Honduras: Humanitarian Needs and Response Summary 2023

NEEDS OVERVIEW

Overlapping vulnerabilities brought about by ongoing food insecurity, climate change and disasters, displacement and violence left 2.8 million people in Honduras with humanitarian needs in 2021. Conditions have only deteriorated in the wake of hurricanes Eta and Iota, the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of the war in Ukraine on food and fuel prices.

Food insecurity is worsening, with at least 2.6 million people in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse levels of food insecurity in 2022, more than a quarter of the population. Nearly half of all people live in poverty, leaving them without the capacities to cope with climate-related risks such as flooding, landslides and drought. August and September 2022 saw excess seasonal rains in the north-west, with October's Tropical Storm Julia in October then affecting many communities still reeling from the previous months' rains.

These recurring climate shocks and economic challenges are contributing to more and more people leaving the country; the 82,968 returnees recorded on the year (as of 31 October 2022) are a 41 per cent increase from 2021 figures during the same period. Response capacities are becoming increasingly strained by a massive increase in irregular entries, with the National Migration Institute (INM) reporting 188,858 entries during 2022, or about 57,500 more entries than in the preceding 11 years combined.

Crime and insecurity are also contributing to worsening conditions. Honduras' homicide rate of 41.7 killings per every 100,000 inhabitants is the highest in Central America, despite being a decrease from 2020. Moreover, organized criminal activity continues to create mobility restrictions that further limit access to basic services.

Heading into 2023, there are now 3.2 million people in need of assistance. Vulnerable populations such as women, children, adolescents, people on the move, indigenous and Afro-descendant people, people with disabilities and LGBTIQ+ people, among others, continue to face a disproportionate impact and require an inclusive response that accounts for their protection and dignity, while also strengthening their self-reliance.