Organizations denounce that advances in human rights “remain on paper”

BOGOTA —

Civil society organizations affirm that, although there is progress, public policies on human rights in Ecuador are not applied and place special emphasis on the need for guarantees for women, journalists, prisoners, the disappeared and members of the LGBTIQ+ community.

This conclusion follows the completion of the so-called Universal Periodic Review (UPR), by the United Nations (UN) this Monday, in which members of the international organization gave for the fourth time different recommendations on the state of human rights in the South American country.

“It is evident that the country has reported progress, but that these advances are more than anything, normative, advances that remain on paper, that do not translate into the protection and guarantee and promotion of human rights in a real way,” he said. César Ricaurte, director of the Andean Foundation for Media Observation and Study Fundamedios, at a virtual press conference.

An opinion shared by Danilo Manzano, from the organization Diálogo Diverso, who emphasized that work should be done “not only” on the creation of public policies, but also on “more tangible actions.”

The main recommendations of the delegations from 70 countries focused on reducing violence and deaths in prisons, defending access to education for children and the disabled, guaranteeing the rights of vulnerable groups (including indigenous peoples), improving the rights of women and girls and eradicate violence against them, protect human rights defenders and journalists, guarantee their freedom from reprisals, and eradicate child labour.

Women and prisoners

The organizations took stock of these recommendations and insisted that the Ecuadorian State reinforce the technical capacities of its personnel, grant human and economic resources for the treatment of human rights, and provide necessary official information in this regard, Gloria explained. Ardaya, consultant and social researcher.

Likewise, he pointed out that gender violence was a recurring theme in the country; of the 53 recommendations that were made in this regard, he highlighted the lack of gender equity, sexist violence, the need to work on unwanted pregnancy and all forms of violence suffered by women.

For her part, María Amelia Espinosa, from the IR Foundation, said that regarding the rights of those deprived of liberty, the recommendations focused “on adopting efficient and effective measures to reduce violence in prisons, taking measures that reduce overcrowding in the penitentiary system and adopt public policy actions that have a rehabilitative approach and that guarantee the social reintegration of people deprived of their liberty, once they complete their sentence.

However, Espinosa emphasized that the national system of persons deprived of liberty has not been effectively implemented.

Journalists, LGTBIQ+ community and the disappeared

Another point that continues to be a matter of concern for the international community is freedom of expression. According to Ricaurte, the main recommendation was focused on the presentation of a generalized protection mechanism for human rights defenders and, within this, a specific one for journalists.

In this regard, the director of Fundamedios expressed his concern about an alleged advance of this mechanism, presented by the Ecuadorian State. However, said Ricaurte, “that has not happened. Rather, the great pending debt has been… the lack of protection for journalistic practice” and the inactivity of a committee that deals with the issue.

Regarding the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community, Danilo Manzano recognized the Government’s efforts on issues of the rights of this population, but pointed out that the observations focus on the fight against torture centers, the guarantees in the promotion and protection of this population , the need to increase efforts to “protect the rights of intersex children” and the request for “access to justice” for this population, especially transgender people.

For her part, Pamela Chiriboga, adviser to the Association of Relatives and Friends of Disappeared Persons in Ecuador (Asfadec), showed her annoyance because neither the Ecuadorian government nor the international community made mention of the missing people from this community in Ecuador. despite the fact that, according to her, since 2017 this problem has been discussed.

Presentation of the report

The Ecuadorian delegation, headed by the Foreign Minister, Juan Carlos Holguín, presented the advances in the matter, this Monday, in Geneva. “Our country has ratified the 27 legally binding international instruments on human rights and adapts its regulations and actions to these principles,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

He also reported on his country’s achievements in the fight against human trafficking, the rights of refugees and displaced persons, particularly Venezuelans, and actions against the pandemic, highlighting the vaccination of 9 million people against COVID-19. 19 in 100 days, including indigenous people.

Holguín also referred to the transnational criminal structures that operate from prisons: “The first prison census is being carried out at this time, and this will allow us to have sociodemographic information on people deprived of liberty. At the same time we will have a digital record to guarantee rights and have real information”, he specified.

For her part, the Minister of Education, María Brown, said that Ecuador increased the budget from 8,100 to 13,000 million dollars for social issues.

The Secretary of Human Rights, Paola Flores, referred to the programs of the Ecuadorian Government focused on eradicating violence against women, such as the single registry of violence, psychological care and legal advice, and the restructuring of the prison system.

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