Vulnerability of sexual and reproductive rights in Ecuador
Keywords:
Public policies, vulnerability, legal frameworkAbstract
The objective of this research was to analyze the current state of the constitutional right to make free and informed decisions regarding sexual and reproductive rights in Ecuador during the period 2018–2024. A non-experimental cross-sectional design was employed, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. The theoretical methods used included analytical-synthetic, inductive-deductive, historical-logical, and comparative methods to understand the evolution and application of this right. At the empirical level, documentary research, surveys, and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The sample consisted of 181 citizens from Ibarra, selected through probabilistic sampling. The results showed that 56.4% of respondents are aware of the sexual and reproductive rights established in the Constitution, but 44.2% consider that education about these rights is not easily accessible. Furthermore, 75.7% of citizens recognize the right to decide not to have children, and 66.3% accept sexual orientation as a personal decision. However, only 29.8% are aware of the intersectoral policy PIPENA. Regarding the actions of health centers, 42.5% valued the placement of contraceptive dispensers, and 40.9% appreciated prevention campaigns, while only 16% considered the distribution of informational brochures useful. The interviews reflected that this right is not fully upheld due to prejudice and lack of awareness. It is concluded that, although the legal framework guarantees this right, social and educational barriers persist, limiting its effective exercise. This calls for greater dissemination and promotion of these rights within society.
Downloads
References
Argüelles Pascual, V., Hernández Rodríguez, A. A., & Palacios, R. (2021). Métodos empíricos de la investigación. Ciencia Huasteca Boletín Científico De La Escuela Superior De Huejutla, 9(17), 33-34. https://doi.org/10.29057/esh.v9i17.6701
BBC News Mundo. (2022). Ecuador: la Asamblea Nacional aprueba el aborto para casos de violación en determinados plazos. https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-60424720
Dzul, M. (2020). Aplicación básica de los métodos científicos. UAEH. https://www.uaeh.edu.mx/docencia/VI_Presentaciones/licenciatura_en_mercadotecnia/fundamentos_de_metodologia_investigacion/PRES38.pdf
Ecuador. Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador. (2008). Constitución de la República del Ecuador. Registro Oficial 449. https://www.oas.org/juridico/pdfs/mesicic4_ecu_const.pdf
Ecuador. Congreso Nacional. (2006). Ley orgánica de salud. Registro Oficial Suplemento N. 423. https://compracorporativasalud.compraspublicas.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/3_LI-LEY-ORGANICA-DE-SALUD.pdf
Ecuador. Ministerio de Salud Pública. (2024). El Ministerio de Salud Pública y el Consejo Nacional de Salud activaron el Comité de Salud Sexual y Derechos Reproductivos. https://www.salud.gob.ec/el-ministerio-de-salud-publica-y-el-conseja-nacional-de-salud-activaron-el-comite-de-salud-sexual-y-derechos-reproductivos/
Galárraga, O., & Harris, J. E. (2021). Effect of an abrupt change in sexual and reproductive health policy on teen birth rates in Ecuador, 2008–2017. Economics & Human Biology, 41, 100967. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ehb.2020.100967
González, A., Coates, A., Diaz, V., & Wolfenzon, D. (2021). Igualdad de género y equidad en salud: lecciones estratégicas de las experiencias de los países en la incorporación de la perspectiva de género en la salud. Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública, 45(103). https://doi.org/10.26633/rpsp.2021.103
Guevara-Ríos, E. (2020). Derechos sexuales y derechos reproductivos. Revista Peruana De Investigación Materno Perinatal, 9(1), 7–8. https://doi.org/10.33421/inmp.2020183
Hernández, R., Fernández, C., & Baptista, P. (2014). Metodología de la Investigación. Mc Graw Hill.
Machado, J. (2021). Corte abre el camino para despenalizar relaciones entre adolescentes. Diario Primicias. https://www.primicias.ec/noticias/sociedad/corte-abre-camino-descriminalizar-relaciones-entre-adolescentes-ecuador/
Organización Panamericana de Salud. (2019). Salud y derechos sexuales en el curso de vida. Ginebra: https://www.paho.org/es/temas/salud-sexual-reproductiva
Quiroz, V., Tumbaco, S., Acuña, G., Zambrano, J., Catagua, D., Bravo, J., & Flores, M. (2024). Disponibilidad y Accesibilidad de Servicios de Salud Sexual y Reproductiva para Adolescentes en la Zona Sur de Manabí: Revisión de Evidencia y Recomendaciones. Ciencia Latina, 8(1), 11437–11449. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v8i1.10456
Ríos-Quituizaca, P., Gatica-Domínguez, G., Nambiar, D., Santos, J. L. F., & Barros, A. J. D. (2022). Ethnic inequalities in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health interventions in Ecuador: A study of the 2004 and 2012 national surveys. eClinicalMedicine, 45, 101322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101322
Taco Atapuma, R. (2020). Autoridad tuitiva en los derechos sexuales y reproductivos de las y los adolescentes a partir de la jurisprudencia constitucional ecuatoriana. Sentencia n. 003-18-pjo-cc, análisis de caso no.0775-11-jp. (Trabajo de Titulación). Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica.
United Nations. (2022). Marco de Cooperación de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo Sostenible en el Ecuador 2022-2026. https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2022-09/UNSDCF%20Ecuador%202022-2026_0.pdf
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua. (2020). Guía Metodológica Aplicación de la Técnica de Análisis Documental. https://www.unan.edu.ni/wp-content/uploads/unan-managua-gua-aplic-analisis-documental.pdf
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Melanie Skarlet Quiñonez-Medina, Carmen Patricia Ruiz-Tigse, Daniela Yesenia Sánchez-Mina, María Elena Infante-Miranda
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in Revista UGC agree to the following terms:
1. Copyright
Authors retain unrestricted copyright to their work. Authors grant the journal the right of first publication. To this end, they assign the journal non-exclusive exploitation rights (reproduction, distribution, public communication, and transformation). Authors may enter into additional agreements for the non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in the journal, provided that acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal is given.
© The authors.
2. License
The articles are published in the journal under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). The terms can be found at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en
This license allows:
- Sharing: Copying and redistributing the material in any medium or format.
- Adapting: Remixing, transforming, and building upon the material.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution: You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if any changes were made. You may do this in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses or sponsors your use.
- NonCommercial: You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
- ShareAlike: If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your creation under the same license as the original work.
There are no additional restrictions. You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
