During the 2^nd Session of the 41^st Parliament, the Subcommittee on International Human Rights (the Subcommittee) studied the human rights situation as it pertains to targeted peoples in Honduras. This study also took into account evidence heard during the 1^st session of the same Parliament.[1] The Subcommittee heard from witnesses and received written submissions as part of its study. Based on the evidence it received and on publicly available information, the Subcommittee has agreed to report the following findings and recommendations to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

During its study, the Subcommittee heard evidence regarding a range of factors that have contributed to the lack of respect for human rights in Honduras. The Subcommittee acknowledges the complexity of the situation facing the country as it attempts to re-build its democratic institutions in the wake of a 2009 coup, which left the population deeply polarized.

Hondurans struggle to overcome high rates of poverty, inequality and lack of economic opportunity. Moreover, drug traffickers, criminal gangs and other organized criminals have exploited serious institutional weaknesses and capacity gaps in the justice sector, creating an environment in which most Hondurans are unable to rely on the state to ensure their basic security. In this context, those who seek to silence the voices of human rights defenders, journalists, justice sector workers and other peaceful activists through killings, violence and intimidation have been able to do so with impunity. The Subcommittee believes that, through bilateral and multilateral engagement, Canada can assist Hondurans in building the institutional capacity needed to re-establish the rule of law and to hold those responsible for attacks against human rights defenders and others to account.

This report begins by providing an overview of key events in Honduras since the 2009 coup against then-President Manuel Zelaya. Next, the report reviews the evidence that the Subcommittee heard regarding widespread crime and violence in Honduras, attacks on human rights defenders and institutional fragility. The report subsequently examines ways in which Canadian engagement can contribute to improving respect for human rights and the rule of law in Honduras. Finally, the report sets out the Subcommittee’s conclusions and its recommendations to the Government of Canada.