ᮡ CULTURE AND PUBLIC POLICIES •ECUADOR Formulation of a Gender and Interculturality Policy for the Sectoral Heritage Council

CONTEXT Established under the Constitution in February 2007, the and Cultural Diversity Programme”, in which they analysed, Heritage Ministry is responsible for coordinating intangible debated and agreed to implement the sectoral gender and heritage policies and activities conducted by institutions such interculturality policy. as the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Sport, the Ministry of the Environment, the Department of Peoples and Civic Participation and the National Cultural Heritage Institute. Thus, owing to the Heritage Ministry, the public sector is adapting structurally to a new form of institutional manage- ment that incorporates ethnic and cultural diversity and gen- Without a doubt, the most important factors in the der equality. This is the context in which the gender and formulation of the sectoral gender and interculturality interculturality policy was formulated for the Sectoral Heritage Council in order to halt the racism, ethnic and gen- policy were the integration of the “gender” and “inter- der exclusion and social inequality that deprive indigenous culturality” approaches and acknowledgement of the

peoples, Afro-Ecuadorians, peasants and poor mestizos of ultsneed for commitment to improving the living conditions © UNESCO/I. Fernandez opportunities. of people belonging to the country’s most disadvan- taged ethnic groups. Programmes and activities devised PROCESS under this policy will therefore be required to factor in Programmes and The Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Sport, the Ministry of the Environment, the Department of Peoples and Civic interlinked gender and interculturality considerations activities devised Participation and the National Cultural Heritage Institute all Resand to prioritize Ecuador’s minority and marginalized under this policy will participated in the formulation of the public gender and in- population groups. The direct beneficiaries will include therefore be required terculturality policy. This policy, a trailblazer in Latin America, not only the specific target group but also the general also takes the demands set out in the agenda of Ecuador’s population, which will be made aware of these pressing to factor in interlinked indigenous women’s associations into account. Drawing on issues owing to various media (press, radio and televi- gender and intercultur- a wide variety of bibliographical documents on the stark in- equalities that mainly affect indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian sion) campaigns and improvements in the implementa- ality considerations women, the country’s female peasants, tenant farmers, tion of future projects. and to prioritize coastal peasants and poor mestizos, and pursuant to the Ecuador’s minority and “2009-2013 National Plan for a Good Life” which calls for the construction of a pluralist, inclusive, fair, cooperative marginalized society, the country’s various heritage-sector bodies held a population groups. series of meetings, under the Heritage Ministry’s “Development

ᮡ Culture and Public Policies Ecuador Ecuador Culture and Tourism ᮡ The Experience of Cevicangre Community Tourist Complex Complex Tourist Community Cevicangre of Experience The Development. Tourism for Support ᮡ CULTURE AND TOURISM AND CULTURE have risen by50% nity tourist complex Cevicangre commu- the earnings of provided under theJP, As aresult of support ECUADOR • P C ONTEXT ROCESS akad eeal greig a ecuae t ensure to encouraged was gardening vegetable backyard captivity,in crabs blue of mortality of causes the andidentify from intermediaries. JP support was also provided in order to purchases eliminate to order in crabs) blue of growth the for (ideal mangroves of planting the for land purchase to vided pro- was assistance and points, key at crowds tourist reduce to order in facilities, toilet and kitchen lounge, the including complex, the of parts different in developmentinfrastructure to contributed JP Ecuador’s problem, identified the Tosolve becoming increasingly scarce and costly. customer infrastructure was insufficient and blue crabs were water. Owing to the high demand for cevicangre, the existing coconut with served pens), communal in (fattened crab with stew coconut a and plantain fried rice, of portion a ceviche, shrimp a of consisting cevicangre, make still people where of homes membersthe of in the stay community.to invited This in are is the visitors last and organized place centre, in are the this country fishing the artisanal to and swamps Excursions mangrove gastronomy. and fauna flora, local the lished in the canton of Río Verde for responsible enjoymentestab- of was centre recreational a (PRODERENA), programme support management decentralized its through Environment the of Ministry Ecuador’s and – organization governmental by the Ecuadorian Populorum Progressio Fund (FEPP) – a non- designed waste solid of management environmental of sound development the promotes environmental projects. Under sustainable the project for the also it but Park, Sangay National as such reserves, nature major to home is Ecuador provided under the JP. It should be pointed out that the tourist ture. Lastly, a revolving fund for the purchase of blue crab was families’ food security and a supply of vegetables for the ven- ar ad vns ih xeln cmeca rsls thus boosting the local economy. results, commercial improving the excellent quality of life of with the organization’s workers and events and fairs have taken part in several provincial and national gastronomy complex is managed mainly by local community women, who © Victor Ortega, consultor FAO© VictorOrtega, Interculturalidad

nrpeera wmn bt isd ad outside and inside for both incentive an women, Ecuador. is initiative entrepreneurial This events. various and in people fairs participation their Ecuador’s through of raised been awareness has Results the and and river fishing, artisanal as sea tradi- such and canton, Verde Río gastronomy of the saved tions of has value the complex the revived and Furthermore, project ensure will sustainability. which part revenue, in venture’s financed the be new from will a of developments Such been has planned. construction plantation mangrove the new a and and areas complex 50% the visitor JP, tourist by the risen community under have Cevicangre provided of support earnings of result a As ᮡ CULTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT •ECUADOR Shuar Aja (Gardens) for the Shuar People

CONTEXT Interculturalidad © Victor Ortega, FAO consultor The aim of this initiative was to revitalize the agricultural bio- been collected through unstructured qualitative interviews, diversity of the Provincial Federation of the Shuar Nation in a group of young people interested in sustainable farming Zamora Chinchipe, Ecuador. With the passage of time and systems was given training, complemented by topics relating as the effects of globalization have grown, many of the to business management and product marketing Shuar people’s customs have been dying out, including their aja – native conservation-species seedbeds. Generally, the men till the land (clearing, ploughing, burning vegetation and felling trees), while the women and children plant and This project’s main achievements include the generation of harvest the crops. Tinned foods have now displaced plants knowledge gathered and compiled by the government of and products specific to the Shuar people, who used to grow up to 120 different plant species on a single hectare. A Sucumbíos Province. Other achievements were the empow- typical Shuar aja (garden) today contains no more than five erment of 50 beneficiary families and the planting of 65 The methodology species of edible and medicinal plants. An agricultural bio- species of edible and medicinal plants in each aja (garden). was based on diversity revitalization project was therefore implemented The success of this project is now being replicated by other knowledge under the JP in Taruka and Wampuish, two Shuar communities Ecuadorian peoples. It can therefore be concluded that in the cantons of Lago Agrio and Shushufindi. transmitted the activity conducted under the programme has led to during talks with PROCESS effective linkages of the families in the aja by generating In order to revitalize the sustainable ancestral Shuar aja way employment and income, revitalizing intangible heritage, the elders. of life, the JP team first worked to preserve traditions linked Resultscultural identity and protecting the agricultural biodiversity to this practice. To that end, it turned to the communities’ heritage of the Shuar people, thus contributing to Ecuador’s elders, who have thorough knowledge of species-cultivation economic and social development. rituals and traditions, seeding technology and the combina- tion of both factors to produce a successful harvest. The Shuar people were therefore actively involved through mingas, or communal work parties, and traditional chonta ceremonies, which further strengthened the process. More specifically, the methodology used consisted in transmitting knowledge through talks with the elders. Once such information had

ᮡ Culture and the Environment Ecuador Ecuador Culture and Health ᮡ

Cultura y medio ambiente through Culturally Appropriate Childbirth Appropriate Culturally through System Health Intercultural an of Implementation ᮡ CULTURE AND HEALTH AND CULTURE health. staff in intercultural to train medical made itpossible Sucumbíos Province programme in by the joint The study generated ECUADOR • P C ONTEXT ROCESS neonatal health. and maternal improve to order in taken be to steps identify n Scy wmn soitos ee novd n re to order in involved were associations women Secoya and (AMNKISE) Nationality Kichwa of Women of Association the Department, Health Intercultural the through Health, Public td. ne h suy a be apoe, h Mnsr of Ministry the approved, been had study the Once study. nurses, doctors, employees and and patients in medical area centres collaborated in the the in units medical various the Directorate, Health Sucumbíos culturally care. and childbirth health appropriate intercultural of gauge knowledge to order doctors’ in Shushufindi) and Cascales Agrio, Province (Lago Sucumbíos of cantons three in held were surveys Moreover,region. the in women pregnant for provided care the of JP,state the the of purposes the identify,for to study identified, a consultancy firm was commissioned (pregnant to conduct a been had group Province) Sucumbíos in living beneficiary women JP Ecuadorian the once context, this In propose solutions accordingly. and region the in situation general the determine to JP the under proposed was review the diagnostic put a effect, to into model required information clear the lacked Province intercultural health model for pregnant innovative Ecuadorian women. As an Sucumbíos of implemented Ministry has the Health affairs, Public of an state In this 2008). remedy to Health, endeavour Public of (Ministry expectations” needs their or meet not do services health as discrimination, economic and but reasons, especially because of gender, geographical ethnic and cultural to part in owing care, health quality to access less have women “indigenous Ecuador, In

supported by a specially trained medical team. team. medical trained during specially a by receive supported be and they purpose that for that equipped rooms care use of childbirth, type women the Ecuadorian choose to enable to care strengthened medical thus was Intercultural Shushufindi. and Putumayo Cascales, in units health at installed was JP,equipment the Results of implementation the of result a As health. cultural inter- in trained were staff medical in Province, JP the Sucumbíos for conducted study the to owing addition, In care. care childbirth appropriate culturally childbirth on protocol a and appropriate culturally on mendations recom- contains guide The 2008. August in Health Public of Ministry Ecuadorian the by Appropriate published Care” Childbirth Culturally to publications Guide “Technical through the as such dissemination knowledge and include production achievements main project’s This UNFPA de Esmeraldas" Dirección Provincial deEsmeraldas - ReproductivosDerechos delaPoblación enlaProvincia © "Proyecto deAtenciónyPromoción delos