Honduran Government Welcomes UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras and GENEVA, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Honduran state officials and civil society representatives shared their country's progress on human rights with United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Andrew Gilmour during his three-day visit to Tegucigalpa last week.

"Honduras is making undeniable strides in the human rights realm," said President Juan Orlando Hernández. "My administration will continue to fight for the security of all Hondurans."

Gilmour cited the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH) as vital to the nation's human rights efforts.

"We are glad that the direct link between corruption and human rights abuses is increasingly recognized," Gilmour noted in the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner's official press release on the visit.

The Hernandez administration founded the MACCIH in January 2016 with the support of the Organization of American States. The Mission aims to reduce corruption, maximize public accountability, and strengthen the integrity of public institutions in Honduras.

In its account of the Assistant Secretary-General's visit to Honduras, the OHCHR said, "Gilmour welcomed the strengthened cooperation between the newly-established UN Human Rights Office in Tegucigalpa and state institutions," and reasserted the UN's role in helping the Honduran government guarantee human rights.

During Gilmour's visit, the government also highlighted President Hernández's decision to promote the Vice-Ministry for Human Rights to a cabinet-level position and institute the National Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders. Gilmour praised these moves in the OHCHR's press release, noting that human rights defenders "are doing a tremendous service for the long-term future of Honduras."

"This administration values the safety and well-being of its citizens above all else," said President Hernandez. "We are pleased that the United Nations is recognizing our efforts, and will always welcome the UN's expert counsel."

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SOURCE Republic of Honduras