He special rapporteur* on the right to development stated this Thursday that the government of Honduras has the opportunity to “develop and implement a participatory development model” that responds to poverty, social conflicts and loss and damage related to climate change.
In a statement, Surya Deva detailed that this model would be based on the respect for the environment and, he added, “it must be built through the active, free and meaningful participation of all people, especially marginalized or vulnerable groups.”
At the end of an eleven-day visit to the Central American country, Deva highlighted the progress of the Honduran government in poverty reduction and the homicide rate and recognized the country’s commitment to implementing an alternative development model.
The expert applauded this determination and explained that, in order to achieve it, Honduras must take decisive steps to improve public law and order, increase transparencyreduce inequality and promote responsible business conduct.
Women, indigenous peoples and Afro-Hondurans
Ensuring inclusive, sustainable and harmonious development entails enormous challenges, said Deva, because, among other things, it involves leave no one behind.
Furthermore, the special rapporteur argued that the government must ensure that indigenous peoples have access to water, health, education, energy and employment.
The expert also emphasized that women and Afro-Hondurans must be able to realize their development aspirations.without fear of any type of discrimination, harassment or violence.”
He remembered that no one should die or be intimidated for protecting nature and the earth.
In this sense, he emphasized that the country must end the criminalization of defenders of environmental human rights and indigenous communities.
“You must also issue land titles to indigenous peoples and grant licenses for projects only after obtaining their free, prior and informed consent,” he pointed out.
tax system
On the other hand, he explained that the country must take “more forceful” measures to control the economy of drug traffickers and build resilient infrastructure.
To address the burden of the national debt, he considered that the government needs to generate more resources through progressive taxesending tax breaks for companies, asking for subsidies from development partners and negotiating debt swaps for climate measures.
Corporate responsibility
With respect to companies, Deva recommended that the Honduran government build a consensus among all the actors involved to create the conditions that encourage responsible business conduct.
He added that all companies operating in Honduras must comply with the laws and international standards on human rights, labor rights, the environment and climate change.
“Instead of demanding billions of dollars through arbitration claims, the foreign investors must support the government’s legitimate efforts to protect the environment and the rights of indigenous peoples”, noted the expert.
The special rapporteur will present to Human Rights Council the full report of his visit and recommendations to Honduras in September 2025.
* The Special Rapporteurs are part of the Special Proceduresof the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN human rights system, is the general name for the Council’s independent investigative and monitoring mechanisms that deal with specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. . Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; They are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organization and provide their services on an individual basis.
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