The European Union, UN Women, and UNDP strengthen CONADEH to prevent and address political gender-based violence within the framework of the EUROELECT-H project

With the aim of contributing to more transparent, peaceful, and inclusive elections, strategic supplies were officially delivered to the National Human Rights Commissioner (CONADEH) to strengthen the Electoral Early Warning System (SAT), a key tool for observing, preventing, and responding to gender-based political violence and electoral violence in the country.

The action is part of the EUROELECT-H project: Support for the Electoral Cycle in Honduras for Transparent and Peaceful Elections, funded by the European Union and implemented jointly by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). The objective is to strengthen national capacities to guarantee women's political rights and move towards a more inclusive democracy.

Marcello Abate, Cooperation Advisor at the European Union Delegation, said:
"There can be no full democracy without women participating on an equal footing and free from violence. Therefore, together with UN Women, UNDP, and strategic partners such as CONADEH, we will continue to support Honduras in making the electoral process more inclusive, transparent, and peaceful."

Early warning systems are essential for anticipating risks and activating timely responses to political violence against women, especially in electoral contexts. Their activation not only allows for the identification of risky situations, but also facilitates the referral of cases to the competent institutions, guaranteeing the protection of women's political rights and lives and contributing to safer, more inclusive, and violence-free electoral processes in Honduras.

Comprehensive support
The support includes the incorporation of specialized analysts, the implementation of a training process on gender-based violence, and the provision of institutional visibility inputs, which will strengthen the operation of the SAT and the deployment of the territorial team. The aim is to provide CONADEH staff and allied actors with conceptual and practical tools to identify, address, and follow up on cases of political violence against women.
Blanca Izaguirre, National Human Rights Commissioner in Honduras, stated:
"At CONADEH, we recognize that there can be no real democracy without equality, and there can be no equality without eradicating all forms of violence that seek to silence, exclude, or punish women for exercising their rights. This cooperation reaffirms a shared vision: that of a Honduras where politics is not a territory of violence, but of participation; where power is not built on exclusion, but on equality."

The initiative also promotes coordination between SAT and the Women's Political Observatory, which is driven by civil society with the support of UN Women, strengthening synergies between institutional and community observation mechanisms. This coordination will enable more timely, evidence-based responses with greater territorial reach.

An ongoing problem
Between January and July 2025, the Women's Political Observatory reported at least 25 cases of political violence against women, including smear campaigns on social media, exclusion within parties, placement on lists with no real chance of election, and lack of financial and training support for their candidacies.

Mildred García, Head of the UN Women Office in Honduras, emphasized:
"Today we renew our call to all State institutions, political parties, the media, and society in general to join forces in preventing, reporting, and punishing political violence against women. Honduran democracy needs the voice, leadership, and active participation of women, and it is everyone's responsibility to ensure that they can exercise these rights on an equal footing, without fear and in freedom."

A collective effort
The event was attended by UN Women, UNDP, the European Union Delegation, CONADEH, electoral authorities, government representatives, and civil society organizations, who agreed on the need to strengthen Honduran democracy by ensuring that women fully exercise their political rights in an environment free from violence and discrimination.

The partnership between UN Women, UNDP, the European Union, and CONADEH reinforces the importance of working together to advance toward electoral processes characterized by peace, equality, and respect for human rights, in which women fully exercise their citizenship and political leadership.