The government of President Xiomara Castro has turned its attention to an old problem, Honduras is one of the countries in Latin America with a high rate of gender violence. From 2002 to 2021 more than seven thousand femicides were registered.
By María Josefina Arce
The government of President Xiomara Castro has turned its attention to an old problem, Honduras is one of the countries in Latin America with a high rate of gender violence. From 2002 to 2021 more than seven thousand femicides were registered.
Last year 318 women were murdered in the Central American nation, according to the National Autonomous University, which states that this figure is equivalent to a violent death every 27 hours and 33 minutes.
So far this year, with data up to last October, 216 femicides have been reported in the country.
In his inaugural speech in January of this year, Castro affirmed that he would not fail Honduran women and has taken concrete steps to fulfill his promise. The first specialized survey on violence against women and girls over the age of 15 is currently being carried out in the country's 18 departments.
With the support of UNDP, the United Nations Development Program, the census will make it possible to measure the magnitude of the problem, identify high-risk groups and develop policies that guarantee the inclusion and empowerment of women.
It should be recalled that only two months into Castro's term, he signed a Public Commitment against Violence against Women and Girls with the UN, aimed at collaborating to formulate and implement at all levels strategies to prevent and address this phenomenon, as well as the promotion of gender equality.
Likewise, one of the first measures taken by the President was to elevate the National Women's Institute to the rank of Secretary of State, in order to give it a greater range of action and budget to carry out actions in favor of women.
The government is also working, together with the Secretary of Human Rights, deputies and civil society, on the Integral Law against Violence against Women.
This law, which has a preventive approach, seeks the creation of Women's Prosecutor's Offices, courts specialized in gender violence and the strengthening of instances that provide care and protection to those who have been victims of this scourge.
The road is not easy, Honduras has a high degree of machismo and for years women have been excluded and have seen their most basic rights trampled. However, the government presided over by Xiomara Castro has proposed to give women back their rightful place in society.Honduras against gender violence
