Human Rights and Freedom in Ecuador

https://www.humantruth.info/ecuador_human_rights_and_freedom.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2018

#ecuador #ecuador_human_rights #human_rights

Ecuador Republic of Ecuador [Country Profile Page]
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	63rd best
Location	South America, The Americas
Population	17.1m₁
Life Expectancy	73.67yrs (2017)₂

Ecuador does relatively well in ensuring human rights and freedom, compared to many other countries. Ecuador does the second-best when it comes to its nominal commitment to Human Rights₃. It comes in the best 20 in freethought₄ (one of the lowest in The Americas). It does better than average when it comes to LGBT equality in the 2020s₅, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₆ (but low for The Americas) and in its average Freedom in the World rating (but high for The Americas). Ecuador doesn't do so well in other areas. Ecuador does worse than average in the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators)₇ (amongst the highest in The Americas), opposing gender inequality₈ (there are 'far-reaching restrictions on womens' and girls' access to reproductive health care'₁₂), supporting press freedom₉, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₁₀ and in combatting modern slavery₁₁. Now Rafael Correa has been replaced as President (in 2017), things are looking to get better, as new President Lenin Moreno "has publicly embraced respect for free speech and promised to deliver a more tolerant government"₁₂.

1. Ecuador's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#ecuador #equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Compared to The Americas (2025)₁₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₃
1	Canada	16.7
2	Uruguay	31.2
3	Costa Rica	38.8
	...
13	El Salvador	69.8
14	Barbados	73.2
15	Panama	75.3
16	Ecuador	75.4
17	Suriname	75.5
18	Guatemala	77.1
19	Jamaica	78.8
20	Honduras	79.4
21	Dominican Rep.	79.7
	The Americas Avg	71.80
q=35.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)₁₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₃
1	Sweden	7.8
2	Netherlands	8.7
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
61	Romania	75.0
62	Ukraine	75.3
63	Panama	75.3
64	Ecuador	75.4
65	Suriname	75.5
66	Guatemala	77.1
67	Macedonia	77.4
68	Vanuatu	78.5
	World Avg	89.80
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, The Netherlands and Denmark₁₄. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, Eritrea and Saudi Arabia₁₄.

31 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, combatting modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₁₄, whereas the worst are The Middle East, Africa and Asia₁₄.

For more, see:

" Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Amnesty International's 2023-23 summary on human rights in Ecuador stated:

“Organizations reported dozens of human rights violations during mass protests in June across the country. Security forces killed a protester in Puyo. At least 146 prisoners were killed amid a crisis in the prison system. Authorities failed to provide truth, justice and reparations to Indigenous communities affected by oil spills. Abortion in cases of rape was decriminalized.”
"The State of the World's Human Rights 2022/23" by Amnesty International (2023)₁₅

Ecuador's laws give the government far too much power in restricting free speech, although as of 2017, the new President Lenin Moreno "has publicly embraced respect for free speech"₁₂

2. Human Rights & Tolerance Datasets

2.1. Press Freedom

#democracy #freedom #Freedom_of_Speech #Good_Governance #mass_media #politics #UK

Press Freedom Higher is better₉
Pos.		2025₉
1	Norway	92.31
2	Estonia	89.46
3	Netherlands	88.64
	...
90	Northern Cyprus	54.84
91	Benin	54.60
92	Bolivia	54.09
93	Ecuador	53.76
94	Tanzania	53.68
95	Serbia	53.55
96	Brunei	53.47
97	Swaziland	52.86
	The Americas Avg	55.99
	World Avg	54.65
q=179.

Ecuador comes 93rd in the world with regard to supporting press freedom.

The freedom to investigate, publish information, and have access to others' opinion is a fundamental part of today's information-driven world, and is linked with Freedom of Speech and Good Governance. Scores on the Press Freedom Index are calculated according to indicators including pluralism - the degree to which opinions are represented in the media, media independence of authorities, self-censorship, legislation, transparency and the infrastructure that supports news and information, and, the level of violence against journalists which includes lengths of imprisonments. The index "does not take direct account of the kind of political system but it is clear that democracies provide better protection for the freedom to produce and circulate accurate news and information than countries where human rights are flouted". The rankings are used as one of the datasets of the Social and Moral Development Index₁₆

It must be noted that press freedom is not an indicator of press quality and the press itself can be abusive; the UK suffers in particular from a popular brand of nasty reporting that infuses several of its newspapers who are particularly prone to running destructive and often untrue campaigns against victims. The Press Freedom Index notes that "the index should in no way be taken as an indicator of the quality of the media in the countries concerned".

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

Averages by decade for Ecuador (for the ranks, lower is better):

Press Freedom	2000s Average	2010s Average
Ecuador:	15.08	67.32
World Rank:	60th	⇣ 103rd
World Avg:	27.44	65.91

2.2. Slavery in the 2020s

#burundi #eritrea #human_rights #indonesia #slavery

Slavery in the 2020s Lower is better₁₁
Pos.		Total Per 1000₁₁
1=	Switzerland	0.50
1=	Norway	0.50
3=	Germany	0.60
	...
115=	Burundi	7.50
116=	Gabon	7.60
116=	Lebanon	7.60
116=	Ecuador	7.60
119	Slovakia	7.70
120=	Colombia	7.80
120=	Equatorial Guinea	7.80
120=	Philippines	7.80
	The Americas Avg	5.84
	World Avg	7.15
q=160.

Ecuador is positioned 116th in the world when it comes to combatting modern slavery.

Modern slavery includes forced labour (often of the under-age), debt bondage (especially generational), sexual slavery, chattel slavery and other forms of abuse, some of which can be surprisingly difficult to detect, but often target those fleeing from warzones, and the poverty-stricken vulnerable.₁₇. Some industries (diamond, clothing, coal) from some countries (Burundi₁₈, Eritrea₁₈, Indonesia₁₉) are a particular concern. The Walk Free Foundation, say in their 2023 report, that 50 million people are living in modern slavery₁₈, and, nearly two-thirds of those in forced labour are employed at the end of supply chains working for large multinationals that creating products consumed by rich countries₂₀.

For more, see:

"The Historical Slave Trade and Modern Slavery" by Vexen Crabtree (2018).

Averages by decade for Ecuador (for the ranks, lower is better):

Slavery	2010s Average	2020s Average
Ecuador:	2.40	7.60
World Rank:	45th	⇣ 116th
World Avg:	6.54	7.15

2.3. Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom

#freedom #politics

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom Lower is better₁₀
Pos.		2014 Rank₁₀
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
94=	Liberia	94
94=	Lesotho	94
96	Kazakhstan	96
97	Ecuador	97
98	Kyrgyzstan	98
99	Tanzania	99
100	Uganda	100
101=	Philippines	101
	The Americas Avg	72.4
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Ecuador comes 97th in the world in terms of supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms.

The Human Freedom Index published by the Fraser Institute is...

“... a broad measure of human freedom, understood as the absence of coercive constraint. It uses 79 distinct indicators of personal and economic freedom in the following areas: Rule of Law, Security and Safety, Movement, Religion, Association, Assembly, and Civil Society, Expression, Relationships, Size of Government, Legal System and Property Rights, Access to Sound Money, Freedom to Trade Internationally, Regulation of Credit, Labor, and Business. [...]
The highest levels of freedom are in Western Europe, Northern Europe, and North America (Canada and the United States. The lowest levels are in the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. [...]
Countries in the top quartile of freedom enjoy a significant higher per capita income ($37,147) [compared with] the least-free quartile [at] $8,700). The HFI finds a strong correlation between human freedom and democracy.”
"The Human Freedom Index" by The Fraser Institute (2016)₂₁

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

2.4. Freedom in the World

#freedom #human_rights #hungary #politics #USA

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
92=	Macedonia	3.0
92=	India	3.0
92=	Fiji	3.0
92=	Ecuador	3.0
92=	Dominican Rep.	3.0
92=	Albania	3.0
92=	Bolivia	3.0
92=	Hungary	3.0
	The Americas Avg	2.7
	World Avg	3.7
q=205.

In terms of its average Freedom in the World rating, Ecuador comes 86th in the world.

Freedom House's long-standing annual report has been running since the 1970s, collecting data on political rights (PR) and civil liberties (CL). Their reports rate countries as "Free", "Partially Free" or "Not Free", however the results here are based on their numerical values. Many countries score the best combination of scores (1 and 1), which is why the table of results show many places equally placed in 1st place. In the past two decades, some well-established democracies like the USA and Hungary have been falling. Whilst most of the world in general is improving rights and freedoms over time, the 2020s has seen some regression.

For more, see:

" Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Averages by decade for Ecuador (for the ranks, lower is better):

Freedom in the World	1970s Average	1980s Average	1990s Average	2000s Average	2010s Average
Ecuador:	4.8	2.2	2.6	3.0	3.1
World Rank:	84th	⇡ 42nd	⇣ 71st	⇣ 95th	⇣ 100th
World Avg:	4.3	4.2	3.6	3.4	3.4

2.5. Human Rights Watch Comments

#human_rights

Human Rights Watch Comments Higher is better₆
Pos.		2017 Score₆
1=	UK	9
1=	France	9
1=	Germany	9
	...
63=	India	-3
63=	Qatar	-3
63=	Tanzania	-3
63=	Ecuador	-3
63=	Colombia	-3
63=	Bolivia	-3
69=	Kenya	-4
69=	Philippines	-4
	The Americas Avg	-0.8
	World Avg	-1.9
q=123.

Regarding commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, Ecuador comes 60th in the world.

Human Rights Watch comments concentrate mostly on negative issues, however, they also make positive comments for those countries that engage in human rights defence around the world, or who make improvements at home. By adding up positive and negative comments (including double-points for negatives that involve large scales and crimes against humanity), the Social and Moral Index turns HRW commentary into quantified values. Some countries may be unfairly penalized because HRW have not examined them, and, some countries "get away" with abuses if they manage to hide it, or if it goes unnoticed - a negative point has been given for those countries in which HRW specifically state that access to investigators has been barred. The points were limited to a minimum of -10 because there are some points at which things are so bad, with abuses affecting so many, it is difficult to be more specific about the depths of the issues.

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

2.6. Nominal Commitment to HR

#human_rights

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better₃
Pos.		2009 Treaties₃
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
2=	Ecuador	23
2=	Germany	23
2=	Mexico	23
2=	Peru	23
2=	Spain	23
2=	Slovenia	23
2=	Paraguay	23
2=	Serbia	23
2=	Sweden	23
	The Americas Avg	16.5
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

With respect to its nominal commitment to Human Rights, Ecuador ranks 2nd-best in the world - only Argentina does better.

There are many international agreements on human rights, and, many mechanisms by which countries can be brought to account for their actions. Together, these have been the biggest historical movement in the fight against oppression and inhumanity. Or, putting it another way: these are rejected mostly by those who wish to oppress inhumanely. None of them are perfect and many people object to various components and wordings, but, no-one has come up with, and enforced, better methods of controlling the occasional desires that states and peoples have of causing angst for other states and peoples in a violent, unjust or inhumane way. Points are awarded for the number of human rights agreements ratified by the country, plus the acceptance of the petition mechanisms for disputes. The maximum possible score in 2009 was 24.

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

2.7. HR Treaties Lag

#human_rights #international_law #micronesia #politics #small_islands

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better₂₂
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty₂₂
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
4	Colombia	3.68
5	Costa Rica	4.05
6	Mexico	4.08
7	Chile	4.12
8	Philippines	4.19
9	Bulgaria	4.24
10	Panama	4.26
11	Senegal	4.32
12	Namibia	4.36
	The Americas Avg	8.45
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Ecuador comes best in the world in terms of speed of uptake of HR treaties.

Human Rights (HR) Treaties Lag is a count of how long it took each country to sign each of 11 key HR treaties. From the date of the first signatory of each treaty, all other countries have one point added to their score for each day they delayed in signing. Results are presented as average time in years to sign each one. The lower a country's score, the more enthusiastically it has taken on international Human Rights Treaties - which are, of course, minimal standards of good governance. The slowest are the countries of Micronesia, Melanesia, Australasia and Polynesia all lagged by over 12 years per treaty. The best regions are The Americas, Scandinavia and the Mediterranean.

For more, see:

" Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

3. Gender Equality Datasets

Ecuador has made some steps towards ending gender inequality but much more needs to be done.

Access to official abortion doctors is far too limited.

“”
Fear of being criminally prosecuted for having an abortion drives some women and girls to have illegal and unsafe abortions and impedes health care and services for victims of sexual violence. The Prosecutor´s Office reports that 184 women have been prosecuted since August 2014 for having a "voluntary abortion."
Government statistics released in 2010, the latest year for which data is available, indicate that one in four women and girls over 15 years old in Ecuador has been a victim of sexual violence.”
"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₁₂

See:

"Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

3.1. Gender Inequality

#gender #gender_equality #human_rights #misogyny #women

Gender Inequality Lower is better₈
Pos.		2022₈
1	Denmark	0.01
2	Norway	0.01
3	Switzerland	0.02
	...
85	El Salvador	0.37
86	Mauritius	0.37
87	Peru	0.37
88	Ecuador	0.37
89	Sri Lanka	0.37
90	Lebanon	0.38
91	Vietnam	0.38
92	Philippines	0.39
	The Americas Avg	0.36
	World Avg	0.34
q=166.

Ecuador comes 88th in the world when it comes to opposing gender inequality.

The UN Human Development Reports include statistics on gender equality which take into account things like maternal mortality, access to political power (seats in parliament) and differences between male and female education rates. Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchalism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

For more, see:

"Gender Equality" by Vexen Crabtree (2023).

Averages by decade for Ecuador (for the ranks, lower is better):

Gender Inequality	1990s Average	2000s Average	2010s Average
Ecuador:	0.59	0.47	0.40
World Rank:	84th	84th	⇣ 86th
World Avg:	0.44	0.41	0.37

3.2. Gender Biases

#gender #gender_equality #prejudice #women

Gender Biases Lower is better₇
Pos.		2022 %₇
1	Sweden	31.8₂₃
2	New Zealand	34.4₂₄
3	Australia	37.0₂₄
	...
43	Turkey	91.6₂₄
44	China	91.8₂₄
45	Armenia	92.1₂₄
46	Ecuador	92.3₂₄
47	Venezuela	92.4₂₄
48	Nicaragua	93.2₂₄
49	Kazakhstan	93.4₂₄
50	Morocco	93.7₂₄
	The Americas Avg	82.90
	World Avg	83.93
q=88.

Regarding the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), Ecuador is positioned 46th in the world (one of the worst in The Americas).

The Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) looks at gender biases across seven criteria; the % given here is for the total people who are biased across any of those criteria. By subtracting the value from 100%, you can see that those who do well on this index, you are seeing a count of those who do not appear to be biased against women in any of the criteria, and so, doing well on this index is a very positive sign for any country.

The data was included in UN (2022) with full results in Annex table AS6.7.1; their data stems for ranges between 2005 and 2022, depending on the country in question.

3.3. Year Women Can Vote

#christianity #gender_equality #human_rights #politics #women

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Total Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
150=	Botswana	1965
151=	Tuvalu	1967
151=	Kiribati	1967
151=	Ecuador	1967
154=	Swaziland	1968
154=	Nauru	1968
156=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	1970
156=	Congo, DR	1970
	The Americas Avg	1947
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Ecuador is positioned 151st in the world regarding the year from which women could participate in democracy.

Women now have equal rights in the vast majority of countries across the world. Although academic literature oftens talks of when a country "grants women the right to vote", this enforces a backwards way of thinking. Women always had the right to vote, however, they were frequently denied that right. The opposition to women's ability to vote in equality with man was most consistently and powerfully opposed by the Catholic Church, other Christian organisations, Islamic authorities and some other religious and secular traditionalists.

For more, see:

"Gender Equality" by Vexen Crabtree (2023).

4. Prejudice Datasets

4.1. LGBT Equality in the 2020s

#equality #homosexuality #human_rights #ICCPR #intolerance #sexuality #tolerance

Artificial restrictions on personal and family life mean that same-sex couples cannot marry, although since 2008 a limited civil-unions law does provide a way for homosexual couples to get some legal protections₁₂.

LGBT Equality in the 2020s Higher is better₅
Pos.		Total Score₅
1=	Germany	4.88
1=	Spain	4.88
3	Portugal	4.81
	...
28	New Zealand	2.73
29	Ireland	2.63
30	Montenegro	2.57
31	Ecuador	2.55
32	Peru	2.40
33	Slovenia	2.38
34	Japan	2.31
35	Liechtenstein	2.30
	The Americas Avg	0.41
	World Avg	-1.21
q=215.

Ecuador ranks 31st in the world in terms of LGBT equality in the 2020s.

Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) folk is rife across the world. Legal restrictions co-exist alongside social stigmatisation and physical violence₂₅. LGBT tolerance and equal rights have been fought for country-by-country against tightly entrenched cultural and religious opposition. Adult consensual sexual activity is a Human Right and protected by privacy laws₂₆. Despite this, it is illegal to be homosexual in over 60 countries (as of 2025)₂₇. The Vexen LGBT Equality Index as part of the Social and Moral Development Index grants points to each country depending on its LGBT stance since the 1970s₂₈_,₂₉. Europe is by far the least prejudiced region, but in the Middle East and Africa cultural prejudice goes hand-in-hand with state intolerance, all too often including physical violence.

For more, see:

" LGBT Rights Across the World: Which are the Best and Worst Countries?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Homosexuality in Ecuador has been legal since 1997 when the Constitutional Tribunal struck down Article 516 of the Penal Code, with an equal age of consent regardless of orientation. Civil unions have been recognized since 2008. Ecuador is notable for being one of the first countries in the world (1998) to constitutionally ban discrimination based on sexual orientation. ILGA researchers in 2017 found that Ecuador had constitutional and legal protections against anti-LGBT employment discrimination, hate crime, incitement and other protections. Same-sex marriage was legalized in 2019.

Actions taken at the United Nations:

⇡ Supported the 2008 Declaration at the UN General Assemly affirming LGBTQ rights, tabled by Argentina.
⇡ Voted in favour of the 2011 Resolution at the UN Human Rights Council posted by South Africa, requesting a report on discrimination and violence against LGBTQ folk.
⇡ In 2025, signed the UN Human Rights Council Joint statement on ending acts of violence and human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
⇣ Voted for the 2016 UN Human Rights Council Resolution 32/2 to create the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
⇡ In 2025, voted to renew the UN Human Rights Council Independent Expert on discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Averages by decade for Ecuador (for the ranks, lower is better):

LGBT Equality	1970s Average	1980s Average	1990s Average	2000s Average	2010s Average	2020s Average
Ecuador:	-5.00	-5.00	-3.85	1.56	4.17	2.55
World Rank:	136th	⇣ 138th	⇡ 136th	⇡ 49th	⇡ 24th	⇣ 31st
World Avg:	-2.98	-2.87	-2.60	-2.15	-1.10	-1.21

4.2. Freedom of Thought

#europe #freedom_of_belief #freethought #human_rights #netherlands #religion #religious_tolerance #secularism #the_enlightenment

Freedom of Thought Lower is better₄
Pos.		2021₄
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
4=	Ecuador	1.3
4=	Bolivia	1.3
4=	Sao Tome & Principe	1.3
4=	Nauru	1.3
4=	France	1.3
9=	Sweden	1.5
9=	Iceland	1.5
9=	Norway	1.5
9=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	1.5
	The Americas Avg	2.7
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

Ecuador is 4th-best in the world regarding freethought.

Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Belief are upheld in Article 18 the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights₃₀. It affirms that it is a basic human right that all people are free to change their beliefs and religion as they wish₃₁. No countries voted against this (although eight abstained). This right was first recognized clearly in the policies of religious toleration of the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe in the post-enlightenment era₃₂ of the 19th century. In democratic countries, freedom of belief and religion is now taken for granted₃₃. In 2016 a study found that over 180 countries in the world had come to guarantee freedom of religion and belief₃₄. The best countries at doing so are Belgium, The Netherlands and Taiwan₄_,₃₅ and the worst: Afghanistan, N. Korea, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia₄_,₃₆.

Long-term studies have shown that religious violence and persecution both decrease in cultures where religious freedom is guaranteed₃₇. Despite this, there still are many who are strongly against freedom of belief₃₁, including entire cultures and many individual communities of religious believers. Their alternative is that you are not free to believe what you want and they often state that you cannot change religion without being punished (often including the death penalty): this is bemoaned as one of the most dangerous elements of religion₃₈ and "the denial of religious freedoms is inevitably intertwined with the denial of other freedoms"₃₉ and the solution is, everywhere, to allow religious freedom and the freedom of belief.

For more, see:

"Freethought - Freedom of Belief and Freedom of Religion" by Vexen Crabtree (2022).