“Honduran women, I will not fail you, I will defend your rights, all your rights, count on me,” said Xiomara Castro, the first female president of Honduras at her inauguration earlier this year.
Ten months on and many are losing faith that the changes promised will come.
“We are in ways losing hope,” said Regina Fonseca, an activist for women’s rights in Honduras. “I believe that at some point Castro will possibly fulfil some of the things, but the reality is that 20% of her term has already passed, and at least in terms of reproductive rights we do not see any substantive change in women’s lives up to now.”
“I think it’s that she avoids controversy, but by avoiding controversy one also seems to have that image of a weak person, so I feel that the common person in Honduras perceives her as weak, as someone who is not leading,” said Sandy Cabrera.
Honduras is the only country in Latin America with absolute bans on abortion and emergency contraceptives. A recent proposal to legalise emergency contraceptives in cases of rape sparked indignation. President Castro could lift the prohibition on emergency contraceptives with an executive decree, as she was expected to do within her first hundred days in office.
“We feminists are angry, we are upset, because we don’t want more of the same,” said Jinna Rosales, adding that this small measure would leave the existing ban for most women, as only a tiny percentage of rape survivors seek out medical attention.
On the issue of femicide, two bills aimed at combatting violence against women have so far stalled in Congress. One, designed to increase the government’s capacity to prevent violence against women and improve the attention given to survivors by the justice system, was expected to meet resistance in a legislative body dominated by men and social conservatives. Another, more limited, bill that would fulfil a campaign promise to create more shelters for survivors of violence languishes as well.
Castro is not responsible for Congress, but there is disappointment she has not made greater use of her political position to advocate for causes of importance to women.
“If there’s one thing that perpetuates the patriarchy from the seat of power, it’s Mel Zelaya,” said Jessica Sánchez, referring to Castro’s husband, the former president.
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