It is no secret that Ecuador is having a rough time of it as far as human rights go. The past few years since the progressive government left office have seen human rights shrinking. This is not to say that the former progressive regime that built and re-invigorated many important social programs and social infrastructure was not without its own human rights problems. This progressive government was universally panned around the globe for repressing press freedoms and harassing journalists critical of its policies. The progressive government also violated the sovereignty of indigenous people by forcing extractive policies that irrevocably harmed one-of-a-kind ecosystems within their territories. These actions instilled such ire that the political left remains seriously fractured in Ecuador for the present time. The progressives were also unable to make changes necessary to relieve long-standing labor exploitation in large economic sectors such as farming, construction, fishing, and mining.
Because Ecuador is a majority Catholic country, reproductive rights and gay rights are slow to be accepted. Red tape and legislative arguments over a rape exception law make access to abortion an impossibility, especially for low-income and poor women. The constitutional court has ordered civil registration of gay marriages, but the assembly has not altered the laws. Child sexual abuse within the school system, upwards of 30 percent of all complaints, is also an ongoing area of concern.
Recent issues in Ecuador involve the use of state violence against indigenous people during peaceful protests. The military and police responded with physical abuse and, in a half dozen cases, used deadly force against indigenous and poor people bringing attention to the lack of health care, jobs, the loss of small-user fuel subsidies, and education in their communities. A main issue recently has become the contribution of poorly run prisons to the huge jump in deadly violence in the country. While gangs fight for control of illicit drugs transiting through Ecuador from surrounding countries, the prisons have become recruitment centers and sites of extreme forms of violence contributing to a 500 percent increase in the national homicide rate over the past two years.
The present outlook seems bleak, however, during the previous progressive administration, a comprehensive social safety net guaranteeing income levels and providing universal healthcare took the pressure of the above issues and prevented the degradation of human rights for many. Ecuador has demonstrated the capability to greatly improve human rights when the political will to do so is present.
If you would like to learn more about the current situation and participate in discussions on this topic then we encourage you to join our Facebook group: Ecuador Progressive Community for English Speakers and Expats.
Image: Human Rights Watch
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