Woman, Living Free of Violence is Your Right!
Government institutions, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the InfoSegura Regional Project, join the campaign to support women victims of different forms of violence.
In Honduras, women are affected by the spiral of crimes threatening their wellbeing and their lives. This may be made worse in crisis situations.
In 2022, records show 6,907 reports of domestic violence. Some 47 per cent of women reported having been the victims of psychological violence, followed by 35 per cent victims of physical violence. Women ages 18 to 30 were the most affected by domestic violence.
Approximately eight in 10 sexual crimes involved women in 2022. About 66 per cent (1,806 victims) were under 18, while 40 per cent (1,093 victims) were between 13 to 17, the ages with the most reports.
According to data in the first "National Specialized Survey on Violence Against Women and Girls Age 15 and Older," nine in 10 women fail to report or seek help when they experience violent situations throughout their lives.
In response, several government institutions, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the InfoSegura Regional Project, joined together to create a campaign to support women victims of violence in Honduras. The Secretariat for Security through the Subsecretary for Police Affairs and the Secretary for Prevention and Human Rights, the National Police, the National Statistics Institute (INE), the Secretariat for Women's Issues of the Secretary of State (SEMUJER), the Presidential Ciudad Mujer programme, the Judicial Branch and the National 911 Emergency System. This campaign targets young and adult women age 15 and over and the primary message is:
Woman, Living Free of Violence is Your Right!
Find help at the Municipal Women's Office or report by calling 911, Police Post, Specialized Courts, Courts of Peace across the country, and the Mobile Courts of Peace closest to your community.
In order to raise awareness about the different forms that violence against women can take and promote reporting, useful information is provided on what violence is, the different forms violence takes, ways of detecting it and where to turn to file a report.
Campaign audiovisuals emphasize the criminal nature of violence against women, and promote reporting as a mechanism for defence. The hope is that this campaign can help women victims of violence realize they are not alone and that living free of violence is their right.
The campaign kicked off was on November 6, 2023 on digital platforms and social media channels of participating institutions. The campaign is part of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
The UNDP strives to promote comprehensive approaches to eradicate violence and to guarantee the rights of women and girls, helping them to be free from violence, a basic condition for advancing towards gender equality and sustainable development.
Source: Analysis of violence against women and girls in Honduras. January-December 2022
This article was originally published on the web site of UNDP Honduras
