Experts of the Committee on the Rights of the Child Praise Ecuador’s Social Expenditure for Children, Ask about December 2024 Child Murders and Excessive Use of Force against Child Demonstrators
The Committee on the Rights of the Child today concluded its consideration of the seventh periodic report of Ecuador, with Committee Experts praising the State’s social expenditure for children and adolescents, and raising questions about the murder of four children in December 2024 and excessive use of force against child demonstrators by the police.
Mary Beloff, Committee Expert and Coordinator of the Country Taskforce for Ecuador, praised the efforts made by the country to enhance social expenditure aimed at children and adolescents. She said it was a pleasure to hear the focus being placed on resource allocation to guarantee rights in early childhood.
However, she said the examination was marked by the atrocious events that took place in Guayaquil in December 2024, related to the illegal detention, forced disappearance and subsequent murder of four children. Investigating the social conditions that led to these events was an essential part of the Committee’s work.
Velina Todorova, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, said that in October 2019, in the context of the national strike, the personal integrity of at least 12 children was severely impacted by the public forces. During the June 2022 strike, violence was also used against children. How was the State safeguarding the rights of children to freedom of assembly?
Marcelo Vázquez Bermúdez, Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations Office at Geneva, presenting the report, said Ecuador had several cash transfers for social protection for children or adolescents in situations of poverty and vulnerability, including the human development bonus, the Joaquín Gallegos Lara bonus, and the lifetime pension.
The murder of four minors in December 2024 had profoundly shocked the Government and the people of Ecuador, the delegation said. The Ecuadorian State had acted immediately following these events and had been carrying out due actions to investigate and punish the perpetrators. Investigations had begun and 16 members of the armed forces were now in pretrial detention.
Measures had been taken to prevent cases of excessive use of force by the police against children from reoccurring, the delegation said. Institutional guidelines had been developed to protect the rights of citizens involved in demonstrations, and an organic law regulating the legitimate use of force had been developed and disseminated. The State party recognised that all children and adolescents had the right to protest peacefully.
In closing remarks, Ms. Beloff said that the dialogue had provided insight on the issues faced by Ecuador and areas that needed to be focused on in public policies. The Committee hoped that the State party would be able to achieve its goals for the benefit of all Ecuadorian children.
Zaida Rovira, Minister of Economic and Social Inclusion of Ecuador, in concluding remarks, said that the State party was committed to taking on its challenges by increasing the budget for children, and developing robust standards and laws and an institutional system with sufficiently trained staff. The topics discussed in the dialogue would inform the State’s future efforts for children and adolescents.
The delegation of Ecuador consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion; the Ministry of Education; the Ministry of Women and Human Rights; Ecuador Grows without Child Malnutrition; the National Comprehensive Care Service for Adults Persons Deprived of Liberty and Adolescent Offenders; and the Permanent Mission of Ecuador to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of Ecuador at the end of its ninety-eighth session on 31 January. Those, and other documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, will be available on the session’s webpage. Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public on Thursday, 30 January at 3 p.m. to hold an informal meeting with States.
Report
The Committee has before it the seventh periodic report of Ecuador (CRC/C/ECU/7).
Presentation of Report
MARCELO VÁZQUEZ BERMÚDEZ, Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said Ecuador was fully committed to fulfilling its international obligations under the Convention. In May 2024, the organic law for the support and reparation for relatives of victims of femicide and violent deaths for gender reasons was adopted. Between 2023 and 2024, the Attorney General's Office issued seven key technical instruments to strengthen the protection and care of victims, especially children, adolescents and persons affected by gender-based violence. These instruments included guidelines on complaints and protective measures against physical, psychological, or sexual violence; guidelines to avoid revictimisation; and operational guides for the investigation of crimes such as human trafficking and the recruitment of children and adolescents for criminal purposes.
Through the Child Development Centres and the “growing with our children” programme, the Government provided comprehensive care to 289,000 children and adolescents in vulnerable situations in 2024. In addition, there was close collaboration with indigenous, Afro-descendant, and Montubio communities and children on the move. There were also several cash transfers for social protection for children or adolescents in situations of poverty and vulnerability, namely the human development bonus, the Joaquín Gallegos Lara bonus, and the lifetime pension.
One of the most outstanding achievements was the creation of the Technical Secretariat for the “Ecuador grows without child malnutrition” policy and the implementation of its strategy, as well as the intersectoral strategic plan for the prevention and reduction of chronic child malnutrition. These allowed effective collaboration between various government entities, focusing on the prevention and reduction of chronic malnutrition in children under two years of age. Due to the implementation of the strategy, by 2024, the indicator on prevalence of chronic malnutrition in children under two years of age was reduced to 19.3 per cent, from the previous level of 24.8 per cent. The programme was expected to achieve the goal of reducing the malnutrition rate to less than 15 per cent.
As an important component of the strategy, there was a cash transfer called the “1,000 days voucher", which consisted of a fixed transfer and payments conditional on the commitment to attend prenatal check-ups and early registration of the birth in the Civil Registry. Furthermore, all beneficiaries of the "1,000 days bonus" had the right to receive weekly family counselling services from specialised educators of the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion.
ZAIDA ROVIRA, Minister of Economic and Social Inclusion of Ecuador, said Ecuador guaranteed access to quality vaccines approved by the World Health Organization, ensuring that every child received the appropriate vaccine to prevent diseases. As of August 2024, 95 out of every 100 Ecuadorian children had completed their vaccination schedule. Between 2020 and 2023, maternal mortality was almost halved. The suicide prevention manual had been issued, which focused on the construction of support networks, from 10 years of age onwards. Around 2,724 people had been trained in using the manual for the early identification of suicidal ideation, and 21 community support networks had been established for the prevention of suicide.
The Ministry of Labour, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, had implemented a tool called the child labour risk identification model, which made it possible to identify the territories most prone to child labour and estimate the impact of various associated factors. More than 1,000 labour inspections took place between January 2023 and July 2024. In addition, 217 dialogue tables had been held with key actors, such as decentralised autonomous governments and civil society organizations, to design local intervention strategies.
Digital literacy campaigns had been carried out to educate the population on the safe and effective use of information technologies; 919 digital points had been opened nationwide. Between 2023 and 2024, more than 9,000 visas were issued for children and adolescents seeking refuge, with particular focus on the Venezuelan population. Between 2023 and 2024, Ecuadorian Consulates had handled 10,668 cases of children and adolescents in vulnerable conditions abroad, managing to resolve the majority of these cases.
The National Service for the comprehensive care of adults deprived of liberty and adolescent offenders, through the horizon of change work plan, had strengthened the comprehensive development of socio-educational measures by strengthening care for more than 739 adolescents in conflict with the law. In addition, awareness-raising talks and trainings were carried out in educational units, reaching more than 7,000 adolescents. Ms. Rovira hoped the exchange with the Committee members would help the country delve deeper into progress made and provide clarity on any issues.
Questions by Committee Experts
MARY BELOFF, Committee Expert and Taskforce Coordinator, said the Committee was aware that the national context in which the dialogue was taking place was complex in many ways, especially since the declaration of an internal armed conflict. The examination being carried out by the Committee was inevitably marked by the atrocious events that took place in Guayaquil in December 2024, related to the illegal detention, forced disappearance and subsequent murder of four children: Saúl Arboleda (15 years old); the brothers Josué Arroyo (14 years old) and Ismael Arroyo (15 years old); and Steven Medina (11 years old). Investigating the social conditions that led to these events was an essential part of the work of the Committee in order to contribute to ensure that similar events never happened again in the country.
There were more than 50 norms and standards to do with the rights of the child and adolescents which required legislative amendments. What was the timeline for this? Where did the difficulties lie in this regard? The Committee praised the efforts made by the country to enhance social expenditure aimed at children and adolescents. However, there had been a regressive trend after the pandemic in this respect. How did the State plan to draw up a budget which considered the specific needs of children and adolescents in the country? If a crisis were to occur again, how would expenditure on child-related matters be protected? What were the State’s plans to ensure there was a coordination body at the national and local levels in order to facilitate missing data? How was the State planning to extend its scope to cover the entire population, particularly those at the greatest risk of social disadvantage?
Ecuador faced a situation described as one of structural discrimination, which had a direct link to poverty. This affected indigenous populations, Afro-indigenous populations, and children in State custody. What were the comprehensive policies which the State was planning to establish to put an end to structural discrimination? How was the monitoring of centres where children were deprived of their liberty carried out, particularly during the state of emergency? How was it ensured that legislation relating to child labour was enforced? The Committee was aware of the number of instruments relating to child participation. However, it was indicated that children’s voices were not really being heard. How was Ecuador going to include the voices of children and adolescents, particularly when it pertained to their rights?
VELINA TODOROVA, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, said in October 2019, in the context of the national strike, the personal integrity of at least 12 children was severely impacted by the public forces. Children suffered from injuries, as well as what could be as considered acts of torture. During the June 2022 strike, violence was also used against children, which was serious and unjustifiable. How was the State safeguarding the rights of children to freedom of assembly? Could the Committee be informed of investigations, prosecutions and reparations relating to these events? Over the past few years, there had been acts of cruelty towards children by the Ecuadorian State. Ecuador was in a state of deep regression of children’s rights, which the Committee had expressed concern about in 2016. There were many reasons for this, and the State had failed to address the root causes.
The Committee understood that children in Ecuador did not feel safe in their families, neighbourhoods, and schools due to the increase presence of gangs in schools. Many children had witnessed violent acts by gangs, including shootings. Was this a real concern for the Government? There had been a shocking increase in the number of deaths of children by 640 per cent, between 2019 and 2023, as well as enforced disappearances and acts of torture. The Committee was informed that children in marginalised communities were most affected by security operations. What progress had been made in investigations into these events? How could the Government guarantee that perpetrators would face justice and convictions?
Another worrying trend was the use of children and adolescents by organised crime groups. Boys as young as eight years old were recruited, as well as indigenous children and those from remote communities. There were also many reports of illiteracy in these areas. Could the delegation explain the actions by the State to approve legislation trying children as adults in certain cases, such as murder? In 2023, the forced recruitment of children and adolescents in the context of armed conflict was criminalised in Ecuador, which was highly commendable. However, to date there had been no convictions under this crime. What was the Government doing to address the human rights of children?
Every second child in Ecuador between 0 and five years of age suffered violence at home. Did high profile politicians or celebrities in Ecuador ever condemn this kind of violence publicly? Would the Government implement a programme for respectful parenting? What were the plans for the proper implementation of the law on femicide? What measures had been taken to implement an early warning system on femicide? How many children reported violence to the Public Defenders Service? The levels of sexual abuse were a disgrace for Ecuador; girls were often victims of rape within their close circles of trust, including fathers, brothers and teachers. Many cases were not reported and there was a high degree of impunity. Why was there such a high level of impunity for perpetrators? Could this be attributed to the lack of trained prosecutors? How were victims interviewed with the view to avoid harmful repetitive interviews?
One of the greatest issues in Ecuador was teenage pregnancy. Six girls under 14 became mothers every day. Although abortion was decriminalised, it was understood that the legal restrictions on abortion violated the rights of pregnant women. How did the State guarantee that rape victims could access safe abortions without obstacles? What measures had been adopted to guarantee the non-criminalisation of doctors who performed abortions?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said when it came the murder of the four minors, this case had profoundly shocked the Government and the people of Ecuador. The Ecuadorian State had acted immediately following these events and had been carrying out due actions to investigate and punish the perpetrators. These events took place in December 2024, when the disappearance of the minors was reported. The competent authorities then took all necessary actions to locate the children. Investigations had begun and 16 members of the armed forces were now in pretrial detention. All actions were being undertaken to ensure that the perpetrators were punished for this serious crime.
Ecuador was a country with limited resources but it had focused on addressing childhood issues. There had been a delay concerning the Code of Children and Adolescents, which would end the scattered pieces of legislation that were a cause for concern. The early childhood law was before the Assembly, as was the law on malnutrition. Chronic malnutrition was high in Ecuador, and this had been a key focus of the State since 2018. Many ministries were involved in this process and a system allowed information to be received from all ministries, allowing work to be honed into the vulnerable territories and ascertain where the greatest vulnerability level lay. Chronic malnutrition had been reduced by four points, which showed that the strategies were working. The strategy focused on ages 0 to two, as well as pregnant mothers, and it was hoped this could be extended to other ages.
“Ecuador grows without malnutrition” was the pilot project being rolled out to address one of the main problems of the enjoyment of the rights of children and adolescents in the country. Follow-up was carried out on each of the households for all families living in poverty and extreme vulnerability. It was ensured that all care services for children and adolescents had a budget for the entire year. Each of the State’s services had been and would be monitored continually to ensure their efficiency with funds.
More than 20,000 new families had been included in the “human development voucher” cash programme. In Ecuador there were money transfers for children who had no parents due to violent deaths. They received support from several Government ministries to provide them with priority, comprehensive reparations. The Ombudsman law ensured anyone could defend their rights without discrimination. Ecuador had conducted around 1,000 annual inspections for child labour. These were conducted on the ground and online to ensure a nationwide reach.
Ecuador had received an award for best practices because of work being done with the youth. The programme “horizon of change” aimed to be a worldwide reference point by 2035. Currently, the programme was working with high-level methodologies, including a therapeutic system used with the youth. The State was also investing heavily in occupational vocational activities, including through a programme which covered topics, including baking and juvenile fashion, among other areas.
In centres with young offenders, there was a whole staff of psychologists and medical professionals on hand. The State was also working to bolster the self-esteem of young offenders through art and culture. A life skills programme aimed to teach young offenders how to handle depression and anxiety, and work in this area had also been carried out in schools.
There were approximately 40,000 children and adolescents who were not in the education system. The Government had identified them and was encouraging them to go back to school. School dropout had dropped between 2021 and 2023. Children within the educational system had the right to participation. There was a participation model which placed children and adolescents closer to the centre on issues which related to them. A campaign had been drafted to reduce racial discrimination, and another to address violence in the education system. The shared responsibility of families was promoted throughout the education system, and child rearing skills programmes were offered, including on communication skills, emotional sympathy, learning support, preventing sexual violence, and teenage pregnancy, among others. Over one million families benefited from these sessions in 2024.
Teen pregnancy was an issue of concern in the country, particularly the health of the baby due to malnutrition. The teen fertility rate had decreased. There were many communications strategies which addressed the issue of teen pregnancy. There was a law in force for abortion in cases of violence. Pregnancy in the case of rape could be terminated up to 12 weeks.
Questions by Committee Experts
VELINA TODOROVA, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, asked if the malnutrition of the baby was really the key issue when it came to teen pregnancy? Could examples of the messaging to pregnant girls be provided? Had it been considered that boys or men who were responsible for the pregnancy also needed to receive messages? The Committee had received many reports that the phenomenon of child marriage existed, and was underrated by the Government. Information had been received that around 30,000 girls lived in early unions, particularly in Amazon communities. There was an increase in early unions between girls 12 and 14 years old. Many of these adolescent girls remained in these unions until they were 18 and then they married. Did the delegation not consider this a trend which needed the attention of the Government?
Had the State ever considered the reason for the high number of missing girls? Was it likely that some of these girls were sold by parents or were involved in prostitution? One form of using children in prostitution was the so-called “prepaid” with contact being made discreetly and in advance. What were the policies of the Government regarding this issue?
MARY BELOFF, Committee Expert and Taskforce Coordinator, said it was a pleasure to hear the focus being placed on resource allocation to guarantee rights in early childhood. This trend was promising, and it was hoped it would be consolidated in coming years. What would the budgetary allocation be for the new Code of Children and Adolescents? Were there any plans to increase the investment per capita amongst children? What was the State planning to do to reach out to all vulnerable populations to grapple with the issue of recruitment proactively?
A Committee Expert said between January and November 2024, there had been nine complaints of enforced disappearance, 80 complaints of torture, and 145 complaints of excessive use of force. It would appear the poorest neighbourhoods were the most impacted. What was the State doing to prevent this pattern? Afro-Ecuadorians, migrants and trans children were groups which faced discrimination. There were two cases before the court on trans children. What was the State doing to address this issue of discrimination?
Another Expert asked if the consent form was used in cases of all children in terms of abortion? Could a minor give their consent for abortion? Were parents informed if their child requested an abortion? Was there any special support put in place for young girls to ascertain if the pregnancy was the result of a rape? What was being done to protect the young girls in this context?
An Expert asked if a young girl who was over the age of 14 who was pregnant due to rape was required to bring the pregnancy to term?
VELINA TODOROVA, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, asked about the inclusiveness of policies for children with disabilities in the areas of care and education? Did Ecuador implement a policy of inclusive education and community-based care for children who could not stay with their families? What was the difference between comprehensive child development services and specialised comprehensive rehabilitation centres of the Ministry of Health?
ZARA RATOU, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, said in the case of children deprived of a family environment, the technical standard was part of the strategy for the deinstitutionalisation of children and promoted their reintegration into the family environment. What progress had been made in terms of ending institutionalisation and the adoption of a strategy and action plan for the deinstitutionalisation of children and adolescents to take into account judicial proceedings? Was there information on the effective implementation of the technical standard of family support, family custody, and foster care? Had a framework been set up by the Government to guarantee extended coverage for children? What measures had been taken to facilitate the rehabilitation and social reintegration of children? What measures had been taken to strengthen the capacity of professionals working with families and children, including judges, law enforcement, and social workers to ensure alternative care solutions?
What measures had been taken by the Government to speed up the national adoption process, including by increasing the number of family judges and ensuring that properly trained professionals worked in foster care centres? Could information be provided on the implementation and results of the application of the technical standard of family support, family custody, and foster care placement to expedite the adoption process?
What steps was the Government taking to adopt a comprehensive strategy to ensure equal access to essential health services for children living in marginalised situations? How did the State maintain and strengthen measures to achieve universal immunisation coverage, such as the 2023 national immunisation campaign for a polio-free, measles-free, and rubella-free Ecuador? What measures had the Government implemented to maintain and strengthen Ecuador's national strategy to ensure that children grow up free of child malnutrition? What was the Government doing to improve prevention strategies on anaemia, diarrhoea, and respiratory diseases? What support was given to breastfeeding campaigns? What measures was the Government taking to provide appropriate support to mothers through counselling structures in hospitals and the implementation of the baby-friendly hospitals initiative throughout the country?
According to the information received, the suicide rate had increased from 1.7 per cent in 2018 to 7.2 per cent in 2022. Could information be provided on the adoption and implementation of the national mental health policy and the national suicide prevention strategy? Ms. Ratou commended the Government for the efforts of the intersectoral policy for the prevention of pregnancy among girls and adolescents, which had achieved remarkable results in 2019-2022. However,
could more information on the implementation of the policy for the prevention of pregnancies be provided? How was the Government providing children and adolescents with accurate and objective information on the prevention of substance abuse, such as tobacco and alcohol?
What steps had been taken to improve the follow-up treatment of HIV/AIDS-infected mothers and their children? Were there revised and harmonised laws and policies on HIV/AIDS to ensure access to confidential HIV testing services? What measures had been taken to provide counselling to adolescents without the need for parental consent? Was there specific data on government strategies to protect intersex children? What steps were being taken to fully guarantee the rights of inter-sex children?
MARY BELOFF, Committee Expert and Taskforce Coordinator, asked if any mechanism had been implemented to allow children who were not registered to benefit from cash transfers? What strategy could be used to reach these children who lived in remote areas? What was the State’s responsibility in terms of the oil and mining industry and its impact on the environment, which could violate the rights of children and adolescents? What mechanisms were there for oversight and sanctioning? What were the mitigation measures used to address the environmental impacts felt by the country? Was there any policy on this issue? How often were the most affected communities consulted?
BENYAM MEZMUR, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, acknowledged the efforts made by the State party despite the challenges. Significant resources went to the education of children between the ages of five and 17. How would early childhood education be addressed? What had been the impact of interventions to address school dropout? Had there been improvements to the water and sanitation systems in schools? The intersectoral policy for the prevention of pregnancy in girls and adolescents was positively noted. Why were all complaints not transferred to the Ombudsman’s office? What was the criteria to establish which complaints were transferred? The State should be congratulated on progress in learning outcomes since the COVID-19 pandemic. What was the Government doing to move beyond this?
Some school bus drivers were recognised as committing sexual violence against children. How was the State addressing this? There were concerns about access to justice for asylum seeking migrants and children. How would this be addressed? There were also concerns around the regularisation process in the State party. To what extent were temporary residents’ visas being issued to individuals? How would the Government address shortcomings faced by migrant children, particularly those from Venezuela? To what extent were efforts to combat xenophobic speech against migrant and refugee children effective? Could information be provided on children in street situations, including violence faced at the hands of law officials? There were concerns around the lack of resources for monitoring of rehabilitation centres, where children were deprived of their liberty. What was the State party doing to address this challenge? Would 14 be maintained as the criminal age of responsibility?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said over 37,000 members of the armed forces and 57,000 police officers were trained on the principles of human rights, and manuals, protocols, and training modules had been developed on protecting the rights of children and adolescents. There were internal investigation units that could issue sanctions against police officers and armed forces personnel who committed human rights violations. The Attorney-General also conducted investigations of such cases and could pursue criminal proceedings.
An inter-sectoral prevention policy was in place to reduce incidences of teenage pregnancy. Personalised school curricula and virtual learning platforms had been developed for girls who fell pregnant. The State had sexual and reproductive health education programmes, manuals on adolescent health, and over 1,000 health centres providing reproductive health care for adolescents. The Ministry of Health was working to properly implement the law on the voluntary termination of pregnancy and had trained over 5,000 public health workers on the law.
The State party was working to use online tools to identify and prevent cases of gender-based violence. There was a national plan in place to prevent violence against children and a safe schools project. The State sought to guarantee clear paths of redress for victims of ill treatment. More than 33,000 teachers had been trained in early detection of incidences of violence.
The bill on the rights of boys, girls, and adolescents, which sought to establish a governing body on the rights of children and adolescents, was being debated in the National Assembly. The budget for children and adolescents had significantly increased in recent years. For example, from 2021 to 2025, the budget for early childhood education had increased by more than 20 per cent. In 2024, there was a 1.5 per cent reduction in the poverty rate from 2023, from 26 to 24.5 per cent. The State party had implemented various actions, including cash transfers and vouchers, to reduce the poverty rate.
State law guaranteed comprehensive care for all children with HIV, who were entitled to free treatment. Programmes promoting screening for HIV and child prophylaxis had helped to reduce mother-to-child transmission.
The State party also aimed to improve the availability and quality of mental health care clinics across the country. The organic law on mental health established processes for diagnosis, rehabilitation, and reintegration into the community.
Ecuador had established support groups for mothers that encouraged breastfeeding. The breastfeeding rate had recently increased from 51 to 53 per cent. Over 3,000 breastfeeding-friendly areas had been certified by the State. A book on baby nutrition had been produced and breast milk banks had been set up.
Ecuador had a national immunisation project that was based on World Health Organization guidelines. Eighteen vaccinations were provided to children and adults by public health care clinics. The rate of children who were vaccinated before the age of one had increased to 91 per cent. Vaccinations were voluntary and free of charge. Interventions in remote provinces had been carried out to promote vaccination. In the second half of 2025, the State party would start to provide cellular vaccinations against various diseases.
One of the pillars of the State’s strategy to tackle malnutrition was to improve access to safe water supplies. The national Government was supporting decentralised governments to bolster the development of water filtration. The prevalence of acute diarrhoea and respiratory infections in children under two had decreased in recent years.
Alternative care modalities, including institutional and foster care, had been established to provide care to children who were victims of violence. A national guardianship programme was also in place to bolster family ties and reduce institutionalisation. Over 19 million United States dollars had been invested in the protection system in 2024. The State party focused on deinstitutionalisation and family integration. Placement in foster homes was a measure of last resort. An independent committee was monitoring the implementation of child protection policies. There were two specialised units working to care for child victims of trafficking and reinsert them into family environments.
Ecuador had regulated the adoption process and was working to reduce delays in the process. Registration of adoptive families was now done online. An entry interview was conducted and families were assessed, then they underwent a four-week training course. Adoption units monitored the situation in adoptive families for two years after children were adopted.
Ecuador recognised the right of children and adolescents to live in a safe environment. The State’s second nationally determined contribution under the Paris Agreement for 2026 to 2035 was approved yesterday. It highlighted indigenous knowledge as key to combatting climate change, and aimed to ensure social protection for children, encouraging them to engage in climate action. A roundtable on the protection of environmental human rights defenders had been set up and was drafting a public policy on their protection. Standards on free, prior and informed consent had been developed and were considered in court cases relating to development projects.
The Constitution, the Organic Law on Disability, and the Code on Children and Adolescents promoted the rights of children with disabilities. Over 1,400 caregivers participated in a support network for children with disabilities. Subsidies, vouchers, and pensions were provided to families caring for persons with disabilities to lighten the economic burden. Around 34 million United States dollars was allocated to this annually. In 2023 and 2024, there were over 38,000 students with disabilities in the regular school system, while around 3,000 were enrolled in special schools. A public policy was in place to prevent violence against children with disabilities. Around 1,300 civil servants had been trained to improve care for children with disabilities. The State party sought to broaden programmes for children with disabilities in remote areas and ensure that they could fully enjoy their rights.
Questions by Committee Experts
MARY BELOFF, Committee Expert and Taskforce Coordinator, asked whether the worsening security situation in the country would affect public opinion regarding proposed legislation on the rights of children and adolescents. The various reforms of the social protection sector were very welcome. Why was there such a high number of persons behind bars? What measures were in place to provide alternatives to detention for adolescents?
VELINA TODOROVA, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, asked why no information had been provided on cases of the use of force by State officials against children in 2017 and 2022? A commission had been established to investigate allegations of sexual abuse against children by members of the Catholic Church in 2017, which identified several cases of cover-ups of such abuse. Did the State party plan to establish a Truth Commission related to this issue? How were teachers, parents, and children prepared to support children with disabilities in inclusive education? What was meant by the concept of “care by agreement”?
BENYAM MEZMUR, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, cited concerns regarding the potential abuse of children’s rights in the implementation of the state of emergency. How would the State party prevent this? Were there plans to develop distinct legislation addressing the recruitment of children by non-State armed groups? There had reportedly been a decline in vaccination coverage recently; why was this?
ZARA RATOU, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, asked whether cellular vaccines, which could have undesired effects on children, would be administered to them.
Other Committee Experts asked questions on strategies to address high rates of child murders and suicides; measures to protect children from structural violence and organised crime; plans for full vaccination against the pneumococcal virus and polio; the coverage of the sexual and reproductive health education programme; measures to protect children in the Galapagos islands from abuse; plans to restore speciality to the juvenile justice system; why children vaccinated in the public sector did not receive the same vaccines as in the private sector; when the State party would update the national vaccination schedule; measures to ensure all births were registered; whether pregnant girls’ parents needed to consent to abortions; whether the national preventive mechanism provided specialised oversight of the detention of children; and inquiries into human rights violations occurring in international intercountry adoptions.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said thousands of institutions were providing inclusive education for children with disabilities, and over 126,000 teachers had received training on providing inclusive education. A new national curriculum had been developed to encourage inclusive education, and there were also models of education tailored to the needs of children with various disabilities. A programme had been developed to support children whose education had been delayed and there were policies in place to promote reinsertion for children who had dropped out of school. Around one per cent of educational institutions were in a state of disrepair. The State party was investing more funds in refurbishing schools. A voluntary early childhood education system had been developed, and 18,000 children were enrolled in the system.
All complaints of sexual violence occurring in schools needed to be reported to the police. Health services provided psychological care to child victims. Schools were required to report complaints of abuse of students by bus drivers, which prosecutors duly investigated. Data on violence in schools was collected to inform public protection policies and to provide specialised care to students. A plan of action to prevent gender-based violence against children with disabilities in the education system was being implemented.
Ecuador had growing rates of violence and terrorist crimes, which were an affront to the State’s sovereignty. Given this situation, the Government declared a state of emergency in 2024. All states of emergency were reviewed by the Constitutional Court, which had found them to be lawful. All policies administered under states of emergency respected the rights of children and adolescents and promoted peace and human rights.
The Constitution banned discrimination based on migration status. The organic law on people on the move and other legislation ensured the rights of all migrant children in Ecuador and the provision of comprehensive care to them. A specialised policy had been developed on caring for and regularising the status of unaccompanied minors. Between 2021 and 2025, more than 4,900 children and adolescents were granted international protection by Ecuador. Single parent migrant families had access to free legal representation. There was an awareness raising campaign in place aiming to prevent discrimination against migrants on the northern border. Guides had been developed that promoted the inclusion of migrant children in society and the education system. All foreign persons had the same access to education and healthcare as Ecuadorian nationals.
Ecuador had stepped up efforts to combat trafficking in persons. It had produced guidance booklets against these crimes and was implementing preventive checks at border points. The State party had managed to prevent over 3,000 irregular exits by children in recent years. Training had been provided to border officials on detecting victims of trafficking, and an interactive map had been developed that displayed patterns in criminal activity. Funding in the response to trafficking had been boosted in recent years.
The police had a unit that was investigating illegal intercountry adoptions and taking measures to prevent such adoptions. A protocol for the searching for the origins of adoptees had been developed.
Measures had been taken to prevent cases of excessive use of force by the police against children from reoccurring. Institutional guidelines had been developed to protect the rights of citizens involved in demonstrations, and an organic law regulating the legitimate use of force had been developed and disseminated. The State party recognised that all children and adolescents had the right to protest peacefully.
The State party was raising awareness of the importance of juvenile justice. Measures imposed on adolescents aimed to ensure that they could rehabilitate and return to society. These measures could be applied on adolescents for a minimum period of one year and a maximum of eight, depending on the severity of the crime. There were custodial and non-custodial socio-educational measures. Units for social reintegration had bedrooms instead of cells, recreational areas, canteens, and educational workshops. Around 430 adolescents were housed in these units, around half of whom had committed rape. The “good citizenship” programme was addressing the issue of adolescent rape. No young persons had passed away in these centres in 2024.
Parents did not need to give permission for girls to seek abortions. Babies needed to be registered within 45 days of birth. The cellular vaccine that the State would use had been scientifically tested and found to be safe for children aged six months and over.
Concluding Remarks
MARY BELOFF, Committee Expert and Taskforce Coordinator, thanked the delegation for its efforts to answer the Committee’s questions. The dialogue had provided insight on the issues faced by Ecuador and areas that needed to be focused on in public policies. Ecuador had expressed its commitment to implementing the Convention. The Committee hoped that the State party would be able to achieve its goals for the benefit of all children.
ZAIDA ROVIRA, Minister of Economic and Social Inclusion of Ecuador, said that the dialogue had been sincere and candid. The delegation had provided information on the implementation of the Convention through public policies, plans, and programmes aimed at protecting the rights of children and adolescents. It had submitted official, verified information that it hoped had dispelled the Committee’s concerns. It called for the Committee’s support to build a system for the protection of all children and adolescents. It hoped to make its policies a reality in a short space of time.
The State party had a debt to children and adolescents in the country. It was committed to taking on its challenges by increasing the budget for children, developing robust standards and laws and an institutional system with sufficiently trained staff, and promoting cooperation with civil society. The topics discussed in the dialogue would inform the State’s future efforts for children and adolescents.
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