PBI-Honduras marks Pride Month by remembering the need for comprehensive protection strategies against hate attacks

PBI-Honduras accompanied Arcoiris at a Pride march prior to the pandemic in August 2019.

On June 1, the Peace Brigades International-Honduras Project tweeted: “June, month of #OrgulloLGTB [LGTB Pride], we make visible the demands of the collective and we remember the need for a comprehensive, preventive and differential approach in the protection against hate attacks due to gender identity, expression or sexual orientation.”

In their tweet, PBI-Honduras included the link to this 8-page report.

That report notes:

“In recent years, the pattern of discrimination and inequality towards LGTBIQ + population in Honduras has continued, which is reflected in a systemic violence that generates a worrying increase in attacks and murders.

Thus, between 2015 and 2020, at least 183 crimes against gay, lesbian and trans people. With these figures, the LGTBIQ + community in Honduras becomes the most punished of Central America.

In 2016, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Human Rights (IACHR) indicated that in Honduras 50% of the crimes against the LGTBIQ+ community, the National Police, Military Police and the Army continue topping the list of those responsible for violations of rights against the collective, especially against trans women.”

The Arcoíris [Rainbow] LGTB Association of Honduras was founded in 2003 with the aim of empowering the LGTB+ community in Honduras.

Arcoiris coordinator Donny Reyes has stated: “The biggest problem that we face is the violence of the state security forces towards the LGBT+ community: the armed forces, the police, the criminal investigation police, military police, municipal police.”

Reyes adds: “The research studies that Arcoiris and other organizations have done reflect the same pattern — more than 60 per cent of hate crimes have been committed against us by those forces who should be guaranteeing our safety.”

PBI-Honduras began accompanying Arcoiris in July 2015.