Honduras - This week IOM Honduras provided office equipment for ten Women’s Municipal Offices (OMM by their Spanish acronym) and two Gender Units of the National Police Force, to help strengthen their capacity to address human rights violations against women and girls in Honduras.

IOM, in coordination with UNFPA, has established an alliance to strengthen the Honduran National Institute for Women and the Ministry of Security in prevention and response to gender-based violence.

Violence against women and girls is one of the most frequent violations of human rights in the world.  Violations including sexual abuse, physical violence and femicide can be considered as an epidemic in Honduras.

According to official figures, over 531 violent deaths of females were reported throughout the country in 2014.  The highest peak occurred amongst girls and women between the ages 15-24.

Reported cases of sexual offenses against the female population reached over 1,700 last year. Of these, 1,214 related to girls between the ages of 10-19.

Through the B.A.1 Project Prevention of Violence Against Women in Central America, IOM will promote local schemes, preventive care policies and assistance mechanisms at the national and regional levels to combat various forms of gender violence, particularly human trafficking and femicide.

With funding from the governments of Finland and the Netherlands, the B.A.1 Project is being carried out in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.

In Honduras, IOM supports a consortium of state institutions and regional organizations to implement the initiative, which is part of the Central American Integration System’s Central American Security Strategy.

IOM combats gender-based violence by promoting programs that develop local government skills in implementing prevention schemes.

"Through this initiative, IOM is focusing on enhancing suitable methods for combating violence against women.  We are committed to promoting comprehensive assistance and protection for victims of trafficking, and we encourage the use of legal procedures to respond to allegations of human rights violations against them," explained Jorge Peraza, IOM Chief of Mission in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.

The OMMs and Gender Units received computers, printers, multimedia projectors, desks, chairs, printer ink and other supplies. Five of the offices are located in border areas.

"In the north of the country, the OMMs have many constraints in terms of infrastructure and equipment.  Generally, they depend on other offices of City Hall and direct donations.  With this equipment, dissemination and storage of information will improve our operations," said Deni López, Regional Coordinator of the National Institute for Women.

IOM is supporting offices in the cities of La Ceiba, Tela, Copan Ruinas, Santa Rosa de Copan, Choloma, San Pedro Sula, Omoa (Corinto), Tegucigalpa, Ocotepeque and Trojes.

Likza Salazar, IOM Head of Office in Honduras added: "This important work became possible through our close cooperation with the governments of Finland and the Netherlands.  This contribution will have a real impact on the safety and welfare of Honduran women and girls."

For further information please contact

Karen Arita

IOM Honduras

Tel: + 504 2220 1104

Email: karita@iom.int