In 2021, Xiomara Castro made history as the first woman to be elected president of Honduras, with promises of improvements for women's rights. Since then, her actions have resulted in changes in support of access to safe abortion. But a lot remains to be done and the opposition against sexual and reproductive health and rights is strong. On Friday 15 December, a group of 32 Nordic Parliamentarians from across the political spectrum encouraged Castro to continue on the path for gender equality and SRHR for all in Honduras and congratulated her on recent policy breakthroughs. The letter applauds Houndura's first-ever woman leader for her crucial role in overturning the country's 13-year ban on emergency contraceptive pills in March 2023 and for advancing policies to support survivors of gender-based violence in 2022. Already in February 2022, the group of Nordic MPs welcomed the President's commitment to improve SRHR in the country and her pledge to tackle poverty.
This new letter acknowledges the President's commitment to decriminalising the stringent abortion laws that currently punish it in all cases (even rape or incest) by up to six years in prison. Honduras has a complex socio-political landscape characterised by internal displacements, high levels of violence, and human rights violations against women, girls and LGBTIQ+ persons. Considering that the country ranks second in Latin America for the number of teenage pregnancies, with one in four births being a teenage pregnancy, the letter also recognises that "much remains to be done to ensure human rights in Honduras".
The letter also expresses concern over disinformation campaigns circulating in Honduras. Accurate information and access to contraceptives for young persons are key to countering sexual abuse and violence.
This joint initiative by Nordic parliamentarians underlines the international commitment to championing SRHR and women's rights worldwide.
The letter reads as follows:
December 15, 2023
Madam President,
We, the undersigned 32 members of the Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Finnish Parliamentary Networks on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), would like to congratulate you on your actions that have resulted in policy changes supporting SRHR for all in Honduras. These actions include the overturning of the country’s 13-year ban on the usage of emergency contraceptive pill in March 2023 and the approval in 2022 of a policy to support survivors of gender-based violence. With this letter, we would like to express our support to you in your work to ensure the implementation of these important policies.
In February 2022, we welcomed your promises to alleviate poverty and work for a liberalisation of Honduras’ strict abortion laws in the beginning of 2022. We are aware of the many challenges and human rights violations in the country, including internal displacements and high levels of violence, not only against women and girls but also against LGBTIQ+ persons. We recognise much remains to be done to ensure human rights in Honduras, where one in four births is a teenage pregnancy, placing the country as the second country in Latin America with the highest rate of teenage pregnancies.
We are also concerned about the disinformation campaigns circulating in the country, inciting messages of hate, around the Law on Comprehensive Education for the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy. Young persons, including young girls, must have access to comprehensive information about their bodies and rights, including information about and access to contraceptives. This is key to societal development, the fulfillment of SRHR and countering sexual abuse and violence.
Dear Madam President. As parliamentary networks, we believe SRHR are a precondition for gender equality, the fulfillment of a range of other human rights, and an inevitable part of societal development and the global fight against poverty. We support you in your efforts to make a historical shift for SRHR and women's rights in your country.
Yours sincerely,
The Swedish Parliamentarians:
Ulrika Westerlund (the Green party, chair of the cross party parliamentary group for SRHR)
Linnéa Wickman (the Social Democratic Party, vice chair)
Katarina Tolgfors (the Moderate party)
Sofia Amloh (the Social Democratic Party)
Lotta Johnsson Fornarve (the Left Party)
Helena Vilhelmsson (the Centre party)
Anders Ådahl (the Centre party)
Gudrun Brunegård (the Christian Democrats)
Janine Alm Ericson (the Green party)
The Norwegian Parliamentarians:
Åse Kristin Ask Bakke (Social Democratic Party, chair of the APPG for SRHR)
Sandra Bruflot (Conservative Party, vice chair of the APPG)
Seher Aydar (Red Party, board member of the APPG)
Ingvild W. Thorsvik (Liberal Party, board member of the APPG)
Kristoffer Robin Haug (Green Party, board member og the APPG)
Kari Elisabeth Kaski (Socialist left party)
Andreas Sjalg Unneland (Socialist left party)
Kamzy Gunaratnam (Social Democratic Party)
Tuva Moflag (Social Democratic Party)
Alfred Bjørlo (Liberal Party)
Grunde Almeland (Liberal Party)
Heidi Lunde Nordby (Conservative Party)
Hege Bae Nyholt (Red Party)
Une Basthom (Green Party)
Rasmus Hansson (Green Party)
The Finnish Parliamentarians:
Merja Kyllönen (Left Alliance)
Inka Hopsu (The Greens)
Jussi Saramo (Left Alliance)
Eva Biaudet (Swedish People’s Party of Finland)
Hanna Sarkkinen (Left Alliance)
The Danish Parliamentarians:
Birgitte Vind, chairman (the Social Democratic Party)
Charlotte Munch (the Denmark Democrats)
(Photo source: Uploaded a work by Redacción from https://confidencialhn.com/blog/2022/11/24/presidenta-xiomara-castro-declara-guerra-contra-la-extorsion-y-anuncia-emergencia-nacional-en-seguridad/ with UploadWizard)