Thank you, Madam President.
The United Kingdom welcomes the steps taken by the Honduran Government to engage constructively with NGOs and human rights defenders on the development of a Business and Human Rights National Action Plan.
We are also encouraged by the establishment of the National Protection Mechanism and the Ministry of Human Rights, although their lack of resource remains a concern.
As a signatory to the Global Pledge on Media Freedom, we call on the Government of Honduras to take substantive action to ensure the protection of journalists, and enable them to report without fear of harrassment.
We recommend that Honduras:
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Prioritise steps to combat the widespread rape and sexual exploitation of women and girls by gangs. Build institutional capacity for the protection of victims, through strengthening measures to proactively identify victims and refer them to appropropiate support services.
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Take all necessary steps to ensure recent reforms to Honduras' penal code meet international human rights obligations.
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Adopt an open, merit-based process when selecting national candidates for UN Treaty Body elections.
Thank you, Madam President.
