Ecuador

Year-end Overview

Plan Overview

Working environment

 
Despite the peace agreement in Colombia, Colombians continue to seek asylum in Ecuador. Up to 6,500 asylum-seekers are expected in 2018, including an increasing number from Venezuela and the Middle East.
Refugees in Ecuador have the same rights as Ecuadorian nationals, including the right to work but, like for many Ecuadorians, the economic situation makes it difficult to access adequate employment opportunities. Despite the Government lacking the financial means to address all needs of refugees, their legal protection and access to basic services are secured by the Constitution and Human Mobility Law. The services provided by the Government include access to education and healthcare. 
 
UNHCR will continue to support government efforts to implement the Human Mobility Law and consolidate improvements made in the asylum system, and will continue to advocate for local integration opportunities, including naturalisation.
 
UNHCR’s goal in Ecuador in line with the multi-year multi-partner strategy (2018-2020) is to gradually and responsibly disengage from direct assistance activities, so that refugee assistance can be included in existing public services and programmes. This is also congruent with Ecuador’s legal framework whereby the state has the responsibility to protect and assist refugees. However, the Government is expected to face challenges financing its social protection programmes. Despite the gradual hand-over of responsibilities, UNHCR will continue to work on advocacy, technical assistance and capacity building, in line with its protection and solutions mandate.
 

Key priorities

 
In 2018, UNHCR will focus on:

• Strengthening the national refugee status determination (RSD) system. In addition to continuing to assist with capacity building, structural changes in Ecuador’s International Protection Directorate re required to meet minimum standards and avoid a recurring backlog.  UNHCR will provide technical assistance through its Quality Assurance Initiative;
• The registration of refugees in the Civil Registry and issuance of national ID cards, thus allowing unhindered access to services;
• Strengthening the capacity of the Public Defender and the Ombudsman to provide legal assistance to refugees and asylum-seekers;
• Achieving self-reliance for refugees in Ecuador. In 2018, UNHCR will continue with the ‘Graduation model’, which aims to lift people of concern out of poverty, making them self-reliant, and facilitating  their local integration.