Women In Honduras Research Articles

Moderate or major anxiety and depression versus high alcohol consumption in women in Honduras

<b>Introduction:</b> The role of women in society is diverse and fundamental.<b> </b><br /> <b>Objectives</b>: To determine whether anxiety and moderate or major depression were associated with high alcohol consumption in Honduran women.<br /> <b>Methods:</b> A cross-sectional and analytic study was conducted using the self-reporting questionnaire test as a screening tool for anxiety, depression, and alcohol consumption.<br /> <b>Results</b>: Moderate or greater anxiety was more frequent among those with high alcohol consumption (aPR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.09-2.04; p=0.013), was also frequent among those reporting violence at home (aPR: 1.63; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.36-1.94; p<0.001) and some history of mental pathology at home (aPR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.44-1.87; p<0.001). Moderate or major depression was more frequent among those reporting violence at home (aPR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.30-1.83; p<0.001) and having some history of mental pathology at home (aPR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.18-1.63; p<0.001).<br /> <b>Conclusions: </b>A significant association was observed between anxiety and high alcohol consumption in this population of women from Honduras.

Heavy drinking in men and women in Honduras: a secondary analysis of the Endesa 2019

Objective. To estimate the prevalence and factors related to heavy drinking in men and women from Honduras. Materials and methods. Data from the 2019 National Demographic and Health Survey were used, and multiple regression models were applied to determine associated factors. Results. 2.8% of men and 0.7% of women incurred in heavy drinking. In men, factors such as age, urban living, having children but not living with them, being people who smoke, and physical assault experiences were associated with a higher likelihood of heavy drinking. For women, higher education levels, urban living, previous marriage or cohabitation, wealth quintile, being people who smoke, and physical assault experiences were linked to a higher prevalence of heavy drinking. Conclusions. The findings provide insight into the issue of excessive alcohol consumption in Honduras and how various experiential, demographic, and health factors may influence its occurrence.

Path Analysis of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Early Marriage, Early Pregnancy, and Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence Among Young Women in Honduras.

The pathways by which adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with early marriage and early pregnancy are poorly understood. Early marriage and early pregnancy may be risk factors for adulthood intimate partner violence (IPV). The aim of this study was to assess the relationships among ACEs, early marriage, early pregnancy, and IPV among women in Honduras. We used weighted data from 1,436 women aged 18-24 years from the nationally representative 2017 Honduras Violence Against Children and Youth Survey. We used path analysis to estimate relationships and accounted for sample design, non-response, and within-country clustering. We found that ACEs had differential relationships with outcomes of interest. For example, witnessing violence in the community was directly associated with increased probability of early pregnancy (10 percentage points (PP); 95% CI: 0.04, 0.15) and IPV (6 PP; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.10), while emotional violence was not directly or indirectly associated with any outcome. Early marriage and early pregnancy had no direct or indirect effect on IPV, but the total effect of early marriage on IPV was significant. Understanding the relationship between ACEs, early marriage, early pregnancy, and IPV may help inform prevention efforts. For example, programs aiming to reduce early pregnancy may consider addressing sexual violence experienced in childhood.

Female Reproductive Autonomy in Honduras: An Interdisciplinary Analysis of Associated Factors in the Early 21st Century

The presence of female reproductive autonomy, or the ability for a woman to make a well-informed decision, independently or with limited input from partners, about the number, spacing and timing of her children is a key determinant of female empowerment and independence. Understanding the intensity of a woman's reproductive role, and the entrenched social, physical and mental implications that underlie it, is key to bringing about gender equity. This study utilizes Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) collected between 2005-2006 and 2011-2012 to draw attention to the factors associated with reproductive autonomy as they relate specifically to women in Honduras. Results from the longitudinal analysis, using logistic regression tests, reveal the predicted association between reproductive resources such as sexual education and contraceptives as well as social autonomy. Ultimately, higher rates of formal education are likely associated with key reproductive autonomy indicators such as desire for last birth, knowledge of the fertility period and independent decision-making around contraceptive use. Sexual health programs can coincide with increasing formal education resources. Implementing such programs in the later years of primary schools can facilitate an increase in sexual autonomy and health knowledge outcomes such as fertility knowledge.

Gender Empowerment in Agriculture Interventions: What Are We Still Missing? Evidence From a Randomized-Controlled Trial Among Coffee Producers in Honduras

Latin-American coffee production has largely relegated women to specific family labor tasks, such as berry picking or cooking. But recent years have seen an increasing number of interventions to empower women in the agricultural sector, including coffee. As a contribution to the growing literature on women's empowerment in agriculture, this article draws on a randomized-controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate a gender empowerment project among coffee producers in Honduras. Previous RCT evaluations of gender empowerment interventions have focused on average treatment effects and paid less attention to the diversity of responses in the sample. This article evaluates the effect of a project to empower women in Honduras' coffee sector but pays attention to how the intervention interacted with the amount of land owned by women to produce different outcomes. The intervention consisted of 12 workshops offered to families in 10 coffee-producing groups. The baseline and end-line surveys (2016–2018) included a sample of 88 families (41 intervention and 47 control, from 4 to 5 communities respectively). Results showed limited effects of the intervention on women's empowerment for the pooled sample, but it found heterogeneous positive effects for land-owning women. Women who owned land and received the treatment scored fewer points on a deprivation score, had input over more decisions related to the use of household income, and were more satisfied with their leisure time. For quantity of land owned, this article also found positive heterogeneous effects for the same variables, and additionally for confidence speaking in public. Results suggest that projects to empower women might benefit from a more nuanced approach to the heterogeneity within the target population.

Microcephaly Outcomes among Zika Virus-Infected Pregnant Women in Honduras.

The impact of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection on pregnancies shows regional variation emphasizing the importance of studies in different geographical areas. We conducted a prospective study in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, recruiting 668 pregnant women between July 20, 2016, and December 31, 2016. We performed Trioplex real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR (rRT-PCR) in 357 serum samples taken at the first prenatal visit. The presence of ZIKV was confirmed in seven pregnancies (7/357, 2.0%). Nine babies (1.6%) had microcephaly (head circumference more than two SDs below the mean), including two (0.3%) with severe microcephaly (head circumference [HC] more than three SDs below the mean). The mothers of both babies with severe microcephaly had evidence of ZIKV infection. A positive ZIKV Trioplex rRT-PCR was associated with a 33.3% (95% CI: 4.3-77.7%) risk of HC more than three SDs below the mean.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of seasonal influenza vaccination in postpartum women, Honduras.

BackgroundInfluenza during pregnancy may cause serious neonatal outcomes including stillbirth, fetal distress, preterm birth, congenital abnormalities, and stunted growth. Pregnant women are the highest priority group for seasonal influenza vaccination, but low coverage has been repeatedly reported in this population. Understanding reasons for and for not receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine is needed to design communication strategies to increase vaccination coverage. This study aimed to describe knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of seasonal influenza vaccination among women giving birth in public maternity hospitals in Honduras.MethodsFrom August 20–October 8, 2018, we conducted a cross-sectional KAP survey regarding seasonal influenza vaccinations to a sample of postpartum women who gave birth in maternity hospitals and clinics from the Ministry of Health of Honduras and Honduran Social Security Institute. We reported frequency distributions for demographics, KAP of influenza vaccine, and vaccination coverage. We used logistic regression to analyze unadjusted and adjusted associations between sociodemographic characteristics and influenza vaccination.ResultsWe surveyed 842 postpartum women in 17 healthcare facilities. Of 534 postpartum women with term pregnancy and verified vaccinations, 417 (78.1%; 95% CI: 74.6–81.6%) were vaccinated for influenza. Factors associated with verified influenza vaccination included receipt of vaccination recommendations by a healthcare worker during prenatal check-ups (aOR: 16.46; 95% CI: 9.73–27.85), concurrent chronic disease (aOR: 5.00; 95% CI: 1.25–20.07), and influenza vaccination of other children in the household (aOR: 2.28; 95% CI: 1.19–4.39). The most cited reasons for vaccination were perceived benefits for both mother and infant and easy access. Reasons for non-vaccination were: vaccine was not offered and fear of side effects, harm to the infant, and needles or pain caused by injection.ConclusionInfluenza vaccination was well received among postpartum women in Honduras. Increasing clinician recommendations for vaccination and assuring the vaccine is readily available to women during prenatal visits may increase vaccination rates.

Effects of a randomized biomass cookstove intervention on glycated hemoglobin among women in Honduras

AIM: Using a stepped-wedge randomized controlled trial, we evaluated impacts of the wood-burning Justa cookstove (engineered combustion chamber, chimney) on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) among rural Honduran women. METHODS: We enrolled 230 cooks who were not pregnant, non-smoking, aged 24-59 years, and using a traditional stove. There were 6 study visits per participant, separated by 6 months. Participants were randomized to receive the Justa after 2 visits (Arm 1) or after 4 visits (Arm 2). We measured personal and kitchen 24-hour gravimetric fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and finger-stick HbA1c at each visit. We used linear mixed models adjusted for time and other covariates in intent-to-treat (assigned stove) and exposure-response (estimates per 1-unit higher log-transformed PM2.5) analyses. Sensitivity analyses included: limiting to the first 4 visits to approximate a parallel-trial design and, given large within-person variability in PM2.5 across visits, using geometric mean PM2.5 by assigned stove status for each participant as the exposure-of-interest. RESULTS: Among 227 women with 1,208 observations, Justa stove use reduced median (25th, 75th percentiles) personal PM2.5 concentrations (traditional: 82 µg/m3 [50, 142]; Justa: 43 µg/m3 [27, 73]). Participants had non-significantly reduced HbA1c when using Justa compared to traditional stoves (-0.06%, 95% CI: -0.16, 0.04). No associations were observed between personal and kitchen PM2.5 and HbA1c (0.01%, 95% CI: -0.03, 0.04; 0.02%, 95% CI: -0.01, 0.05; respectively). In sensitivity analyses limited to visits 1-4, a reduction in HbA1c was observed for Justa use compared to traditional stove use (-0.10%, 95% CI: -0.18, -0.01). Geometric mean personal and kitchen PM2.5 exposures were associated with HbA1c (0.03%, 95% CI: -0.03, 0.09; 0.04%, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.08, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The Justa intervention reduced PM2.5 concentrations, but wide confidence intervals limit interpretations of HbA1c changes in primary analyses. Potentially relevant benefits were observed in sensitivity analyses and will be explored further.

Health Outcomes at 1 Year After Thermal Ablation for Cervical Precancer Among Human Papillomavirus- and Visual Inspection With Acetic Acid-Positive Women in Honduras.

PURPOSEThis study aims to assess the detection of cervical intraepithelial lesions grades 2 and 3 (CIN2-3) at 1 year after treatment with thermal ablation among human papillomavirus (HPV)–positive and visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA)–positive women.METHODSAll women screened and triaged for cervical cancer at four government health facilities in Honduras who were eligible for ablative treatment were enrolled and treated with thermal ablation. Women with confirmed CIN2-3 and a subset of women with CIN1/normal diagnoses at baseline were evaluated at 12 months. Follow-up procedures included HPV testing (careHPV), VIA, directed biopsy (if VIA-positive), and Papanicolaou test (if HPV positive, VIA negative). Outcomes at 1 year included histologic or cytologic assessment of CIN lesions among those with any abnormal test.RESULTSAmong the 319 women treated with thermal ablation, baseline histologic diagnoses were available for 317. Two (0.6%) had invasive cancer, 36 (11.4%) had CIN3, 40 (12.6%) had CIN2, and 239 (75.4%) had CIN1/normal histology. Among the 127 women eligible for follow-up, 118 (92.9%) completed all study procedures at 1 year. Overall, 98 (83.1%) had no evidence of CIN2-3 or persistent low-grade infection, 13 (11.2%) had CIN1/atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, six (5.1%) had CIN2/high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, and 1 (0.8%) had a persistent CIN3. No adverse events associated with thermal ablation at 1 year were registered.CONCLUSIONA high proportion of women had no evidence of CIN2-3 at 1 year after thermal ablation treatment. Thermal ablation is an alternative to cryotherapy that may facilitate greater treatment coverage and prevent unnecessary deaths from cervical cancer.

Complicating notions of violence: An embodied view of violence against women in Honduras

Feminist geographic analysis has demonstrated that violence inflicted on women is embodied, experienced and personal and at the same time, linked to global socio-political and economic processes and patriarchal norms. Consequently, violence is a complex system instead of a norm located in certain places. In heavily militarised societies, patriarchal power regimes are even more prevalent because states’ security strategies promote a masculinist understanding of protection as to who should be protected and by whom – and from what. This study draws on feminist geopolitical analysis and explores how feminist activists in Honduras experience and resist violence in their everyday lives. The research is grounded in interviews, focus-group discussions and participant observation with Honduran activists. The findings demonstrate that violence and its effects are first embedded in women’s everyday lives through feelings of fear and unsafety on the streets, at the workplace and at home. Second, violence operates through structures and institutions such as the military and police, impunity for violence against women and the juridical restriction of reproductive rights. Third, the internationally financed war on drugs and ‘development’ projects contribute to violence, thus, there is a link between intimate experiences of violence and global economic and military powers that sustain violence. Activists therefore argue that, for their needs, the state’s and international organisations’ security approaches are inadequate. The paper weaves together feminist visions of collective self-care and discusses activists’ strategies against violence. This study contributes to a growing feminist geographic scholarship linking women’s bodily experiences with violence and responds to calls for complicating notions of violence.

From Caravans to the Courts: A Practical Guide to Matter of A-B-’s Implication for Transgender Women of the Northern Triangle

On June 11, 2018, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions overruled the 2014 precedent decision, Matter of A-R-C-G-, which had opened the door to asylum claims based on domestic violence as a product of deeply entrenched patriarchal norms. In Matter of A-B-, Session's held that “[g]enerally, claims by aliens pertaining to domestic violence or gang violence perpetrated by non-governmental actors will not qualify for asylum.” This decision may affect transgender cases in a less obvious manner than women fleeing gender-based violence, such that advocates may not directly defend against A-B- as thoroughly. This paper is a practical guide for attorneys representing transgender asylum seekers from the Northern Triangle after Matter of A-B-. In order to understand and address the new obstacles facing transgender women seeking safety in the U.S., I first examine the history of transgender asylum claims in the U.S. and the systemic violence facing transgender women in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. In the second section of this paper, I qualify the legal hurdles that this decision introduced while presenting the alternative arguments available for overcoming A-B-‘s heightened standard.

Household Air Pollution and Glycated Hemoglobin among Women in Honduras: Baseline Data from Two Seasons

OBJECTIVE: Growing evidence suggests a link between air pollution and cardiometabolic diseases, such as diabetes, yet most data come from ambient air pollution studies. We evaluated the exposure-response associations between household air pollution from traditional, wood-burning cookstoves and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), an estimate of average blood glucose concentration over the past 3 months, among women in rural Honduras. METHODS: We assessed two time points at baseline (rainy and dry seasons) from an ongoing randomized trial among 231 women, for a total of 462 observations. Exposure to household air pollution included 24-hour gravimetric personal and kitchen fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations. HbA1c was measured with the A1cNow+ kit. We used mixed-effects regression models adjusting for known risk factors, including age, household material wealth, physical activity, body mass index, and daily consumption of cereals (corn, grains, rice, and chip products), as well as season. RESULTS: Median 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations were 83 (25th percentile: 51; 75th percentile: 141) µg/m3 and 197 (25th percentile: 81; 75th percentile: 473) µg/m3 for personal and kitchen measurements, respectively. Mean HbA1c estimates were the same for both seasons at 5.5% (Phase 1 standard deviation: 0.6, Phase 2 standard deviation: 0.7). After adjusting for relevant confounders, results were consistent with a null association. Season did not impact the effect estimates. CONCLUSIONS: While exposure to household air pollution has known detrimental health effects, our baseline cross-sectional results did not suggest an association with HbA1c; these results are inconsistent with limited evidence from ambient air pollution. The ongoing trial will evaluate household air pollution and cardiometabolic disease following a cleaner-burning cookstove intervention among the study population.

Uptake of HIV testing during antenatal care in Honduras.

In order to interrupt vertical transmission of HIV, the WHO recommends universal HIV testing during antenatal care (ANC), a policy that has been adopted by the Ministry of Health in Honduras. We examined HIV counseling and testing practices during ANC in the Honduras Demographic and Health Survey to understand compliance with this established standard of care. Among currently married women with a child aged five years or younger who attended ANC, only 66% recalled being offered HIV testing during ANC, yet 95% of those got tested. Older, less literate women who lived in a rural area, a small household, or had an older husband were significantly less likely to recall being offered HIV testing. These findings highlight necessary revisions to ANC protocols to ensure that all women in Honduras get HIV testing to interrupt mother-to-child transmission.

Zika virus infection in pregnant women in Honduras: study protocol.

BackgroundAlthough there is increasing evidence for a relationship between symptomatic Zika virus (ZIKV) maternal infection, and microcephaly, a firm causal relation has yet to be established by epidemiologic studies. Studies also need to be conducted in recently infected settings. Our objectives are to assess the frequency of ZIKV infection during pregnancy in Honduras and the association of microcephaly with ZIKV infection.Methods/DesignWe will perform a prospective study enrolling pregnant women at their first antenatal visit and following them up until delivery. At the time of enrollment, women will be interviewed to collect socio-demographic data, data needed to locate them for potential additional follow-up, and data about ZIKV symptoms during pregnancy. We will also collect maternal blood as soon as possible after enrollment. A probable maternal ZIKV infection will be defined as positive for maternal ZIKV IgM. A confirmed maternal ZIKV infection will be defined as positive for ZIKV IgM confirmed by plaque reduction neutralization test. Microcephaly at birth will be defined as an occipito-frontal circumference <2SD for sex and gestational age. Our objective is to enroll 2000 pregnant women. In a first step, we will follow a case cohort design and only analyze blood samples for cases and a sub-cohort of 200 women randomly selected. Blood samples for the entire population will be analyzed at a later stage if funds are available.DiscussionThis protocol was designed to be implemented with minimal resources. It allows a cohort to be built, which could be a foundation for future in-depth and follow-up studies.

Migration, Multiple Sexual Partnerships, and Sexual Concurrency in the Garífuna Population of Honduras.

The Garífuna, an ethnic minority group in Honduras, have been disproportionately affected by HIV. Previous research suggests that migration and high rates of multiple sexual partnerships are major drivers of the epidemic. Using data from a 2012 population-based survey, we assessed whether temporary migration was associated with (1) multiple sexual partnerships and (2) sexual concurrency among Garífuna men and women in Honduras. Among both men and women, temporary migration in the last year was associated with an increased likelihood of multiple sexual partnerships and with concurrency, though only the association between migration and multiple sexual partnerships among men was statistically significant (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio 1.7, 95 % CI 1.2-2.4). Migration may contribute to HIV/STI vulnerability among Garífuna men and women via increases in these sexual risk behaviors. Research conducted among men and women at elevated risk of HIV should continue to incorporate measures of mobility, including history of internal migration.

Congenital transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in Argentina, Honduras, and Mexico: study protocol

BackgroundTrypanosoma cruzi has been divided into Discrete Typing Units I and non-I (II-VI). T. cruzi I is predominant in Mexico and Central America, while non-I is predominant in most of South America, including Argentina. Little is known about congenital transmission of T. cruzi I. The specific aim of this study is to determine the rate of congenital transmission of T. cruzi I compared to non-I.Methods/designWe are conducting a prospective study to enroll at delivery, 10,000 women in Argentina, 7,500 women in Honduras, and 13,000 women in Mexico. We are measuring transmitted maternal T. cruzi antibodies by performing two rapid tests in cord blood (Stat-Pak, Chembio, Medford, New York, and Trypanosoma Detect, InBios, Seattle, Washington). If at least one of the results is positive, we are identifying infants who are congenitally infected by performing parasitological examinations on cord blood and at 4–8 weeks, and serological follow-up at 10 months. Serological confirmation by ELISA (Wiener, Rosario, Argentina) is performed in cord and maternal blood, and at 10 months. We also are performing T. cruzi standard PCR, real-time quantitative PCR and genotyping on maternal venous blood and on cord blood, and serological examinations on siblings. Data are managed by a Data Center in Montevideo, Uruguay. Data are entered online at the sites in an OpenClinica data management system, and digital pictures of data forms are sent to the Data Center for quality control. Weekly reports allow for rapid feedback to the sites.Trial registrationObservational study with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01787968

‘We do the impossible’: women overcoming barriers to cervical cancer screening in rural Honduras – a positive deviance analysis

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for women in Honduras, and sexual behaviour and low screening uptake are two major factors contributing to high rates of morbidity and mortality. A qualitative study was conducted to investigate barriers that prevent rural Honduran women from engaging in screening and ways that women overcome those barriers. This study examined examples of positive deviance, or individuals engaging in the uncommon but beneficial practise of screening. Amor por sí misma (self-love), and social support were identified as two constructs women employed to overcome barriers to screening. Participants defined self-love as the act of displaying care and concern for oneself and one's health and suggested that it compels women to participate in screening. Social support was defined as receiving tangible aid and advice from others that facilitated women's screening participation. Findings suggest that the concept of self-love could be used in future screening promotion efforts and that integrating social support would also be beneficial. Engaging men in sexual and reproductive health programming is suggested in order to ensure male partners offer social support for screening and to challenge the cultural, gender and sexual norms that place women at higher risk for cervical cancer.

Exports, Gender Wage Gaps, and Poverty in Honduras

This paper identifies and estimates the reduction in poverty attributable to the improved opportunities that international trade integration offered to women in Honduras. The expansion of the export-oriented maquila sector has brought gender equality both in terms of employment and labour earnings. A simulation exercise shows that, at a given point in time, poverty in Honduras would have been 1.5 percentage points higher had the maquila sector not existed. Of this increase in poverty, 0.35 percentage points is attributable to the wage premium paid to maquila workers, 0.1 percentage points to the wage premium received by women in the maquila sector, and 1 percentage point to employment creation.

Unsafe Sexual Behaviors Among HIV-Positive Men and Women in Honduras: The Role of Discrimination, Condom Access, and Gender

We conducted a study among HIV-positive men and women in Honduras to describe demographics, HIV risk behaviors and sexually transmitted infection prevalence, and identify correlates of unsafe sex. Participants were recruited from HIV clinics and nongovernmental organizations in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, Honduras in a cross-sectional study in 2006. We used audio-assisted computer interviews on demographics; behaviors in the past 12 months, 6 months, and 30 days; and access to care. Assays performed included herpes (HSV-2 Herpes Select), syphilis (rapid plasma reagin [RPR] and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination assay [TPPA]) serology, and other sexually transmitted infections by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess variables associated with unprotected sex across all partner types in the past 12 months. Of 810 participants, 400 were from Tegucigalpa and 410 from San Pedro Sula; 367 (45%) were men. Mean age was 37 years (interquartile range: 31-43). Consistent condom use for men and women was below 60% for all partner types. In multivariate analysis, unprotected sex was more likely among women (odds ratio [OR]: 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-3.1, P = 0.007), those with HIV diagnoses within the past year (OR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1-3.7, P = 0.016), those reporting difficulty accessing condoms (OR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.4-4.7, P = 0.003), and those reporting discrimination (OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1-3.0, P = 0.016). Programs targeting HIV-positive patients need to address gender-based disparities, improve condom access and use, and help establish a protective legal and policy environment free of stigma and discrimination.

Poverty reduction, political violence and women's rights in Honduras

This article draws on the work of the project ‘Challenging violence against women; identifying the links between poverty reduction and promoting women's rights’. Using first-hand data and the experiences of women in the project, the article aims to offer an analysis of the influence of progressive social protection policies for women in Honduras during the period in which the project was active. In June 2009, just as vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, especially women, started to enjoy the benefits of these policies, a military coup took place. The article explores how new policies were introduced after a military coup ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya in June 2009. The new de facto government1 reversed these and other pro-women policies, prioritizing instead the promotion of foreign enterprise, the extraction of natural resources and the strengthening of free trade markets as tools for poverty eradication. The article ends, however, on an optimistic note by highlighting how, out of political and economic crisis, grassroots women have achieved a new sense of self and confidence in their ability to make change happen.