UN Women Transparency Portal

National and local institutions improve legal and policy frameworks with adequate budget allocation, to promote decent work, social protection, and livelihoods for women, particularly those from priority groups. (SP Output 8)

In 2021, this outcome made significant progress. UN Women's most important achievement in 2021 has been the advocacy and technical assistance work that led to the public signing of Executive Decree 268 by President Guillermo Lasso in the framework of November 25. This binding document declares as a national priority the promotion and defence of gender equality, as well as the empowerment of women in the social, economic and political spheres in order to eradicate all forms of violence and discrimination against women. Addressing these political wills, the Creating Opportunities National Development Plan (2021 – 2025) prioritizes in the Policy 5.2., the combat all forms of discrimination and promotion of a life free of violence, especially for women, setting as targets (i) decrease the rate of femicide per 100,000 women from 0.87 to 0.80; (ii) reduce the gender employment gap from 33.50% to 28.45%; and (iii) Reduce the gender salary gap from 15.34% to 11.27% (https://www.planificacion.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Plan-de-Creacio%CC%81n-de-Oportunidades-2021-2025-Aprobado.pdf). This prioritization is the result of technical assistance and advocacy at the highest level carried out by the UN Women, combining efforts of Head Quarters, the Regional Office and the Country Office. In June 2021, at the invitation of Mrs. Bernarda Ordonez - Secretary of Human Rights, Anita Bhatia - Executive Director Deputy in charge of Coordination of the United Nations System, Resource Management, Alliances and Sustainability – carried out an advocacy mission at the highest level with the new authorities in order to promote a solid gender equality agenda in the country. On the other hand, the Ministry of Labor (MDT in Spanish) with the accompaniment and assistance of UN Women updated the Gender Equality Agenda for the implementation of ILO Convention 190 (ratified by the National Assembly in 2021); it also prepared an analysis of the main labor indicators in the country, pointing out the effects of the crisis. This information was an input for the preparation of the MDT's agenda within the framework of the National Strategy for the Violet Economy. The National Assembly, with the support of UN Women, carried out an analysis of the impacts of emergency and economic emergency laws on women's rights and gender gaps in the context of the crisis. Additionally, civil servants from the Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Productivity, Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security, Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition improve their skills on the incorporation of the gender approach in public policy with emphasis on labor policies, including violence at work, discrimination, labor inspection and employment generation policies, this training is part of the strengthening of mandatory capacities that the MDT carries out for all public officials in order for them to apply the knowledge acquired in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of public policies. Additionally, UN Women supported the development of 2 legislative projects that were included in the legislative agenda of the National Assembly in 2021: Violet Law and Equal Pay Law. Regarding financial inclusion and social protection, the Central Bank has a public policy instrument for the financial inclusion of young people with an emphasis on women, and the National Financial Inclusion Strategy has been validated and is ready for its implementation, with technical assistance from UN Women. About social protection the Municipalities of Quito, Loja, Machala and Guayaquil, with the support of UN Women, built management models for a local care system that will benefit young people living with dependents in their care within the framework of the My Future is Today project (SDG Fund). In addition, together with ILO, UN Women developed the contributory social security innovation model for the inclusion of women and young people in informal labor, which will be assumed by the Social Security Institute from 2022. In 2021, within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Livestock (MAG) and UN Women, a Work Plan 2021-2023 was designed. Within this work plan, a technical proposal was developed for the incorporation of the gender approach in the MAG's National Agricultural Registry (RENAGRO) , which was supported by UN Women, through technical assistance with the Central University of Ecuador, specifically with the technical review of the objective of the Registry and the census form that was applied in a pilot test.

outcome XM-DAC-41146-ECU_D_2.2

More women play a greater role in adaptation, mitigation and conservation initiatives and projects promoting sustainable development and climate change resilience. (Frontier Issue).

In 2021, this outcome made significant progress through two strategic lines: first, training women leaders and women producers of commodities and bio-enterprises; and second, aimed at establishing institutional spaces in local governments to strengthen the participation of women in decision-making. During this period, 100 indigenous women of 11 nationalities in 56 communities were trained in organization, sustainable development and climate change, 5 indigenous communities have the capacity to incorporate a gender perspective in their bio-enterprises through a toolkit developed with technical assistance from UN Women under the National Amazon Program (ProAmazonia) frame. To improve women participation, 4 proposals for participation ordinances were promoted at the municipal level, 5 gender focal points were established in the municipalities, a gender promoting group was created at the Municipality of Nangaritza and a gender observatory in the municipality of Morona. In addition, the coordination board for the management of non-timber forest products was strengthened, with the participation of women from indigenous towns and nationalities. This has made it possible to consolidate the participation of women in institutional and productive spaces in the Ecuadorian Amazon, in the generation of formal institutional spaces, hand in hand with local governments aware of gender issues, supported by ProAmazonia Program.

outcome XM-DAC-41146-ECU_D_3.1

National and local institutions deliver multi sector responses to address violence against women and girls in development and humanitarian settings

This Outcome was achieved during the course of 2021 and several national instances have used tools to respond to violence against women, despite the limitations encountered by the COVID 19 health emergency that continues to affect the normal development of activities. Regarding the field of development, we can mention that the Municipality of Cuenca has the III Cantonal Plan to eradicate violence against women which is valid for 10 years and incorporates different forms of violence such as sexual harassment in the public space. The Galapagos Provincial Government has a 2021-2025 strategic plan to prevent and address violence against women. The Municipality of Guayaquil has a project built in a participatory manner to implement actions to prevent and assist sexual harassment in public spaces. A route of access to justice for women in the political sphere has been developed and shared with national and local advocacy bodies for its dissemination; in addition, this tool has also been adapted to the media and communicators so that they know their role in preventing this type of action. In addition, tools have been generated to train women for the enforceability of rights, especially in the area of security with a gender perspective. In the humanitarian area, training modules have been developed for different state actors in the judicial branch and the executive branch to provide care services that are sensitive to the needs of migrant women. Shelter services for victims of violence have been strengthened through tools such as supplies, equipment, emergency kits, among others, and training processes. A Standard Operational Procedure has been created to prevent and deal with sexual harassment and exploitation in humanitarian contexts, which has enabled the training of a significant number of implementing partners and state agencies that provide services to people in human mobility; it has also been shared with community leaders so that the beneficiary populations are aware of these existing protection mechanisms. In addition, men have been trained in non-violent masculinities with materials developed in the humanitarian field, and trainers have been instructed to disseminate this content. In addition, Venezuelan, Colombian and Ecuadorian women leaders have strengthened their capacities to advocate for their rights. UN Women has contributed to the development of all of the aforementioned, emphasizing actions or products that have a potential for sustainability both in local governments and in national instances. For example, the local plans have been approved by the corresponding instances (cantonal councils or others) in such a way that they are mandatory in terms of their implementation, and it is also established which instances are responsible for their implementation. The routes of access to justice in cases of political violence include what is established by national legislation, for which a pedagogical adaptation of these contents has been carried out so that political women, political organizations and the structures involved in this area know the rules that protect women. The training tools have been coordinated with the institutions so that they are incorporated into their training spaces in such a way that they are mandatory at the time of being part of it. In addition, the instruments developed to strengthen the capacities of civil society have been worked on with organizations that remain in the territories, in such a way that they can be used in the longer term. It should be noted that, in the humanitarian field, all these developed tools allow UN Women in the country to have a base of instruments, which have mainstreaming of gender approach, and that can be used in the framework of other emergencies. This has given the UN Women country office a territorial presence, coordinating with actors and being a reference in the localities in terms of support for gender equality. On the other hand, at the local level it has been possible to carry out intervention actions with grassroots women who have had the possibility of making their needs visible, and their capabilities have been developed to generate proposals, for the enforceability of their rights, to rethink their Life projects.

outcome XM-DAC-41146-ECU_D_3.2

National institutions and partners develop strategic interventions to contribute to reducing femicide and prevent and respond to violence against women and girls in the country (Spotlight goal)

In 2021, this outcome made significant progress. Certain strategies have been implemented to reduce and prevent femicide; however, it is necessary to highlight that the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic and its consequences have negatively affected this task, as well as at the global level, the rates of violence have increased and it has affected the national economy. The Spotlight Project in Ecuador focuses on the implementation of the Law for the Eradication of Violence against Women in the country, in this sense, progress has been made in important inputs that this rule raises; for example, the Protocol for the investigation of violent deaths of women has been adapted to national legislation, which has been approved by the State Attorney General through Resolution No. 066 – FGE – 2021 and establishes the execution of said resolution by all prosecutors in the country. https://ecuador.unwomen.org/es/noticias-y-eventos/articulos/2021/12/protocolo-investigacion-femicidios An evaluation mechanism for judges in the field of violence against women has been developed in order to improve the capacities of said officials. Additionally, the data from the survey on family relations and violence against women has been disaggregated in a provincial manner, in such a way that they become instruments that contribute to the construction of public policy based on evidence. In addition, civil society has been strengthened, two observatories for non-sexist communication have been developed, which allow for a collective analysis of messages from the media that tolerate or promote gender inequality and violence against women. There are tools to strengthen civil society, especially women's organizations. This strengthening includes elements for the incidence and enforceability of the right to a life free of violence at the local level. UN Women has directly intervened in obtaining these results, which are still partial in terms of the globality of products that must be achieved with the implementation of the Spotlight Project in Ecuador. However, the will of several fundamental instances to prevent, care, protect and repair victims of violence against women has been achieved, such as instances of justice, the Human Rights Secretariat, the Ministry of Government and local governments.

National and local institutions improve legal and policy frameworks with adequate budget allocation, to promote decent work, social protection, and livelihoods for women, particularly those from priority groups. (SP Output 8)

More women play a greater role in adaptation, mitigation and conservation initiatives and projects promoting sustainable development and climate change resilience. (Frontier Issue).

National and local institutions deliver multi sector responses to address violence against women and girls in development and humanitarian settings

National institutions and partners develop strategic interventions to contribute to reducing femicide and prevent and respond to violence against women and girls in the country (Spotlight goal)

Disclaimer and notes