Honduras

The Honduran International Recommendations Monitoring System (SIMOREH), is a mechanism consisting of a computer tool and a network of institutional links between the three branches of government and decentralized bodies. It is supported by the Directorate for Research and Compliance with International Commitments (DICCI).

INSTITUTIONAL SETUP

The Directorate for Research and Compliance with International Commitments (DICCI) was created by Decree PCM-055-2017. It is attached to the Undersecretariat for the Promotion of Human Rights of the Secretariat of State for Human Rights (SEDH).

Through Executive Decree PCM-055-2017 published in Official Gazette No. 34,441 on September 12, 2017, the head of the Executive Branch created the Secretariat for Human Rights (SEDH), which is the result of the separation of the Office of Human Rights from the former Secretariat of State for Human Rights, Justice, Governance, and Decentralization, thereby creating two new secretariats with their own mandates and powers. Within the structure of the SEDH, attached to the Undersecretariat for the Promotion of Human Rights, is the Directorate for Research and Compliance with International Commitments (DICCI), which is responsible for preparing human rights reports and acting as the mechanism for this purpose. In accordance with the decree establishing it, the SEDH represents the Executive Branch in matters within its competence, is responsible for submitting reports to the human rights bodies of the universal and regional systems, coordinating the country's positions at the bilateral and multilateral levels, and assisting in the defense of the State of Honduras in commissions, committees, or jurisdictional bodies, in conjunction with other Honduran State institutions with responsibility in this area. These specific powers are the responsibility of the DICCI.

In accordance with the decree establishing it, the DICCI has the following units for its proper functioning:

• Reporting Unit;
• International Recommendations Follow-up and Monitoring Unit;
• International Cases Follow-up Unit.

The DICCI is responsible for coordinating the Honduran International Recommendations Monitoring System (SIMOREH), which is a mechanism consisting of a computer tool and a network of institutional links between the three branches of government and decentralized bodies. SIMOREH was adopted in 2017 with the technical cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Paraguay.

With regard to the appointment of focal points, these are designated and made official by the heads of State secretariats and institutions by means of an official letter, in which both the principal focal point and the alternate focal point are designated.

Both focal points have a username and password to access the SIMOREH tool, where they upload the follow-up reports on the recommendations.

It is important to note that the appointed focal points are mid-level officials/civil servants of the institution, with duties and assignments specific to their positions, and the focal point work is an additional assignment to their job description. For this reason, focal points are appointed from different units or departments. In a few cases, these focal points belong to the human rights departments that operate in these institutions. In other cases, they are officials from public policy departments or work as technicians in their institution's planning units.

Secretariat

The DICCI has permanent staff under contract. Its structure includes a director, a coordinator, and technical staff with the title of human rights advisors. The DICCI Reporting Unit is directly responsible for coordinating, collecting, and analyzing information; drafting reports; organizing meetings; sending communications; preparing delegations, in accordance with the guidelines and mandates of both the United Nations universal system and the Inter-American human rights system.

Institutional memory

With regard to the functioning of the DICCI, all management personnel are hired under appointment agreements. In recent years, ministerial authorities have ensured the stability of staff and reduced turnover among personnel assigned to the Directorate. In terms of knowledge, it has extensive experience accumulated over years of service in the public administration in the area of report writing. In addition, its staff have been trained by the OHCHR and other cooperating agencies on various human rights issues, on the rights and provisions contained in conventions and treaties, on the functioning of treaty bodies and reporting cycles, as well as on the functioning of SIMOREH.

As for the mechanism to ensure the maintenance of the DICCI's knowledge and good practices, since 2024, the SEDH has been designing and developing process manuals for the directorates, including the DICCI, which are currently in the final review stage. Likewise, the DICCI has a SIMOREH user manual, which contains provisions regarding its efficient use and operation for both liaisons and administrators of the system, which is managed by the DICCI Monitoring Unit.

Methods of work

When requesting information, DICCI provides guidelines on how to fill in the requested information. Depending on the complexity of the report, the DICCI coordinates meetings with the relevant SIMOREH institutional focal points, based on the subject matter of the report, to explain the request, the content and quality of the information required, the deadlines for submission, and the importance of the report. These meetings also provide an opportunity to answer any questions or concerns the liaisons may have. The DICCI technicians responsible for preparing the report are always available to advise and support the SIMOREH liaisons. It should be noted that these focal points are trained in human rights, conventions and treaties, committees and special mechanisms, the reporting cycle, and the use of SIMOREH. In addition, they have been briefed on the recommendations made to Honduras and the contents of the reports that are shared with them after each presentation and prior to each hearing.

MANDATE

The mandate of the national mechanism includes:

• Reporting to UN Human Rights Mechanisms (UN Treaty bodies, Universal Periodic Review)
• Responding to individual complaints from UN Treaty bodies
• Responding to communications (letters of allegations, Urgent appeals, questionnaires) from UN Special Procedures and hosting visits of UN Special Procedures
• Reporting to Regional Human Rights Mechanisms
• Following up on recommendations from human rights mechanisms (Special Procedures, Treaty bodies, Universal Periodic Review)
• Providing human rights education and training

The institutions involved in preparing the reports, through the submission of information and statistical data, are:

1. National Congress
2. Judiciary
3. Secretaries of State
4. Attorney General's Office
5. Public Prosecutor's Office
6. Decentralized institutions such as institutes, commissions, programs, funds, and directorates.

Process for the preparation of state reports

The report preparation process carried out by the DICCI consists of six stages or steps:

• Review of the request: The request is analyzed to identify, according to the type of report requested (initial, periodic, follow-up, response to the list of issues), the guidelines to be followed for its preparation; to identify the competent institutions, according to the subject matter; to determine the period covered by the information reported and the information to be reported.
• Request for information: The DICCI reporting unit requests, through official letters, the information that responds to a list or matrix of questions prepared on the basis of the recommendations, the questions formulated by the mechanisms, or the provisions of the conventions, covenants, or treaties, individually to each institution, in accordance with its powers and competences. On some occasions, depending on the type of report being prepared, the DICCI convenes meetings with SIMOREH institutional liaisons to explain the request, the quality of the information requested, the deadlines, and the importance of the report being drafted.
• Compilation and systematization of the information received: The DICCI receives, analyzes, and compiles all the information received from the institutions consulted into matrices and verifies its relevance; If the information provided does not meet the requirements or is insufficient to draft a response, then further inquiries or follow-up questions are sent to the institutions. During this stage, DICCI technicians conduct research by searching the web, official publications, and other reports published by the institutions, as well as gathering internal information to supplement or expand on the responses provided.
• Drafting of the document: DICCI technicians draft the content of the report with the information collected, providing brief, concise, and accurate responses to requests regarding the progress or actions implemented by the various institutions in compliance with human rights provisions and recommendations. The document is structured into topics and subtopics for better development and, in accordance with the request, includes an introduction that briefly indicates the period and methodology of preparation. Once drafted and reviewed, it is forwarded to the institutional authorities for review.
• Review of the preliminary report: The document drafted by the DICCI technicians is reviewed by the institutional authorities of the SEDH. It is also shared with the authorities of the relevant government institutions so that they can review and validate the information contained therein, make their observations and corrections to the text, and provide input that may complement or clarify the information reported. The revised document is sent back to the DICCI so that the suggested changes can be incorporated and the document can be adapted to the guidelines issued by each committee for the presentation of such documents.
• Presentation of the Report: The SEDH sends the report document and its annexes to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that, through its missions, it can deliver or present it to the body that requested the report. The DICCI sends the documents and the report in both physical and digital format in an editable format.

To ensure that reports or responses to requests are submitted on time, the DICCI prepares its annual plan each year, which includes report requests, follow-ups, and support and visits as deliverables on a specific date of the year and with means of verification that are supervised by both the Secretariat of Strategic Planning through the Planning Unit and the Superior Court of Accounts.

COORDINATION

The DICCI organizes and holds meetings to respond to requests from treaty bodies within the framework of reporting cycles. The meetings are attended by focal points from the state institutions that make up SIMOREH, as well as representatives from civil society, depending on the topics to be discussed. The meetings are convened to address various issues, including:

• Coordinating the preparation of periodic reports and lists of issues
• Preparing the representatives of the delegations attending the hearings,
• Socialization and self-assignment of recommendations,
• Review and follow-up of recommendations,
• Preparing meetings to receive delegations visiting the country,
• Training on human rights issues, the provisions of conventions and treaties, and guidelines for preparing reports.

Generally, four to five meetings are held each year, either in person and/or virtually.

Linkages with the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals

The DICCI is not directly involved in implementing actions to comply with the 2030 Agenda SDGs. However, it contributes by responding to requests for information from the Secretariat for Strategic Planning, which is responsible at the national level for implementing the 2030 Agenda.

To this end, it provides information within the scope of its institutional competencies, which serves as input for the preparation of the voluntary national report on the SDGs. The information generated by DICCI is included in the response compiled by SEDH from its various departments regarding the institution's actions.

In cases where the SEDH is called upon to attend meetings held for the purpose of preparing the voluntary national report, the DICCI attends by delegation. However, the DICCI and SIMOREH have not held joint meetings with the national mechanism that reviews the implementation of the SDGs.

Channel of communication with the National Statistics Office

The DICCI does not have direct communication with the National Institute of Statistics (INE), however, there is an INE focal point accredited to SIMOREH, who is responsible for preparing follow-up reports in the system and providing the information requested for the preparation of reports.

This focal point has the same powers and functions as the other SIMOREH focal points and is called upon to present information, attend meetings, and/or follow up on recommendations when necessary for the preparation of a report on the topic or topics to be addressed.

Local and regional governments

Although efforts have been made to incorporate municipalities into SIMOREH, they are not yet fully represented in this mechanism.

Channel of communication with the Parliament

The National Congress is the parliamentary body in Honduras, and as in the case of the INE, there is a National Congress focal point accredited to SIMOREH, who is responsible for preparing follow-up reports in the system and providing the information requested for the preparation of reports, with the same powers and functions as the other SIMOREH focal points.

Channel of communication with the Judiciary

The Judiciary also has an accredited liaison officer with SIMOREH, who is responsible for preparing follow-up reports in the system and providing the information requested for the preparation of reports. This liaison officer also has the same powers and functions as the other SIMOREH liaison officers.

CONSULTATION

On occasion, the DICCI has coordinated meetings to hold consultations, socialization dialogues, or presentations of reports with representatives of civil society organizations. These meetings have been limited due to budgetary constraints.

With regard to the national human rights institution, which in Honduras is CONADEH, it is part of SIMOREH and has a focal point accredited to that mechanism. Similarly, the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture (MNP-CONAPREV) also has a focal point accredited to SIMOREH.

Both focal points are responsible for preparing follow-up reports in the system and providing the information requested for the preparation of reports.

ICCI uses matrices to collect information. These matrices are developed by DICCI technicians and tailored to each institution according to its competencies whenever a request for information is made. These matrices are developed based on the issues raised in the request, international recommendations, and the content of the provisions of conventions, covenants, or treaties.

The matrices are sent as attachments to the information request letters and in digital format to the SIMOREH institutional liaison emails.

In addition, follow-up on international recommendations is carried out through SIMOREH. The SIMOREH coordination team periodically requests follow-up from the institutional liaisons accredited to the system, who are responsible for preparing follow-up reports in the system, which are then published, and for providing the information requested in the matrices for the preparation of the reports.

Action Plans

The SEDH's Directorate of Public Policy and National Action Plan on Human Rights is the body responsible for promoting, formulating, monitoring, evaluating, and updating the implementation of public policy on human rights and the National Action Plan on Human Rights.

Since 2024, a new Public Policy and National Action Plan on Human Rights has been developed, aligned with the objectives and goals of the Government Plan to Refound Honduras 2022-2026. The new plan is currently in the approval phase.

Dirección de Investigación y Cumplimiento de Compromisos Internacionales (DICCI).

Email: dicci@sedh.gob.hn sedhdicci@gmail.com