Democracy

USAID’s democracy and governance strategic objective in Honduras is:  “Ruling Justly: More Responsive, Transparent Governance”. The Democracy and Governance Office supports Honduran initiatives in governance, transparency and accountability. 

USAID is working to strengthen the transparency, accountability, and responsiveness of local governments; increase civil society participation in the oversight of public funds and local decision-making; support free and fair elections; and promote civic education among Honduran youth. USAID promotes democracy and governance in Honduras primarily through decentralization (the transfer of responsibility and resources from the central government to the local governments) to increase participation in local decision making. 

The role of Honduran civil society in advocating improved democracy and governance is still evolving at the same time that voter absenteeism is increasing. USAID works with civil society organizations, leaders, and watchdog organizations to promote reforms and oversee the use of public resources. USAID is also working with local partners to promote civic education in schools. For more information click here: Civil Society Participation.

Honduras’s public institutions are centralized and have serious corruption and efficacy problems. The provision of services is poor, leaving many citizens without access to basic services. In addition, the central and local governments do not practice open disclosure of public information. To address these issues, USAID is helping local governments become more responsive and accountable to citizens. For more information click here: Good Governance.

In the past, Hondurans selected public officials based on political party affiliation rather than issues-based platforms. Recent reforms to the system by which Honduran public officials are elected, including direct voting, require assistance in elections administration, strengthened civil society monitoring, and increased voter education. USAID provides technical assistance to the Supreme Elections Tribunal and supports civil society monitoring of the electoral process. For more information click here: Elections.