March 10, 2023. On International Women’s Day on Wednesday, March 8th, Xiomara Castro, the President of Honduras, approved the removal of the prohibition of Emergency Contraception, which was in place for nearly 14 years. This means that emergency contraception will now be available for all women, in all cases, not just for survivors of sexual violence. Additionally, the National Congress in Honduras passed the Comprehensive Sexual Education Law, with details on their approach under this law to be shared at a later date.
As a longstanding partner and ally to the feminist movement in Honduras, the Seattle International Foundation (SIF) welcomes the decision of President Castro to remove the ban on emergency contraception and of the National Congress to pass the Comprehensive Sexual Education Law. Both represent significant victories to the feminist movement, who have tirelessly advocated for many years to advance these issues, and also a step forward in guaranteeing the protection, health and rights of hundreds of thousands of Honduran girls and women.