The Disheartening But Predictable Violation Of Women's Rights In The Context Of The Honduran Coup

Via Stabroek News (Guyana):

Two weeks ago, an international delegation of human rights and feminist organizations representing countries from Latin America, Canada, Spain and the United States, traveled to Honduras on a fact-finding mission during Women’s Human Rights Week, to document the violation of women’s rights in the context of the coup of June 28 that deposed democratically elected President Manuel Zelaya. Between August 17-21, they interviewed women and members of various organizations involved in resistance to the coup, and took testimonies from victims of military and police brutality. The delegation, consisting of activists, journalists, researchers and legal experts, was convened by a number of organizations in and outside of Honduras: Honduran Feminists in Resistance; Feminist Radio International Endeavor (FIRE); Just Associates (JASS), Consortium for Parliamentary Dialogue and Equality; and the Nobel Women’s Initiative.

In their preliminary report, the Observatorio de la Transgresión Feminista (Feminist Transformation Watch) noted the central role of women in daily street marches and demonstrations rejecting the de facto regime of Roberto Micheletti and calling for the return of President Manuel Zelaya. They noted the increasing use of violence by the military and police against demonstrators, and that women were being targeted in specific and all too predictable ways. One news report described acts of sexual aggression against women, “ranging from verbal obscenities and threats to women being grabbed or beaten with batons in their buttocks, to torture and rape in detention”. In one reported incident, women who were demonstrating outside the Institute of Women against the policies of the newly installed Minister of Women (who has refused to hear any complaints of the violations of women’s human rights following the coup), found themselves on the receiving end of the baton wielding military who she called in to dismantle the protest. Given the fact that so many of the testimonies have implicated the military and police as perpetrators, women have been understandably reluctant to file reports. In a situation that Guyanese can surely sympathise with at present, what do you do when those entrusted with the ‘legitimate use of force’ and with people’s security and safety are among those that you fear?

The preliminary findings also noted that the Special Prosecutor for Women confirmed that 51 women were murdered in July alone, the month immediately following the coup, an increase in woman murders of at least 60%.