The history of human rights in Nicaragua is mostly one of mass graves, paralleling its legacy of conquest (16th and 17th centuries), colonialism (18th and 19th centuries), tyrannical governments (19th century), dictatorships, and civil war (mid- to late 20th century). After the 1990 elections and peace accords, the government started to dismantle landmines, and a voluntary disarmament process began as thousands of soldiers and guerrillas turned in their guns. "By 1993, the 80,000-strong Sandinista Peoples' Army (EPS) was reduced to 15,000, and by 1997 was further reduced to 12,000" (Shelton, et. al., 2001).

It is of no surprise that current human rights abuses stem largely from the aftermath of war. With no employable skills, no jobs, and no land for returning soldiers, desperation took hold resulting in a myriad of symptoms—from drug trafficking to unending domestic violence. Researchers from a case study of demilitarization in Nicaragua point out,

"…Over 60% of the former soldiers were under the age of 25 and had been fighting for an average of five to ten years. They clearly had not learned any other skills, other than those required for combat… [Another] core problem with reintegration was the land issue. Land has been historically disputed in Nicaragua and remained unresolved after demilitarization. Many demilitarized soldiers were promised land that they never received and, at the same time, citizens who had not participated in the conflict felt that the soldiers were being overcompensated at their expense. Another serious problem in land resettlement in rural areas was the presence of landmines. Over 100,000 landmines were planted in Nicaragua and are still disabling many people today. Without a record of where the mines were planted, it is difficult for the government to provide safe new land" (Shelton, et. al., 2001).

The most serious and prevalent human rights issues today concern severe intra-familial violence, sweatshop and child labor, and discrimination against indigenous peoples, mainly regarding land rights.

Intra-Familial Violence

Violence against women remains a daily, and potentially deadly, problem. The National Police reported that 77 women had been murdered during 2003 and the first quarter of 2004, and 164 complaints of domestic violence were received in one police district alone. In July, the Minister of Health stated that 95 percent of rapes in Nicaragua take place within the home. From 2006 alone, according to press reports, 25 women and girls were killed between January and August as a result of intra-familial or sexual violence" (Amnesty International).

Labor

In Nicaragua, 12 Free Trade Zones (FTZs) employ nearly 45,000 people, mostly making clothing. Of the 50 companies operating in these zones, almost all are U.S., Taiwanese, or Korean companies. Since Haiti is the only country in the hemisphere with cheaper labor than Nicaragua, multinational corporations make use of the cheap labor in debatable conditions. Controversy surrounds the immense profits driven by these FTZs and the wages paid to workers who endure long shifts and have little control over their work environment.

In 1999, the nonprofit María Elena Cuadra (MEC) Women's Movement conducted a study of the demographics and working conditions in Nicaragua's FTZs. The study found that 80 percent of all FTZ workers are women, of whom 85 percent are under 26 years old and 70 percent are single mothers. These mothers have a family average of four children. The workers reported grueling hours (frequently 12 hours or more a day), no health insurance, virtually no childcare, few environmental or health precautions (e.g. providing masks), and a 50 percent incidence of physical or verbal abuse by supervisors, together with 31 percent incidence of sexual abuse.

As an alternative, the Nueva Vida worker-owned clothing cooperative in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua is a great example of best practices. Heralded as the first "worker-owned free trade zone," the co-op—composed mainly of women—promotes capacity building, financial transparency and accountability, gender equity, fair trade, and fair working conditions.

Indigenous Rights

Birgitte Fiering of the Minority Rights Group summed up the situation between indigenous people's rights and government takeover of land:

"Nicaragua's constitution recognizes the multi-ethnicity of the country, composed of Garifunas, Mayangnas (Sumos), Mestizos, Miskitos and Ramas … There is an inherent contradiction in Nicaraguan legislation, which on the one hand recognizes the land rights of the communities, and on the other stipulates that natural resources belong to the state, which can exploit these resources whenever it is in 'the national interest.' Further, the law favors private companies. The Forest Law, for example, states that indigenous people cannot make use of forest resources without a management plan elaborated by an expert (for which they have no resources)."

Both the regional Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the national Centro Nicaragüense de Derechos Humanos (CENIDH) have intervened to address these issues. For example, "In June 2005 the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of the indigenous group Yabti Tasba Masraka Nanih Asla Takanka (YATAMA) on the grounds that their right to judicial guarantees had been violated, leading to their exclusion from participating in the 2,000 municipal elections" (Amnesty International, 2006). Aggregating institutional and grassroots resources to ensure rights is desperately needed to preserve indigenous culture.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) People's Rights

In 1991, Nicaragua passed "Article 204," an anti-sodomy law that made Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) relationships a criminal offense. The LGBT community was reportedly prevented from filing complaints and subjected to arbitrary detention and abuse of authority by police officers. On an encouraging note, the second annual Festival Cultural Nicaragüense por "La Diversidad Sexual y Los Derechos Humanos" (Nicaraguan Cultural Festival for Sexual Diversity and Human Rights) took place from June 22-28, 2006 in several Nicaraguan cities. This grassroots movement exhibits a powerful force motivated by the people to transform laws and narrow cultural views.

FSD supports community-driven human rights efforts in each of the areas described above. By working on projects that local communities determined to be critical, interns and volunteers learn about human rights issues from the perspective of those who are affected. Solutions are applied that legally address rights violations and educate vulnerable populations toward direct action and empowerment.

Read more about Human Rights programs and opportunities initiated by our Community Partners in Nicaragua.

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