HUMAN RIGHTS IN CENTRAL AMERICA Shaina Aber Policy Director, National Advocacy Office, Jesuit Conference

Current U.S. Policy Toward Central America Military and Security Assistance for over a decade  drug interdictions + police/military assistance Development Assistance on the table “Plan Biden” vs. Alliance for Prosperity Border Militarization to “stem the tide”

What We See Violence – Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador are three of the most violent countries in the world Chart Source: Center for American Progress

What We See In July 2014, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women noted that violent deaths of women in Honduras increased percent between 2005 and Chart Source: La Voz del Pueblo Toolkit

What We See Impunity, Corruption, and Complicity – 5% conviction rate for murders in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras – In each country, examples of corruption at local and national level Particularly true for Guatemala and Honduras El Salvador – troubling militarization of society in response to rampant gang violence

What We See Migration of People in Need of Protection – # of refugees arriving from C. America to the U.S. has decreased since last year, but crisis continues Interception of refugees and migrants before reaching the U.S. border Vulnerable people being returned without due process and sometimes resulting in grave harm and even death

Solutions Stop harmful military resourcing, including on the borders of Guatemala, Honduras and Mex Focus on building the capacity of El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala to respond to the human security and development needs of their people through civil society and state institutions Provide Central Americans who arrive at the US border with due process and stop the use of immigration detention

Questions?