Outcome ECU_O_3

Business transformation: aimed at promoting the transformation of the organization and its business model to generate impact at scale, rooted in a culture of continuous improvement.

In 2025, UN Women Ecuador mobilized USD 1,309,741.03 from multiple donors, sustaining programmatic delivery despite not reaching the USD 1.8 million growth target for small offices. Resources were secured from diversified sources, including AECID (USD 237,600), COSUDE (USD 287,417.21), Ecuador Safe Cities SPS (USD 154,703.25), FIEDS (USD 242,842.57), and the European Union (USD 387,178), reinforcing key gender equality priorities. Notwithstanding this classification, the office meets several indicative criteria of a medium-sized office, including operating in a highly complex global and national political context in 2025 and achieving strong strategic positioning within the United Nations System. Notably, the integration of a gender perspective across the Cooperation Framework and the increased allocation of system-wide resources contributed to enhanced and more impactful results for gender equality. Resource mobilization prospects for 2026 are positive, with USD 660,988.91 already projected from COSUDE, Safe Cities, FIEDS, and the regional care project. In parallel, the Country Office advanced a diversified pipeline of funding proposals to donors such as the Oak Foundation, ECHO–EU, FIEDS, and AECID, while strengthening engagement with both traditional and non-traditional partners. Advocacy efforts with U.S. Government counterparts and the Spotlight Initiative Secretariat continued to unlock the use of USAID funds allocated in 2025 for the implementation of Spotlight Initiative Phase II. High delivery performance underpinned these efforts, with UN Women Ecuador achieving a 96% implementation rate for core resources and 90% for non-core resources, ensuring efficient use of funds and sustained results for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Business transformation: aimed at promoting the transformation of the organization and its business model to generate impact at scale, rooted in a culture of continuous improvement.

In 2023, the UN Women Office in Ecuador started the implementation of its Strategic Note 2023 - 2026 with a micro-planning exercise that takes up the tools provided by the regional office in the workshop on design and implementation of programs and projects. As a result of the micro-planning, each outcome area has a work plan that identifies the milestones for the year and served to monitor the execution of the portfolio during the year at the technical level. The UN Women Ecuador Office, on the other hand, raised US$2.6 million through partnerships with Ecuador's Ministry of Women's Affairs, the Municipality of Quito, the European Union, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the French Embassy in Ecuador, in accordance with its resource mobilization strategy. The Spotlight Initiative's Phase II funding and increased resource mobilization from national sources are significant. The Italian-Ecuadorian Fund for Sustainable Development and USAID have progressed negotiations for the second phase of the Spotlight initiative. These agreements are expected to be signed during the first quarter of 2024.It should be noted that in Ecuador, the political situation normally takes up a lot of space in the media. Approaches were also initiated with the Embassies of the United States, United Kingdom and Canada for their technical and financial support in the implementation of the Action Plan on Resolution 1325 that Ecuador will present in early 2024. Within this framework, UN Women and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented to these countries the progress made in the construction of the Action Plan and requested to share their experiences in the design and implementation of Action Plans in the area of gender equality. In the knowledge management, a total of 40 publications were produced, including documents, briefings, policy papers, infographics, and others on economic inclusion, safe city diagnostics in various cities, studies on women's political participation, information for the peace and security agenda, etc.

Business transformation: aimed at promoting the transformation of the organization and its business model to generate impact at scale, rooted in a culture of continuous improvement.

In 2024, UN Women Ecuador made significant strides in its business transformation, focusing on optimizing internal operations and advancing its impact at scale. Key administrative and programmatic adjustments were implemented, such as the introduction of a new SSA policy that streamlined processes for managing consultancies and contracts. This change facilitated the reorganization of the team’s tasks, strengthening the support provided by program assistants and ensuring smooth operations across all areas. Additionally, the effective management of requests from general services staff and program assistants ensured continuity in operations without setbacks. In resource mobilization, despite not reaching the USD 1,800,000 target for 2024 due to the economic, political, and insecurity challenges that impacted donor confidence, significant progress was made. The office secured USD 1,000,000 from the European Union for the second phase of the Spotlight Initiative, making Ecuador the first country to secure this continuity, with the funds distributed across three agencies. New partnerships were solidified, such as with USAID, which contributed USD 1,000,000, and the Italo-Ecuadorian Fund (FIAE), with which an agreement was signed for USD 750,000 following a complex negotiation process. An agreement was also established with the Ministry of Women for USD 1,000,000 for projects currently in implementation. Additionally, the office mobilized over USD 1,000,000 through strengthened cooperation with the Municipality of Quito for innovative projects between 2023 and 2024. Efforts were also made with international organizations such as CAF and the IDB to explore financing for key areas, including “Women and Water” and security projects in Ecuador. Negotiations were advanced to mobilize additional resources or extend the current phases of the PBF project, including a strategic study on women and organized crime. Furthermore, the second phase of the care project received funding from the regional AECID program, consolidating strategic initiatives aligned with gender equality priorities. Looking ahead to 2025, the office remains committed to a proactive approach to resource mobilization, which includes hiring a specialized consultant, strengthening relationships with the private sector, and promoting inter-agency and binational projects. Despite the challenges, UN Women continues to focus on innovation and a targeted strategy to advance gender equality and women’s rights in Ecuador. In terms of knowledge management, UN Women Ecuador strengthened its position as a leading knowledge hub on gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) in Ecuador. In 2024, the implementation of an integrated knowledge management strategy led to the development of key publications and strategic initiatives that amplified the office’s visibility and impact. Notable publications included the "Qualitative Study on the Impact of Organized Crime on Women, Girls, and Adolescents," which addressed the gender-specific effects of organized crime, and "Women and Sports 2," which explored challenges and achievements in women’s inclusion in sports. Other significant reports focused on promoting rural women’s economic empowerment and addressing violence prevention, including guides on trafficking for sexual exploitation and technology-facilitated violence against women and girls. These publications were widely disseminated through digital platforms and events, reaching both national and international audiences, and further solidified UN Women Ecuador’s role as a knowledge leader in the field. https://ecuador.unwomen.org/es/digital-library/publications/2024/12/mujeres-y-deporte-2-una-aproximacion-a-la-participacion-y-presencia-de-las-mujeres-en-el-ambito-del-deporte-en-ecuador https://ecuador.unwomen.org/es/digital-library/publications/2024/09/fomento-de-la-innovacion-para-mujeres-rurales-de-quito-catalogo-de-emprendimientos Gestión de conocimiento