A/HRC/42/18 55. Nevertheless, the persistent sociopolitical crisis has had an adverse impact on the enjoyment of economic and social rights. After a growth rate of more than 4.5 per cent in 2016 and 2017, Nicaragua’s economy experienced a 3.8 per cent contraction in 2018 which, according to the World Bank, is expected to worsen in 2019.60 Hotels, restaurants and retail business, where women are predominantly employed, have been among the most affected sectors. 56. According to the National Institute for Social Security, from March 2018 to February 2019, more than 140,000 formal jobs were lost, which account for 15.7 per cent of the total number of jobs. According to a civil society organization, 66 per cent of the affected people were men and 44 per cent were women. As of April 2019, annual inflation had reached 3.1 per cent and the Ministry of Finance indicated that prices of basic consumer goods had increased by 2 per cent on average, while the price of water and power utilities had increased by 8.9 and 3.7 per cent respectively. 61 All these factors led to decreasing the purchasing power of households. 57. On 28 February 2019, in an attempt to compensate for these harmful effects, the National Assembly adopted, by a large majority, a tax reform – an amendment to Law 822 – to increase tax revenues in 2019.62 On 1 February 2019, Presidential Decree No. 06-19 came into effect, introducing reforms to the Social Security Law Regulations that increased employers’ contributions to social security and reduced future retirement pensions. According to the business sector, both reforms may lead to a further deterioration of “the national economy and the well-being of the Nicaraguan people”.63 58. In this context, welfare programmes, including health and education services, may be affected and progress achieved could be reversed, particularly among people in situation of vulnerability, especially those living in rural areas, including women and girls, persons of African descent and indigenous peoples. 59. In addition, despite the adoption of an advanced legal framework that allowed the State to recognize more than 37,842 km2 of collective land tenure (A/HRC/42/G/2, para. 54), indigenous peoples and persons of African descent continued to be limited in the use of their land and territories due to the presence of settlers. X. Conclusions 60. OHCHR, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Interdisciplinary Group of Experts have documented gross human rights violations committed since mid-April 2018 in the context of the protests. Yet, State authorities have so far denied any responsibility and have instead blamed social and opposition leaders, human rights defenders and demonstrators for what they call the “couprelated violence” and the negative impact on the country’s economy. With the exception of one sentence, the investigations and prosecutions carried out at the time of writing had targeted only individuals who participated in protests, provided support to those protesting or were critical of the Government. OHCHR is not aware of any other investigation into allegations of violations and abuses committed by police or pro-Government elements in the context of the protests. This situation reflects a lack of will to ensure accountability and entrenches impunity for human rights violations, denying victims’ rights to justice, truth, reparation and guarantees of nonrecurrence. It also further erodes public trust in State institutions. 61. Institutional and legislative measures adopted with the stated purpose of reconciliation and guaranteeing reparation for all victims of the sociopolitical crisis 60 61 62 63 See www.worldbank.org/en/country/nicaragua/overview. Communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to the OHCHR questionnaire, p. 40. Statement by the Government of Nicaragua published on 28 January 2019 in the newspaper El 19 Digital. The tax increases were said to be necessary to compensate for serious damage to the Nicaraguan economy caused by “coup mongers”. FUNIDES, Informe de Coyuntura, p. 12. 13