PBI-Honduras accompanies the Centre for LGTBI Development and Cooperation (SOMOS CDC)

Photo: Cooperation agreement signing between SOMOS CDC and PBI-Honduras.

The PBI-Honduras Project has tweeted: “We share with joy that since January 2022 we have accompanied a new organization: @somoscdc_hn. It focuses on the development of programs and projects in defense of the rights of the community #LGTB in #Honduras.”

They add: “With the accompaniment to @somoscdc_hn and @arcoirisghn we strengthen our work in the protection of those who defend the rights of sexual diversity.”

PBI-Honduras further explains:

“The Center for LGTBI Development and Cooperation -SOMOS CDC- was founded in 2007 by a group of young people committed to promoting social equity and the full exercise of human sexuality. Currently, the organization focuses on the development of programs and projects in defense of the rights of the LGTBI+ community in Honduras. Within its work plan, proposals for laws, dissemination programs, legal advice and workshops on institutional and economic strengthening stand out.”

This PBI-Honduras report has also noted:

“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 (IACHR) pointed out that in Honduras 50% of the crimes against this group of the region.

According to community rights defenders LGTBIQ+, the National Police, the Military Police and the Army continue leading the list of those responsible for violations of rights against the collective, especially against trans women.”

This concern has also been raised by the Arcoíris (Rainbow) LGTB Association of Honduras that PBI-Honduras has accompanied since July 2015.

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.”

Canada’s UPR recommendation

The PBI-Honduras report also notes this recommendation made by the Government of Canada during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Honduras at the United Nations:

“Investigate and bring to justice cases of human rights violations involving the military forces and create a well-designed plan to complete police reform and eliminate militarization as a form of citizen security.”

At the UN Universal Periodic Review of the human rights situation in Honduras on November 5, 2020, Canada’s intervention, made by Rory Raudsepp-Hearne, the First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations, stated:

“Canada thanks Honduras for its presentation and welcomes the creation of the Ministry of Human Rights represented today by Minister Cuevas. While this is an important step, we remain concerned about the overall human rights situation in Honduras.

Canada recommends that Honduras:

1- Strengthen measures for the prevention, investigation, and punishment of all sexual and gender-based violence including most specifically domestic violence and violence against LGBTI persons.

2- Protect freedom of expression by promptly investigating and prosecuting acts of intimidation, harassment and attacks against journalists, human rights defenders and Indigenous, Afro-descendant and community activists.

3- Increase efforts to ensure the independence of the judicial system, strengthening the investigation and prosecution of acts of corruption and human rights violations and prevent the criminalization of human rights defenders as well as community and Indigenous activists to ensure they are able to operate in a safe environment.

4- Investigate and bring to justice cases of human rights violations implicating military forces and create a well-defined plan to complete the reform of the police and remove the military from civilian security duties.”

Canada’s presentation can be viewed at item #31 at the 2:32:10 mark here.

We look forward to highlighting the work of SOMOS CDC in more posts.