World Bank statistics from 2020 put net enrollment for primary school above 90 percent, but the National Center for Social Sector Information stated that 43 percent of persons with disabilities received no formal education. Publishing or The Internal Displacement Monitoring Center estimated there were approximately 247,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to violence in the country as of 2020. Civil unrest in Tegucigalpa and other parts of Honduras remains a constant challenge. The center, administered by the National Prison Institute, was on a military installation and received some support services from the military. In a 2020 survey by UNHCR and UNICEF, half of Hondurans interviewed in Mexico named violence as the main reason for their leaving. Penalties include prison sentences of up to two years and monetary fines. Review the State Departments webpage on security for, Honduran law requires access to buildings for persons with disabilities; however, there are limited facilities for individuals with disabilities. The law criminalizes discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity characteristics and includes crimes committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity as aggravating circumstances to increase penalties for criminal offenses. The government continued to prosecute individuals allegedly involved in the 2016 killing of environmental and indigenous activist Berta Caceres. Animals and people wander onto the roads. Civil society continued to raise problems with minimum wage violations, highlighting agricultural companies in the south as frequent violators. Embassy employees and others have experienced skimming at well-known restaurants, hotels, and retailers. The following day, protesters started a fire outside of one of the U.S. Embassys entrances during demonstrations against public-sector reforms in the country. Avoid using Collectivos (white sedan taxis with a sticker on the windshield denoting its established route), Roleteros (private white sedan taxis with no established routes), and Rapiditos (small buses that pick up multiple riders). Dial 911 for emergency or call (504) 2232-4092. The government has an Office for Persons with Disabilities located within the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion, but its ability to provide services to persons with disabilities was limited. The law prohibits employers from requiring pregnancy tests as a prerequisite for employment; penalties were not sufficient to deter violations. Gang violence is widespread in and around urban areas. There is street crime even in gated communities commonly referred to locally as. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2017 was 40.98, a 26.23% decline from 2016. The CDC offers additional information on vaccines and health guidance forHonduras. Gangs are not reluctant to use violence, and specialize in murder-for-hire, carjacking, extortion, and other violent street crime. More than half of the men and two-thirds of the women were in pretrial detention, according to official statistics. The law prohibits the sale, distribution, and use of emergency contraception for any reason, including for survivors of sexual violence. There were no government restrictions on academic freedom or cultural events. Most women in the workforce engaged in lower-status and lower-paying informal occupations, such as domestic service, without the benefit of legal protections. Responding police fired tear gas in and around the main terminal to regain control after protesters entered the building and airport grounds. January 26, 2022 At a glance Population: 10.1 million 2.8 million people in need of humanitarian aid Sample Page; ; By law workers may remove themselves from situations that endanger their health or safety without jeopardizing continued employment. Powerful special interests, including organized criminal groups, exercised influence on the outcomes of some court proceedings. The municipalities in which kidnappings were reported include: Districto Central (4), Jacaleapa (1), Trojes (1), Siguatepeque (1), Puerto Cortes (1), Lejamani (1), Tocoa (1), Tela (1), and Comayagua (1). Efforts to reform public security institutions have stalled. Even when traffic signals are working, drivers often ignore them. Periodic medical evaluations had not found Lobo healthy enough to proceed. In the 2013 census, approximately 8.5 percent of the population identified themselves as members of indigenous communities, but other estimates were higher. The law regulates child labor, sets the minimum age for employment at age 14, and regulates the hours and types of work that minors younger than 18 may perform. The U.S. Embassy strongly discourages intercity car and bus travel after dark. Honduras requires proof of Yellow Fever immunization if coming from another country endemic with Yellow Fever. La Ceiba, Trujillo) and major hotels; other tourist installations have increased private and police security. The penalties for rape range from nine to 13 years imprisonment. Embassy employees and others have experienced skimming at well-known restaurants, hotels, and retailers. Traffic signs, even on major highways, are often inadequate; streets are often unmarked even in major cities. It named 21 from Honduras, including former President Porfirio Lobo Sosa (2010-2014), who became ineligible for visas and admission to the US. According to UNICEF, 34 percent of women and 12 percent of men ages 20 to 24 married before age 18. Review OSACs reports, The Healthy Way, Traveling with Medication, Im Drinking What in My Water?, Shaken: The Donts of Alcohol Abroad, Health 101: How to Prepare for Travel, and Fire Safety Abroad. However, in June and October 2021 it abstained from OAS resolutions condemning arrests of Nicaraguan presidential opposition candidates and critics and demanding their release. -threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. CONAPREV reported 13 violent deaths in prisons as of September. Honduras requires proof of Yellow Fever immunization if coming from another country endemic with Yellow Fever. The lack of space for social distancing combined with the lack of adequate sanitation made prison conditions even more life threatening during the COVID-19 pandemic. Air pollution can aggravate or lead to respiratory problems during the dry season due to widespread forest fires and agricultural burning. Girls and adolescents younger than 19 carry 15 percent of all pregnancies, the Monitoring Mechanism of the Belm do Par Convention reported in 2016. Children often worked on melon, coffee, okra, and sugarcane plantations as well as in other agricultural production; scavenged at garbage dumps; worked in the forestry and fishing sectors; worked as domestic servants; peddled goods such as fruit; begged; washed cars; hauled goods; and labored in limestone quarrying and lime production. Honduras ranked second in the world regarding the number of killings of land and environmental defenders per capita, according to the NGO Global Witness. Forced labor occurred in street vending, domestic service, the transport of drugs and other illicit goods, other criminal activity, and the informal sector. Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba) have homicide rates higher than the national average, as do several Honduran departments (a geographic designation like U.S. States), includingAtlntida, Coln, Corts, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, andYoro. According to the Honduran National Police, there were 12 kidnappings reported nationwide during 2019. While there are no areas in major urban cities free of violent crime, notably dangerous locations in Tegucigalpa include the areas surrounding Suyapa Cathedral, downtown Comayagela, downtown Tegucigalpa, and neighborhoods in the outskirts of the city that are generally controlled by gangs. Red Cross ambulance: 911, (504) 2227-7474 or (504) 2227-7575. Would you like to continue with this session or log out? Country Summary: Violent crime, such as homicide, armed robbery, and kidnapping, is common. There were reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings. Cruise ship passengers should take safety precautions, avoid unfamiliar areas, and book only with reputable tour companies during their stopover in Honduras. For crimes with minimum sentences of six years imprisonment, the law authorizes pretrial detention of up to two years. osac crime and safety report honduras Posted on June 10, 2022 June 10, 2022 by Who Are The Booth Brothers Married To , Hallelujah Word Painting , Aceite En El Ombligo Para Adelgazar , Twinkl Crime And Punishment Display , Data Universe Public Employee Salaries , Digital Media Course Syllabus , Brian Alexander Prince Height , Three Death Signs . Additionally, illegal drugs are for sale in many of the popular tourist areas during the evening hours. Fire Department operations: +504-2231-1667. According to Human Rights Watch, Honduras is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for members of these groups. Litigants may sue a criminal defendant for damages if authorized by a criminal court. NGOs reported IDPs were at increased risk of victimization and exploitation by criminal groups, which was also often the cause of displacement. There is also a Human Rights Committee in the National Congress. These tensions have resulted in intense protests and violence. Government officials were somewhat cooperative and responsive to their views, but some human rights organizations criticized government officials for lack of access and responsiveness. Review the State Departments webpage on. In June 2020, Congress passed a new penal code that introduced the crime of internal displacement, punishing, with prison sentences of six to nine years, those who, through violence or intimidation, force someone to abandon or change their place of living. As a result of Honduran government efforts in close cooperation with the United States, homicide rates have fallen from 86.0 per 100,000 residents in 2012 to 43.6 per 100,000 at the end of 2019. Civil society organizations criticized the governments failure to investigate threats adequately. Gangs control some of the taxi services. CONADEH received complaints involving human rights abuses and referred them to the Public Ministry for investigation. The police generally treat detained foreigners well. As of August 5, 174 femicides have been committed in Honduras in 2021 according to the Women's Rights Center, a Honduran nongovernmental organization. Some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) expressed concern regarding weak implementation of the law and limited resources available to operate the governments protection mechanism. There are claims of widespread corruption in land sales, deed filing, and dispute resolution, including claims against attorneys, real estate companies, judges, and local officials. Occupational Safety and Health: The government did not effectively enforce occupational safety and health standards, particularly in the construction, garment assembly, and agricultural sectors, as well as in the informal economy. The accused has the right to an initial hearing before a judge, to ask for bail, consult with legal counsel in a timely manner, have a lawyer provided by the state if necessary, and request an appeal. Vehicles often drive at night without adequate lighting. In 2019, there was one murder case involving a resident U.S. citizen in Roatn. International observers acknowledged some of these irregularities but reported they were not systematic and not widespread enough to affect the outcome of the presidential election. The STSS is responsible for enforcing the national minimum wage, hours of work, and occupational health and safety law, but it did so inconsistently and ineffectively. Censorship or Content Restrictions: Media members and NGOs stated the press self-censored due to fear of retaliation from organized criminal groups or corrupt government officials. The U.S. Department of State has assessed Tegucigalpa as being a MEDIUM-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. However, kidnapping figures are likely lower than reality, as families of kidnapping victims often pay ransoms without reporting these crimes to police out of fear of retribution. Persons with disabilities, indigenous and Afro-descendant persons, LGBTQI+ persons, and persons with HIV or AIDS also faced discrimination in employment and occupation (see section 6). Credible allegations of corruption in the STSS continued. CONADEH reported 69 cases of alleged torture or cruel and inhuman treatment by security forces through August, while the Public Ministry received 18 such reports. Under the new inspection law, the STSS has the authority temporarily to shut down workplaces where there is an imminent danger of fatalities; however, there were not enough trained inspectors to deter violations sufficiently. See the Department of States Trafficking in Persons Report at https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/. Through August CONADEH received six reports of discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Support and resources from a four-year Organization of American States (OAS) mission to strengthen the fight against corruption and impunity, concluded in January 2020, have not produced lasting reforms. The law provides for freedom of peaceful assembly, and the government generally respected this right. As of September the STSS had an insufficient number of inspectors to enforce the law effectively. The government considers rape a crime of public concern, and the state prosecutes rapists even if victims do not press charges. Indigenous and ethnic minority communities are frequently located in rural areas, which enjoy lower levels of criminal activity. The Honduran National Police wear blue uniforms, while the PMOP normally wear green camouflage. Nevertheless, social discrimination against racial and ethnic groups persisted, as did physical violence. Counterfeit products are predominately but not solely in the pharmaceutical and apparel industries. Vote View Results . In security and domestic service sectors, workers were frequently forced to work more than 60 hours per week but paid only for 44 hours. Displaced Children: Civil society organizations reported that common causes of forced displacement for youth included death threats for failure to pay extortion, attempted recruitment by gangs, witnessing criminal activity by gangs or organized criminal groups, domestic violence, attempted kidnappings, family members involvement in drug dealing, victimization by traffickers, rape including commercial sexual exploitation by gangs, discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, sexual harassment, and discrimination for having a chronic medical condition. Media reported prison riots, violent confrontations, and killings between gang members in prisons throughout the year. The law establishes prison sentences of up to two and one-half years for child abuse. Other ways to share Backsliding occurred in cases brought during the four-year mandate of the OAS Mission to Support the Fight Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras; several of its cases were dismissed or postponed as courts heard appeals based on the new code. CONAPREV conducted 138 visits to prisons as of September. The government launched a new Ministry of Transparency in November 2020 to address some of these concerns. 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Honduras, An official website of the United States Government, https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/, https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/International-Parental-Child-Abduction/for-providers/legal-reports-and-data/reported-cases.html, https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings. In January, Congress voted to increase the majority needed to amend Hondurass constitutional ban on same sex marriage from two-thirds to three-quarters, thereby further entrenching the prohibition. Violent transnational criminal organizations are also involved in narcotics trafficking and other illicit commerce. Limited inspections could facilitate movements of terrorists. Review the State Departments webpage on security for travelers with disabilities. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, a. The Honduras Country Council generally meets monthly on a rotating basis in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula and has approximately 70 members. Avoid protests, which can quickly turn violent. Officers filed a report for theft and criminal damage to property at 1:30 p.m. Sunday in the 700 block of Denison Avenue in Manhattan. Pretrial Detention: Judicial inefficiency, corruption, and insufficient resources delayed proceedings in the criminal justice system, and lengthy pretrial detention was a serious problem. The STSS did not approve any authorizations through September. Share this via Facebook In September, the OAS and Honduras signed an agreement to allow an OAS electoral observation mission to the November elections to elect president, legislators, and local authorities. The law requires that persons with disabilities have access to buildings, but few buildings were accessible, and the government did not effectively implement laws or programs to provide such access.