Conceptual Approaches Related to Internal Displacement by Violence in Honduras

Abstract

This paper aims to present three concepts related to displacement by violence in Honduras between 2013 and 2023, as well as the debates and challenges involved in defining and addressing them: displacement by violence, prevention of displacement and humanitarian assistance to displaced persons. Through a literature review and critical analysis, it aims to provide a comprehensive view of the phenomenon and its implications in the Honduran context. The study adopts a qualitative and descriptive approach, covers a ten-year period and focuses on the collection and analysis of bibliographic and normative sources through academic databases and institutional libraries. In Honduras, the definition of internal displacement has a narrow rather than a broad approach, as its laws and programs provide an institutional response to internal displacement by violence. An analysis of the fundamental concepts of internal displacement by violence in Honduras is presented, where it is concluded that the fragmentation of the concept into different categories or similar phenomena affects the coordination of victim protection and can generate inequalities in assistance. The study underlines the need to promote adequate prevention and humanitarian assistance mechanisms, as well as the importance of public policies to mitigate the impact of violence and protect the displaced in any definition.