A/HRC/RES/54/30
Acknowledging the policy of cooperation and collaboration of the Government of
Honduras with all human rights monitoring mechanisms, based on the principles of genuine
dialogue and aimed at strengthening the capacity of the State to prevent human rights
violations,
Welcoming the commitment and ongoing efforts of the Government of the first female
President in the history of Honduras, Iris Xiomara Castro Sarmiento, to uphold human rights
and fundamental freedoms, strengthen the rule of law, in particular access to justice, and fight
corruption, including the ongoing efforts to work with the United Nations for the
establishment of an impartial, independent and autonomous international mechanism against
corruption and impunity in Honduras,
Welcoming also the commitment of the Government of Honduras to reform the
national penitentiary system in accordance with its obligations under international human
rights law, and to guarantee respect for the lives of persons deprived of their liberty, including
their physical and psychological integrity, with the aim of ensuring their reintegration into
society,
Deeply concerned by the high level of violence and extortion perpetrated by organized
crime groups throughout the areas in which they operate, and the control exerted by the gangs
present in Honduras within the country’s penitentiaries,
Deeply concerned also by the murder of at least 46 women prisoners at the National
Women’s Prison for Social Adaptation in Tamara on 20 June 2023, in the wake of an outbreak
of violence between rival gangs,
Acknowledging that violence, discrimination, access to land and natural resources,
insecurity, impunity and weak judicial independence are national structural problems that
exacerbate and facilitate violations of human rights, in particular those of women, girls and
persons in the most vulnerable situations,
Acknowledging also the need for integral reform of the penitentiary system that
addresses the root causes of violence and contributes to the dismantling of gangs and other
organized crime groups, giving priority to the rehabilitation and social integration of persons
deprived of their liberty while also addressing long-standing challenges in prisons, such as
the extensive use of incarceration, overcrowding and unsuitable living conditions,
Emphasizing that technical assistance and capacity-building in the field of human
rights are to be provided in consultation with and with the consent of the State concerned, in
accordance with its specific needs and priorities,
Acknowledging the existing tried and tested international methodology specifically
devoted to the enhancement of Latin American penitentiary systems through different and
converging pillars such as law enforcement, institution-building, capacity-building and value
dissemination,
1.
Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights to provide technical assistance and capacity-building to national civilian authorities
in penitentiary, security and justice matters, for a period of one year, in order to improve the
situation of human rights in Honduras, including ways to mainstream gender and that are
inclusive of vulnerable and marginalized groups, and to implement all relevant
recommendations made by United Nations human rights monitoring mechanisms;
2.
Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to submit
a report on the implementation of the present resolution to the Human Rights Council at its
fifty-seventh session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue;
3.
Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Office of the High
Commissioner with all the resources necessary to deliver such technical assistance and
capacity-building and to implement the present resolution;
4.
Decides to remain seized of the matter.
48th meeting
12 October 2023
[Adopted without a vote.]
2