Ecuador

The new Constitution, developed during the so called “Revolución Ciudadana” (citizens’ revolution) under the leadership of President Rafael Correa, was approved by referendum in September 2008. Consequently, new elections for all government authorities took place in April 2009. Rafael Correa was re-elected and took office on 10 August 2009 while the National Assembly began its work in July the same year.

The approval of the new Constitution resulted in significant changes in the architecture of the state. Besides the four traditional constitutional branches (legislative, executive, judiciary and electoral), a new arm was created with constitutional authority: the Transparency and Social Control Council. With a new constitution, a new legal framework is being developed and implemented; state institutions need to be transformed and strengthened, and political parties rebuilt. In that sense, Ecuador’s political situation is in a state of fluid transition until the next elections in 2013.

It is important to note that a strong focus on gender equality is part of Ecuador’s new legal framework.

Ecuador’s joint programme between the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy and international IDEA, Ágora Democrática (AD), works to strengthen the multiparty political system, the institutionalization of political organizations; and for an improvement of the relationship between the political establishment and civil society.

Since its establishment, AD has supported political reform processes through technical assistance, providing international comparative experiences, publications, workshops and seminars.

Towards the end of 2008, support was given with drafting the “Democracy Code”, approved in April 2009 by the National Assembly, after an intense debate between various political sectors and electoral bodies. This Code encompasses both the Electoral Body Act and Political Organizations Act.

AD has also created fora for multiparty dialogue: among them “Agora Política”, a political magazine with an Editorial Board of twelve personalities from the main Ecuadorian political organizations and two multiparty women’s groups aiming to strengthen the political participation of women and to guarantee the inclusion of a gender perspective in the Ecuadorian legislation.

In addition AD, together with the support of CORAPE (a community-based radio broadcasting system), has helped to build bridges between political organizations, civil society and the local media. The radio program “Ágora Constituyente”, which was initiated with the objective to disseminate the developments of the National Consituent Assembly and its contents, is still being broadcasted nationwide by CORAPE to provide information and analysis about the political context.

AD has also developed strategic partnerships with AMUME (National Association of Women Local Authorities), FLACSO (Latin-American Faculty for Social Sciences), UASB (Simon Bolivar University), PUCE (Catholic University of Ecuador), OAS (Organization of American States), UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women), AECID (Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo), Canadian Embassy, the Carter Centre, CORAPE (Coordinadora de Radio Popular Educativa del Ecuador), CIESPAL (Centro Internacional de Estudios Superiores de Comunicación para América Latina) , National Electoral Council, Tribunal Contencioso Electoral, the National Assembly, the National Secretariat of Planning and Development, the Ministry of Political Coordination and other civil society organizations.