Honduras - Child Abduction

 

HONDURAS 

The United States continues to view Honduras as noncompliant due to its ongoing failure to carry out its obligations under the Hague Convention.  Honduras lacks a functioning Central Authority; although IHNFA, the Honduran Agency for Children and Families, is the government agency designated as the Honduran Central Authority, it has not set up an office nor appointed any staff to handle Hague Abduction Convention issues.  No progress has been made in any abduction cases forwarded from the U.S. Central Authority.  Although the Hague Convention has been in effect between the United States and Honduras since 1994, the Honduran Government refused to accept Hague Convention cases for ten years because the Honduran Congress had not ratified the Convention.  In early 2004, the Honduran Congress ratified the Hague Convention, thus resolving this longstanding deficiency.

Over the past year, the Department of State has seen no improvements in the Government of Honduras’ implementation of the Hague Abduction Convention.  The Honduran Central Authority remains dysfunctional.  A small office was designated to handle Hague matters for a brief period, but this office was soon disbanded.  There are no judicial training or education programs to prepare judges who hear Hague cases.  Even though the Convention has been ratified, Hague applications still are not being forwarded to the courts. 

U.S. Embassy officials continue to press the Honduran Government to establish a functioning Central Authority and to process outstanding cases expeditiously.  It appears that the government agency responsible for carrying out Central Authority functions is undergoing a reorganization and is looking into establishing new procedures for handling Hague cases.  We support any efforts the Government of Honduras makes that will bring it into compliance with the Hague Convention.