HONDURAS. EUROPA Human Rights Awardee visits EU institutions
During the week of June 5 to 9, 2023, the human rights defender María Felicita López, Lenca indigenous leader who defends human rights, land and territory, and the rights of Lenca women, held a visit to the EU institutions in Brussels. She has been awarded the 2022 EUROPA Human Rights Prize in Honduras from the EU and Member States present in Honduras (Germany, Spain and France) as recognition and support for her work.
The visit consisted of meetings with EEAS, where she met with the Deputy Managing Director for Americas, the Office of the EU Special Representative for Human Rights and the Human Rights Division, and the Democracy and Electoral Observation Division. Ms. López referred to the harsh situation of human rights defenders in Honduras, highlighting the need to strengthen the national protection system in conjunction with the conservation of natural resources and respect for indigenous beliefs. She also talked about the importance of electoral observation in a context marked by poor transparency and citizen mistrust of electoral institutions.
She also met with Members of the European Parliament (Committee on Development and the Delegation for Relations with the countries of Central America) where Ms. López informed about the human rights situation of Lenca indigenous people in Honduras with special emphasis on gender perspective, and with officials from the Commission (DGs TRADE, EMPL, AGRI and INTPA). Commission representatives thanked Ms López for sharing her experience, allowing confronting their exchanges with public authorities and stakeholders with an account from an indigenous leader. Ms. Lopez appreciated the information provided on the EU action to improve social, labour and human rights in Honduras through EU-Honduras dialogues.
In addition to her visit to the EU institutions, Ms. López met civil society organizations with special focus in Honduras, the indigenous communities and the protection of human and environmental rights. In line with its Strategy on Human Rights and Democracy, the EU Delegation to Honduras considers of the utmost importance the exchange of views between the EU Institutions and human rights defenders to better contribute to the strengthening of the rule of law in Honduras.
Background: María Felicita López is currently coordinator of women's rights of the Association of Lenca Indigenous Communities of La Paz (ACILPAZH), member of the Lenca Indigenous Council of Santa Elena (La Paz), legal promoter of the human rights of Lenca women and president of Red Municipal de Santa Elena. She works on the documentation of cases of human rights violations, in the accompaniment of women victims of gender violence and in the recovery of the historical memory of indigenous peoples. She is a correspondent for Radio Progreso.
