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Key Factors: Honduras is the third
poorest country in the region and one of
the least developed in the world, ranking
116th out of 173 countries in the 2002 UN
Human Development Index. People with
disabilities constitute one of the most
disadvantaged sectors of Honduran
society.1 Government officials are often
unaware of disability issues, but there is
a clear interest in human rights on the
part of some government officials and
NGO leaders.
There is general agreement in Honduras regarding the most appropriate
disability related terminology. "Personas con discapacidad", translated as "person
with disabilities" is the term of choice because it focuses on the person and
does not define him or her through disability. Other terms are occasionally used
but generally considered inadequate. These include terms like "discapacitado",
translated as "disabled"; "lisiado", translated as "crippled"; "limitado", translated
as "limited"; "minusválido", translated as "handicapped"; or "personas con
necesidades o retos especiales" translated as "person with special needs or
specially challenged" When quoting official documents within this report, the
original terms have been preserved and translated as noted here.
The recent document entitled the "Social Policies for Disability Prevention,
Comprehensive Care and Rehabilitation of Disabilities, and the Promotion and
Protection of the Rights and Duties of People with Disabilities" conforms to the
accepted terminology. The policies, which are still pending approval, define a
person with a disability as "any person suffering or that will suffer for more than 6
months from a physical or mental health condition that restricts their activities."2
1. United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report 2002: Deepening democracy in a fragmented world, (Oxford University Press, New York 2002).
2. Ministry of Health, "Social Policies For Disability Prevention, Comprehensive Care And Rehabilitation Of Disabilities, And The Promotion And Protection Of The Rights And Duties Of People With Disabilities," 4 May 2004.
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