Population figures
Total country population
10,759,406
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
190
Asylum-seekers:
133
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
247,090
Other people in need of international protection:
0
Other
Statelessness persons
0
Host community
0
Others of concern to UNHCR
155,283
Country context
Honduras, located in Central America, is a country characterized by a diverse and multi-ethnic population. It is significantly impacted by internal displacement due to violence and human rights violations, including social and territorial control by criminal groups, extortion, land and property dispossession and destruction, forced recruitment, violence against women and vulnerable populations, and extreme weather events. The population of internally displaced persons (IDPs) faces a variety of challenges, particularly in the areas of housing, land, and property, access to protection services and restitution of rights. The ongoing violence, compounded by extreme weather events such as floods and droughts, continues to contribute to increased displacement. Vulnerable groups, including women, children, and indigenous peoples, and afrohonduran communities, peasants, and social and land defender leaders, are particularly affected by these risks, especially in areas under the control of criminal groups. This scenario expected to lead to further internal displacement in the coming decades, with projections indicating that a considerable number of people will be displaced due to environmental factors.
The Law for the Prevention, Care and Protection of Internally Displaced Persons came into effect in April 2023. This law aims to strengthen the national response and protection for IDPs, through efforts to prevent forced displacement, while enhancing housing and property protection, child protection, and livelihood opportunities. This is the first legal framework adopted by the Honduran State to offer a comprehensive response to internal displacement caused by generalized violence in a context of organized crime.
...Returned Hondurans continue to arrive at the Centres for Returned Migrants, including returnees with protection needs, specifically those individuals who face immediate threats to their safety, dignity, and well-being. There is opportunity to further strengthen support for returned Hondurans in the reintegration process, as well as to enhance the capacity of host communities.
Honduras also faces challenges related to the protection of asylum-seekers and refugees. While the country has made progress in improving the reception of asylum applicants, including the establishment of a comprehensive assistance center on the border with Nicaragua in Danlí in 2023, there are still limitations in the asylum system. The Refugee Status Determination (RSD) process is largely centralized in the capital, and there are significant gaps in reception capacities and the mechanisms for identifying and assisting asylum-seekers. In 2025, an increase of asylum applications has been registered by the National Migration Institute (INM) compared with the same period in 2024, in particular in Tegucigalpa, Choluteca, Danlí and San Pedro Sula. There are opportunities to bolster integration of refugees and asylum-seekers through dedicated support for livelihoods, facilitating access to documentation, and through inclusion in national and local social protection programmes.
The country also experiences mixed movement flows, with people entering the country. Compared to the same period in 2024, the number of people entering Honduras and heading northbound significantly decreased and those travelling southbound continues to increase. These individuals often encounter risks from traffickers and criminal groups during their journey, suffer violence along the route, have no financial resources and are in dire need of humanitarian assistance and protection services.
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