Honduras: More Laws Won't Solve Violence Against Women Without Stronger Institutions, Expert Says

Creating more laws will not solve the problem of violence against women in Honduras if the justice system's institutions are not strengthened, warned Migdonia Ayestas, coordinator of the Violence Observatory at the National Autonomous University of Honduras (OV-UNAH).

Ayestas commented on recent penal reforms that increase penalties for femicides and establish specialized courts. She argued that these measures send a message to perpetrators, but their effectiveness hinges on the institutions' ability to function. "It's not by creating more laws that the problem of violence against women will be solved, but by making institutions work to hold those responsible accountable, prosecute them, and establish penalties," Ayestas stated.

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It's not by creating more laws that the problem of violence against women will be solved, but by making institutions work to hold those responsible accountable, prosecute them, and establish penalties.

She stressed the importance of prosecuting femicide cases with a gender perspective in specialized courts, ideally led by women. Ayestas also highlighted the need for robust scientific criminal investigation to gather solid evidence for judges. She noted that in the past six years, only about 90 to 100 cases have been judicially processed, indicating a significant gap in accountability.

Furthermore, Ayestas called for efforts to foster "new masculinities" among children, teaching them non-violence and promoting community prevention. "What's the point of capturing violent men if we aren't teaching them not to be violent?" she questioned. She concluded that without proper application of the law by all relevant bodies, new legislation would be ineffective.

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What's the point of capturing violent men if we aren't teaching them not to be violent?