Inclusion of the artistic and cultural fields in the National Equality Agendas

In the context of the process of building instruments to ensure the inclusion and approach of mainstreaming issues to be considered in the generation of national public policy and in the attention to the needs of its population, Ecuador, has implemented five (5) national agendas that seek to contribute to the construction of equality in the country. These agendas are articulated with public policies and are based on the guiding principles of equality and participation stated in the Constitution and in the National Development Plan.

The construction of these agendas was led by the National Equality Councils with the technical accompaniment of the Technical Planning Secretariat. They cover the following approaches:

Gender: developed by the National Council for Gender Equality (CNIG, in English).
Intergenerational: prepared by the National Council for Intergenerational Equality (CNII, in English), with the support of the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion (MIES, in English).
Interculturality: developed by the National Council for the Equality of Peoples and Nationalities.
Disability: prepared by the National Council for the Equality of Persons withDisabilities (CONADIS, in English); and
Human Mobility : developed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility.
These agendas are responsible for mainstreaming equality approaches into different public policies nationwide.

Each of them covers citizen participation in the cultural field, such as the participation of people with disabilities, women, LGBTI people and people of different ages in the artistic and cultural sphere. Each agenda has an axis that refers to the cultural and artistic aspects to be implemented, and in coordination with the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, compliance goals are set and baselines are established to monitor and evaluate the public policies developed for this purpose. Below is the description of the axes and policies set out in each of the agendas:

Agenda Axis Policy Action
National Agenda for the Equality of Persons with Disabilities (2017-2021) Accessible tourism, art, culture, and sports Promoting the training and professionalization of persons with disabilities in the artistic-cultural field. Implementing the Institute for the Promotion of Arts, Creation and Creativity IFAYC [sic] (in Spanish).
Including equity criteria for evaluation in RUAC and IFAYC [sic]. Incentives for artists with disabilities.
Socializing training opportunities and the benefits of obtaining professional accreditation among persons with disabilities.
Promoting the participation of artists and cultural managers with disabilities in artistic and cultural projects. Disseminating existing entrepreneurship and competitive fund offerings among managers and artists with disabilities.
Including within the parameters of allocation of competitive funds, incentives for the participation of managers and artists with disabilities."
National Agenda for the Equality of Women and LGBTI People (2018-2021) Culture Leadership and transformation of sociocultural patterns By stating policies that take into account the needs and demands of specific groups; and, above all, to take on the challenge of generating information on the situation, role and contribution to the culture of women and LGBTI people. This will provide elements for the formulation of programmes and policies to ensure the exercise of this right to this population. Undoubtedly, the most important role of culture and education is the transformation of socio-cultural patterns, through the promotion and dissemination of various forms of expression and understanding of the world of the various social groups, organizations, associations, peoples, and nationalities. Through culture, group imaginaries can be created to identify with each other, in multiple unconventional non-imposed ways, breaking binary, sexist, chauvinistic, homophobic, lesbophobic or transphobic schemes and patterns.
Agenda for the equality of rights of indigenous nationalities and peoples, Afro-Ecuadorians and Montubios 2019 -- 2021 Culture Public Policies with an intercultural approach The strengthening of the identity and sense of relevance of peoples and nationalities in the constitutional guarantee on the respect for diversity and protection of rights regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, health status or other distinction that gives rise to discrimination is promoted. This is stated in article 57 of Title 1 of the Constitution: "Freely maintaining, developing and strengthening one's identity, sense of belonging, ancestral traditions and forms of social organization.
National Human Mobility Agenda 2017-2021 Ecuadorian migrants Strengthening the bonds of identity and link with Ecuador of Ecuadorian communities abroad and provide them with the corresponding information and services. Generating spaces for meeting and promoting the interculturality of the Ecuadorian community abroad.
Foreign immigrants Providing guidance on access to health, education, freedom of association and participation Promoting the associativity of immigrants for access to culture, sports, and social projects

National Agenda for Intergenerational Equality Teenagers Preventing teen pregnancy, risk factors and sexually transmitted infections (particularly HIV) by promoting sexual and reproductive rights
Implementing comprehensive sexual education programs from early childhood, with a focus on human rights, gender, and intersectionality, in which the affectivity and respect for the progressive autonomy of adolescents over their sexuality are recognized.
Preventing teen suicide
Fostering interventions to promote cultural, sports and recreational activities, particularly in public spaces, aimed at adolescents for the use of free time and the prevention of suicide
Preventing the use and consumption of
alcohol and drugs in adolescents and
strengthening care services
for teens with problematic consumption Implementing programs for the proper use of adolescent free time, linked to educational and community spaces, as a mechanism for
drug use prevention
Preventing crime in adolescents Fostering interventions to promote cultural, sports and recreational activities, particularly in public spaces, aimed at adolescents for the use of free time and crime prevention
Reducing malnutrition, undernourishment and promoting
healthy lifestyle habits
in teens Promoting sports and family recreational activities with an emphasis on teens
Youth Preventing suicide in young people Fostering interventions to promote cultural, sports and recreational activities, particularly in public spaces, aimed at young people for the use of free time and the prevention of suicide.

The National Equality Agendas are technical and political instruments that guide the State's action on gender equality, intergenerational equality, equality of persons with disabilities, equality of rights for people in human mobility situations, and equality of rights for persons belonging to different peoples and nationalities of Ecuador. The Agendas consist of axes, policies and actions addressing each of the problems identified through a diagnosis and the construction of indicators. These actions must be included in the plans and programmes of state bodies for their implementation. They are also fundamental instruments for the dialogue between public authorities of the different functions and levels of the State with the civil society and their respective demands, rights, and obligations.

Due to their recent updates, the implementation and execution of the equal approaches contained in these Agendas are still a challenge for institutions, civil society organizations and, particularly, for the stakeholders of the National Culture System of Ecuador, as they represent an effort to articulate each of their axes and objectives in their planning instruments (plans and programs) as well as in the generation of public policies for the artistic and cultural field, and in the actions aimed at monitoring and evaluating the results of such implementation. Nevertheless, the efforts made, nationwide, for the construction of agendas that take into account the different mainstreaming aspects that characterize and define the situation of the Ecuadorian society, such as gender issues, age, nationality, among others, represent a milestone and an achievement that highlights the growing interest in building a national development plan based on equality and the evaluation of public policies, in its different fields of application, including culture, with an inclusion and equity approach.