Women Human Rights Defenders from around the world, joined by human rights and women’s rights organizations stand in solidarity with Women Human Rights Defenders in Honduras on this 11 October Day of Action. We demand an end to the violence against women and Women Human Rights Defenders.
We denounce the violence perpetrated against communities defending their territories and against Women Human Rights Defenders, journalists, young people, and others who are exercising the rights, as guaranteed by the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
We denounce the situation of violence against women and the femicides that are not reported nor investigated by authorities.
We join Women Human Rights Defenders in Honduras in denouncing the grave and systemic human rights violations occurring in Honduras. Since the coup d’etat in June 2009, a climate of total impunity has pervaded Honduras, making it one of the most dangerous places in the world to practice journalism or defend human rights.
- Femicide increased by 257% between 2002 and 2010
- Between 2010 and 2011, 7 Women Human Rights Defenders were assassinated and thousands had faced sexual assaults, beatings and arbitrary arrests at the hands of state security forces.
- Emergency contraception has been prohibited and the ban on therapeutic abortion continues
- Women from indigenous and rural communities have been brutally evicted along with their families
- Indigenous Misquita women have been assassinated by affiliates of the Department of State
We express our support of communities fighting against the imposition of megaprojects and model cities, and denounce the forced evictions and stripping of property for the benefit of private transnational companies. We demand an end to the arbitrary exercise of power, the use of force, impunity, and the criminalization of Women Human Rights Defenders in Aguán and other regions of Honduras. These are in direct violation of the State’s obligations under international human rights treaties, particularly the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
11 October 2012
Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID)
ASS (Just Associates)
Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL)
Mama Cash
Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights (UAF)
Global Fund for Women (USA)
MADRE
Center for international Policy, Washington D.C.
International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW Asia Pacific)
Safeworld for Women, UK
Comite Solidario Graciela Garica, Los Angeles, CA
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) -Colombia Section
