Policy and Research Papers
Reform without Ownership? Dilemmas in Supporting Security and Justice Sector Reform in Honduras
Honduras’ security and justice sector suffers from severe deficiencies. It remains largely inefficient and unable to safeguard security and the rule of law for its citizens. Criminal investigative units are plagued with serious problems of incompetence, corruption and progressive penetration by organised crime. The judiciary lacks independence and is subject to systematic political interference. Inter-institutional coordination is poor and flawed by a climate of mutual mistrust and rivalry over competencies.
This report describes and analyses the EU’s contribution to strengthening security and the rule of law in Honduras through a major security sector reform (SSR) programme earmarked with a budget of €44 million. The report underlines the crucial need for increased local ownership as a sine qua non condition if the EU’s endeavours are to trigger sustainable institutional change and thus further human security in Honduras. The report also examines prospects for the creation of an international commission against impunity, following the example of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG).
Other Documents
Newsletter Amérique Latine 2/2015 | Direction du Développement et de la Coopération (DDC): Le Programme de la DDC pour les Droits de l'Homme au Hon...
Aujourd'hui au Honduras, la violence constitue un frein au développement social du pays. Comment la DDC a-telle réagi à cette situation ? Des efforts entrepris depuis 2011 en collaboration avec le Programme des Nations Unies pour le développement (PNUD) visent à renforcer les droits de l’homme à différents échelons de l’Etat et de la société. Le programme a posé les bases pour l’ouverture d’un bureau du Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies aux Droits de l’Homme à Honduras. Financé en grande partie par la DDC, celui-ci entamera ses activités en 2015.
Backstopping: Swiss Mandate in Honduras
The rule of law architecture in Honduras is weak. Organised crime and a strong youth gang culture— involved in extortion and in activities linked to the drug trade (Honduras is on the main drug trafficking route from South America to the US)—represent significant challenges. The Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH), established via a recent signed agreement between the Organization of American States (OAS) and Honduran Government will seek to dismantle corruption networks operating in the country. Although different from the International Commission against impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), the OAS mission will still offer independency and the ability to closely follow the actors of the justice and security sector.
Developing a Theory of Change for Justice and Security Sector Reform in Honduras
ISSAT and Swedepeace had a standing engagement in Honduras since 2013 providing technical assistance to the Swiss Agency for Development and Corporation (SDC) and their partners in civil society Alliance for Peace and Justice (APJ), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Secretary of Security of Honduras (SEDS). The Swiss JSSR Team supported the SEDS in their strategic planning by training on and applying a theory of change (ToC). The ToC process was a timely tool for this exercise, as it provided an opportunity to internally reflect on their current planning process and how it will impact externally. The process also allowed for a common understanding for base line to be developed as well as the definition of a desired end-state.
Kindly find the mandate report attached.
For more information on the mandate Backstopping Support to SDC Honduras (2016-18), kindly follow the link.
Monitoring ISSAT’s Commitment to Gender Equality - Pilot Report 2017
In 2018, ISSAT initiated a pilot case-study to demonstrate its commitment to gender equality during the 2017 reporting cycle. The purpose of the pilot report and the case study is to develop a model for internal monitoring of ISSAT’s gender-sensitive approach that would enable senior management to quality control our commitment to gender equality as well as select the most emblematic case studies for internal learning, public dissemination and reporting.
For ISSAT's report on Gender and SSR 2016, kindly follow the link.