OHCHR Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador 2017-2021

An evaluation conducted in 2020 stated that "The impact of OHCHR in the three countries needs to be understood in the context of the socio-political situation in the region. Central America is marked by a profound social and political crisis driven by high levels of poverty, violence and insecurity. The escalation of authoritarianism and the weakening of State institutions combined with high levels of impunity and corruption have severely impacted the protection of human rights in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras." Guatemala The support to OHCHR Guatemala has enabled observation and reporting on the human rights situation and contributed to strengthening state capacity to comply with international human rights conventions. The support enabled educational initiatives with 12 government institutions and contributed to the formulation of public policies and protocols to promote compliance with human rights. OHCHR has also worked to counteract discrimination against LGBTQI people, indigenous peoples, women and people with functional variations, including technical support for inclusion in decision making and to improve legislation. Honduras OHCHR Honduras has played an important role in the protecting human rights in a volatile social and political context aggravated by the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. The work by OHCHR has been key for the protection of human rights defenders, indigenous peoples, and the vindication of their economic, social and cultural rights and access to justice, especially with regard to the defense of natural resources and ancestral territories.   El Salvador The OHCHR team has acted human rights advisors to the UN Country Coordinator and played an important role in coordinating efforts with Salvadoran civil society and the justice sector in the cases of women wrongfully criminalized for stillbirths or miscarriages. The team is also implemented a strategy for the protection of human rights defenders, paying special attention to the situation of journalists and independent media. The team continued to support efforts to advance transitional justice and to strengthen the capacity of the justice sector to address human rights violations committed during the internal armed conflict. OHCHR also played an important role in monitoring the governments response to the Covid-19 pandemic.    Nicaragua In 2022, reports by OHCHR were instrumental in installing the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua, mandated to investigate human rights violations and abuses committed since April 2018 through the Human Rights Council's resolution 49/3.          

OHCHR has a unique mandate to promote and protect all human rights for all people. OHCHR provides assistance, in the form of technical expertise and strengthening of capacities, to support the implementation of international human rights standards on the ground. It assists governments, which bear the primary responsibility for the protection of human rights, to fulfil their obligations, supports individual rights holders and civil society to claim their rights and speaks out objectively on human rights violations. The intended outcome of the support to OHCHR in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua is to increase the respect for human rights, to decrease levels of discrimination and impunity and to strengthen accountability and the rule of law. OHCHR will work to improve legislation and its implementation in line with international standards on human rights, it will work to build capacity of both duty bearers and rights holders, and will work to raise awareness and to strengthen protection mechanisms.