and process cases were reliant on substantial support from UNHCR. Informal Sector: According to the STSS, approximately 75 percent of workers worked in the informal economy, equivalent to approximately 2.7 million persons. Persons suspected of any of 21 specific felonies must remain in custody, pending the conclusion of judicial proceedings against them. The overwhelming majority of violent crime victims in Belize are Belizeans themselves, but recent years have seen an increase in these types of crimes against tourists and expats. . There were different methodologies to measure the size of the informal economy, and a March 2020 UNDP report estimated that 82 percent of workers were part of the informal economy. In addition women experienced delays in accessing justice due to police who failed to process complaints in a timely manner or judicial system officials who deferred scheduling hearings. - March 2003 Non-Government Organization Reports Human Rights Watch The law does not criminalize domestic violence but provides penalties of up to 12 years in prison for violence against a family member, depending on the severity of the assault and aggravating circumstances. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2019 was 42.01, a 7.91% increase from 2018. Plan your next stop before . Also see the Department of States Trafficking in Persons Report at https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/. Chances are, if you are arriving via a cruise ship, you will be safe. As of September CONADEH had received 33 complaints. NGOs reported the government did not effectively combat discrimination and promote equal access to government services or employment opportunities. The National Human Rights Commission (CONADEH) reported 15 arbitrary or unlawful killings by security forces as of August. A wide variety of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restriction, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. As Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, I am proud to introduce Public Safety Canada's 2021-22 Departmental Plan, which highlights plans and priorities for the year ahead as we address the ongoing pandemic and other threats. The law provides for freedom of association, and the government generally respected this right. Bogran was arrested in October 2020 on two corruption charges for embezzling an estimated 1.14 billion lempiras ($47 million) in public funds and funneling a contract for mobile hospitals to his uncle, Napoleon Corrales. Death threats, gang recruitment, extortion and other forms of targeted violence are driving more families in northern Central America to flee their homes and seek safety in other countries, a new . The government cooperated with UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations that provide protection and assistance to refugees and other persons of concern. Oral updates and . If the STSS grants permission, children between 14 and 16 may work a maximum of four hours a day, and those between 16 and 18 may work up to six hours a day. The law prohibits the use of children younger than 18 for exhibitions or performances of a sexual nature or in the production of pornography. The Public Ministry reported two such cases in judicial processing and five other cases under investigation as of September. The law provides for an independent judiciary, but the justice system was poorly funded and staffed, inadequately equipped, often ineffective, and subject to intimidation, corruption, politicization, and patronage. Honduras. 'Free Associated State of Puerto Rico'), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated territory of the United States.It is located in the northeast Caribbean Sea, approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 km) southeast of Miami . During 2021, a total of 342 femicides were recorded in Honduras. Between January and November 2022, vehicle prowls totaled 114, up from 94 in that same timeframe in 2021 and 91 in 2020. The law prohibits all the worst forms of child labor. The law provides for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, with some restrictions, and the government generally respected this right. A large percentage of the population in Honduras is armed. As of September the STSS had an insufficient number of inspectors to enforce the law effectively. The law prohibits all forms of forced labor, but the government did not effectively implement or enforce the law. The government ended the curfew on October 1. Honduras declared a state of exception as extortion cases rise, suspending constitutional rights in cities and deploying thousands of troops. Impunity for such crimes remained high, as was the impunity rate for all types of crime. Bay islands in Honduaras by daarwasik (CC BY) That meant that Honduras generated around $722M (USD) in the tourism sector, accounting for 3% of the national GDP. Recent Elections: In November Xiomara Castro of the LIBRE Party won a four-year presidential term in elections that were generally considered free, fair, and transparent. The Honduran National Police maintain internal security and report to the Secretariat of Security. In addition the law prohibits strikes in a wide range of economic activities that the government has designated as essential services or that it considers would affect the rights of individuals in the larger community to security, health, education, and economic and social well-being. The state of emergency, in place since Dec. 6 in 165 areas of Honduras' largest two cities, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, has been expanded to 235 of the country's 298 municipalities, the . Most of the abusers were reported to be male classmates, but there were also reports of sexual abuse by community members. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1899; however, same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex married couples. The law permits fines, and while the monetary penalty is commensurate with those for other laws involving denials of civil rights, such as discrimination, the failure of the government to collect the fines facilitated continued labor law violations. Civil society groups reported that women often did not report domestic violence or withdrew charges because they feared, or were economically dependent on, the aggressor. The government did not effectively enforce these laws and regulations, although penalties were commensurate with laws related to civil rights, such as election interference. The government generally respected these provisions. The safety situation in Honduras has been deteriorating in recent years due to gang violence and organized crime. However, More than 2 million tourists visited in 2017. Incidents of crime along roads, including carjacking and kidnapping, are common in Honduras. February 11, 2022. American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative In security and domestic service sectors, workers were frequently forced to work more than 60 hours per week but paid only for 44 hours. The STSS did not approve any authorizations through September. Rape and Domestic Violence: The law criminalizes all forms of rape of women or men, including spousal rape. The government did not effectively enforce the law. As of January 2021, according to UNICEF, several "general public services" in Honduras faced serious disruption, with child support services and services supporting the victims of domestic violence being particularly badly impacted. The Public Ministry reported seven cases of alleged illegal detention or arbitrary arrest as of September. They face violence from gangs, the national civil police and the. Abuse of Migrants and Refugees: Transiting migrants and asylum seekers with pending cases were vulnerable to abuse and sexual exploitation by criminal organizations. Administration: The judicial system is legally responsible for monitoring prison conditions and providing for the rights of prisoners. On October 7, the National Congress passed changes to the money-laundering law to designate civil society organizations as politically exposed persons due to organizations use of foreign aid. While all formal workers are entitled to social security, there were reports that both public- and private-sector employers failed to pay into the social security system. The government of Honduras lacks sufficient resources to properly respond to, investigate and prosecute cases. The Public Ministry also has the Special Prosecutors Office for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Journalists, Social Communicators, and Justice Officials. Non-Government Organization Reports: Amnesty International: Human . CONAPREV reported 13 violent deaths in prisons as of September. Bureau of Political-Military Affairs Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations Bureau of Counterterrorism Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Journalists, environmental activists, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, and people with disabilities are among the groups targeted for violence. The law permits workers in public health care, social security, staple food production, and public utilities (municipal sanitation, water, electricity, and telecommunications) to strike if they continue to provide basic services. Institutions such as the National Womens Institute attempted to enhance the governments response to domestic violence by opening three additional womens centers in the country. The release of the 2021 Safety Report is a reminder that even as aviation faces its deepest crisis, we are committed to making aviation even safer. These workers are not covered by the contributory social security system and are not protected by the labor code. Corruption along with a lack of investigative resources and judicial delays led to widespread impunity, including in security forces. The number of inspections increased significantly as the STSS resumed normal inspections, suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings highlight the potential power these four manufacturers have to combat trafficking; if these four manufacturers took action on their own, the national impact could be substantial. The European Union (EU) election mission to Honduras reported that, though several critical problems remain, including high levels of politicization in the electoral process, the May 2021 reforms to the electoral system had allowed for increased transparency and improved confidence in the election results. Children, including from indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, particularly Miskito boys, were at risk for forced labor in the agriculture, manufacturing, fishing, mining, construction, and hospitality industries. Sexual Exploitation of Children: The commercial sexual exploitation of children, especially in sex trafficking, remained a problem. The law grants workers the right to form and join unions of their choice, bargain collectively, and strike. The armed forces, which report to the Secretariat of Defense, are responsible for external security but also exercise some domestic security responsibilities in support of the national police and other civilian authorities. Many prisons lacked sufficient security personnel. The quasi-governmental National Committee for the Prevention of Torture, Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment (CONAPREV) received 18 complaints of the use of torture or cruel and inhuman treatment through August. Her retrial was scheduled for February 2022. Country Summary: Violent crime, such as homicide and armed robbery, is common. Wage and Hour Laws: There are 45 categories of monthly minimum wage, based on the industry and the size of a companys workforce; the minimum average was above the poverty line. Through September the secretariat trained 2,626 law enforcement officials in human rights and international humanitarian law. Forced labor occurred in street vending, domestic service, the transport of drugs and other illicit goods, other criminal activity, and the informal sector. Between 2021 and mid-2022, 400,000 to 500,000 children dropped out of school in South Africa, bringing the total number of out of school children to 750,000, according to the . The law requires police to inform persons of the grounds for their arrest and bring detainees before a competent judicial authority within 24 hours. On October 7, in a special session held during the Francisco Morazan national holiday, the National Congress passed a change to the penal code expanding the definition of encroachment (trespassing) by designating streets and parks as protected spaces and redefining groups of protesters to include as few as two persons. Indigenous communities continued to report threats and acts of violence against them and against community and environmental activists. The law grants prisoners the right to prompt access to a lawyer of their choice and, if indigent, to government-provided counsel, although the public defender mechanism was weak, and authorities did not always abide by these requirements. Media linked her killing to organized criminal groups and drug trafficking organizations. The homicide rate in Honduras was 42 per 100,000 people in 2019, making it one of the most violent countries in the world. Presuming we use common sense and take taxis is there anything here we should . Such an order may be effective for up to six days, after which the judge must hold a pretrial hearing to examine whether there is probable cause to continue pretrial detention. The Public Ministry is responsible for prosecuting violations. Many prisoners had access to weapons and other contraband, inmates attacked other inmates with impunity, and inmates and their associates outside prison threatened prison officials and their families. Crisis in Honduras: Ongoing violence and climate shocks Here are three reasons the International Rescue Committee's Emergency Watchlist ranks Honduras among 20 countries most at risk of worsening humanitarian crisis in 2022. We have no plans to be walking on a secluded beach at night nor down any dark alleys. Media noted that family members often faced long delays or were unable to visit detainees. Under the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework, with significant support from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the government continued to build capacity to provide services to vulnerable populations, including IDPs, those at risk of forced displacement, refugees, and returned migrants. Transgender women were particularly vulnerable to employment and education discrimination; many could find employment only as sex workers, increasing their vulnerability to violence and extortion. ACR2021. Honduras is a constitutional, multiparty republic. The government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content, and there were no credible reports that the government monitored private online communications without appropriate legal authority. This means that an average of 13 people are murdered everyday. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. See the Department of States Trafficking in Persons Report at https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/. Most women in the workforce engaged in lower-status and lower-paying informal occupations, such as domestic service, without the benefit of legal protections. Honduras. Both the STSS and the courts may order a company to reinstate workers, but the STSS lacked the personnel and transportation resources to verify compliance. Children: the commercial sexual exploitation of children younger than 18 for exhibitions or performances of sexual. 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