Unlike almost all other Latin-American and Caribbean countries, the Executive Branch of Honduras does not show any special interest with a specialized attention to youth related fields.  The National Youth Advice that represents the OIJ, the Honduran government, is in reality a dependent on the Congress of the Republic.  If we were to rely on the nomenclature of the organization, which in these cases we normally do, we would find that there is a great amount of confusion.  The organization depends on the Legislative and not the Executive branch, and contrary to as the name would suggest, it is not a youth institution representing youth organizations and movements, rather than a public institution.

Surely this is not the only, nor the main explanatory clause, but public youth policies in Honduras certainly don’t count on the smallest levels of development.  The points of the main initiatives, in the terms of proposals, have been taken from civil society.  Thus, the few initiatives involving youth law projects and designing plans and programs, have been impelled by organizations such as Christian Youth Association (ACJ) together with other youth movements. 

In any case, it is important to note, that unlike most other countries, Honduras has not had a National Youth Survey nor have they designed an Integral Youth Plan, much less implemented them.  They have not approved a Youth Law and the dispersion of designated efforts to help with public policies, such as education, employment, health and others that the youth would benefit from, is more than worrisome.

Taking into account all of the prior information, the Honduras has been repeatedly observed for violations on human rights.  There is a perverse bond between the police and the gangs, developing practices that have been denounced by the Public Defender, and have been condemned by the international community on various occasions.  The government’s ¨Hard Hand¨ plan, that is supposed to manage public security or insecurity, as the case may be, has also been criticized frequently.  In the same vein, programs to eradicate child labor are facing difficulties upon implementation, and the rates of people infected with sexually transmitted diseases (especially HIV/AIDS) is said to be highest in all of Central America.

Despite all of this, society continues pushing for alternate answers.  Amidst so many limitations, they continue looking for opportunities to develop different programs and initiatives, from an unrestricted perspective more in touch with respect for human rights, and a way to create a space for developing an authentic participatory citizenship for youth of all ages, because they are strategic parts of development.  The United Nations collaborate largely with these initiatives.

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