Title: United Nations system in Ecuador INTERAGENCY ASSESSMENT OF ECUADORS NORTHERN BORDER REGION Summary
1United Nations system in Ecuador
INTERAGENCY ASSESSMENT OF ECUADORS NORTHERN
BORDER REGION Summary
2Background
- Visit of the Secretary General to Ecuador in
November 2003. - On December 30th, 2003 the Government of Ecuador
requested the Secretary General to send an
inter-agency mission to the Northern Border
Region to assess the present situation and
recommend preventive development measures. - In February and March 2004 the Secretary General
approved the organization of the assessment
mission. The United Nations System in Ecuador
took charge in structuring it.
3Objectives of the Mission
- Update the diagnosis of the Northern Border
Region in terms of strengths and weaknesses and
identification of the main challenges from the
point of view of human development and the
commitments of Ecuador in the Millennium
Development Goals Declaration. - Present to the Government of Ecuador a number of
recommendations in the various assessment areas.
4Thematic Areas of the Assessment
- Human Rights
- Humanitarian Assistance and Refugees
- Basic Social Services
- Poverty, Production and Employment
- Environment
- Institutional Analysis
- Drugs and Crime
- Cross-cutting areas Gender and multiculturalism
Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015) 1.
Poverty and hunger 2. Primary Education 3. Gender
Equality 4. Infant Mortality 5. Maternal
Health 6. HIV/AIDS, malaria 7. Environmental
sustainability 8. Partnership for Development
5The Interagency Mission
- Members of the Mission
- UNHCR, UN -Department of Political Affairs (DPA),
FAO, OPS/WHO, WFP, UNDP, UNICEF, UNODC, UNSECOORD
and UNV. - Technical Advice
- UNESCO, UNFPA and UNIFEM.
-
64 Provinces in the Northern Border Region of
Ecuador
Geography of the Region
7The Assessment Process
- Collection of secondary information in Quito and
in the Northern Border Region - Interviews with development actors of the region
(119 interviews) - Field visits in the four provinces
- Elaboration of intermediary reports in each
thematic areas - Technical discussion within the UN System
- Preparation of the final report
8Key Ideas of the Report
- The Northern Border Region possesses a enormous
development potential - The Northern Border Region is especially
vulnerable - There are storing reasons to establish a Special
Plan for the region - The region should continue to be a priority for
international cooperation and its actions must be
coordinated adequately
91. A Region with great potential
- Cultural diversity (10 ethnic groups with their
own language) - Extraordinary biodiversity (7 ecological
reserves, 25 of the regions territory) - Natural resources (Sucumbíos is the heart of oil
production) - Social capital (organizations, social networks,
participation)
102. An especially vulnerable region
- Inequalities and social exclusion, poverty levels
and gaps in basic social services (education,
health, water and sanitation) are above national
average. - Institutional weaknesses (Human Rights,
security, administration of justice and social
rehabilitation) - Deteriorating employment conditions and
competitiveness - Strong pressures on the environment
- Proximity with a particularly problematic region
of Colombia (violence and drug trafficking)
113. Need for a Special Plan
- Numerous need and urgencies, but limited
financial resources and management capacity - Strategic approach on priority objectives (MDGs
as a reference) - Preventive character
- Respond to bi-national initiatives
- Balance and coordination between various levels
of government - Channels for social participation
124. International Cooperation
- International cooperation is considerable in the
region - Some dispersion, dis-coordination and gaps
- Need to strengthen coordination mechanisms
- Role of UDENOR
- Convening of the Consultative Group in Brussels,
under a new mechanism - Local donors table for the border
- For the UN strengthen its support, joint
programming, support to the elaboration of a
Special Plan and the Consultative Group
132.1. Poverty and Social Services
- Historical isolation of the region
- Poverty some cantons are over 95 (Río Verde,
San Lorenzo, Eloy Alfaro, Putumayo) - Chronic malnutrition gt 30 en Carchi and
Sucumbíos, and 50 in Imbabura - Average schooling completed lt national average
- High levels of child mortality 54 for each 1,000
born alive in Esmeraldas, 62 in Imbabura and 72
in Carchi - High incidence of malaria in Esmeraldas and
Sucumbíos - High incidence of HIV/AIDS in Esmeraldas
- Basic needs 80-100 of households in the
borders vecinity
142.2. Human Rights and Administration of Justice
- Insecurity of population caused by violence and
impunity (high homicide rates) - Weakness of the provincial Defensorías del
Pueblo - Sexual exploitation and violence against women
- Serious shortcomings in public order and absence
of State authority - Weakness of the social rehabilitation system
- Communities denounce the violation of indigenous
people collective rights - Discrimination against Colombian citizens
152.3. Effects of the Colombian Conflict
- As of June 30, 2004 26,703 persons had requested
refugee status. It was granted to 7,609 of them - Additional demands for basic social services.
- Difficult social insertion
- Illicit trade (drugs, precursors, arms)
- Other illegal activities
- Insecurity
- Worries about the possible effects of aerial
spraying of illicit crops in Colombia
163.1. Prevention
- Participation and consultation channels for
communities - Prevention and conflict resolution mechanisms
- Sustainability
- Environment impact assessments and on social
environmental conflicts - Territorial approach non-discriminatory focus
173.2. Inter-institutional Coordination
- Northern Border Cabinet coordination and
follow-up to the Special Plan - Clarify the role and the technical profile of
UDENOR as a coordinator of international
cooperation - Rising responsibility of sectional governments
training and decentralization - Promotion of associations and consortiums between
local governments - Special Plan as an articulator of actions
184.1. Consultative Group
- Beyond a simple presentation of project for
financing - Should not necessarily focus on UDENOR
- Platform to discuss and reach consensus on policy
priorities and the work areas of the Special Plan
- Participation of the central government,
sectional government, civil society and the
private sector - Convene the Group once the Government has
analyzed and discussed the policy framework - The UN could collaborate with the Government and
the IADB
19Recommendations
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23Actions in 4 main Areas
- Local governance
- Refuge and humanitarian aid
- Basic Social Services
- Drugs and illicit activities
24The Governments first reactions
- The Government has acknowledged the relevance of
the recommendations of the Un inter-agency report
- Many public institutions have been asked to study
the report and offer their comments - The National Secretariat of Planning and
Development has prepared a Special Plan for the
Northern Border, incorporating the main lines of
the Un report - A dialogue on the Special Plan has begun
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination
with the European Union, has reactivated the
donors coordination mechanism at the national
level
25UN first initiatives
- UNODC has signed new and important projects with
the Government - UNHCR has broaden its portfolio of Community
Support and Integration Projects - The UNCT will suggest the Government to define
and implement a joint development and
humanitarian programme in the region (focused on
Lago Agrio). - An inter-agency technical group has been
established to strengthen coordination of UN
activities in the zone
26Thank you for your attention