Ecuador moves towards strengthening its femicide recording systems

From July 9 to 11, the UNODC-INEGI Center of Excellence, in partnership with the UN Global Center of Excellence on Gender Statistics of UN Women, visited Ecuador in order to understand the characteristics, operation and variables of the registration systems and databases managed by the institutions responsible for compiling data on intentional homicides of women and girls in Ecuador. Among the institutions involved were the Institute of the Ministry of Women and Human Rights, the Attorney General’s Office, the Judiciary Council, the National Service of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, the National Police (DINASED) and the Ministry of Health.
On the first day, an executive kick-off meeting was held with the participation of representatives from INEC, UN Women and UNODC. The objectives of the mission were presented, highlighting the importance of identifying variables aligned with the Statistical Framework to measure gender-related homicide of women and girls (MEMF). Subsequently, a meeting was held with the Attorney General’s Office, which presented its Integrated System for Prosecutorial Action (SIAF) and detailed the variables aligned with the MEMF. The source of information and the specific protocol for the investigation of femicides were explained.

During the meeting with the Judiciary Council, the Sistema Automático de Trámite Judicial Ecuatoriano (e-SATJE) was presented, detailing its interaction with the Prosecutor’s Office. The importance of having accurate and homogeneous data to strengthen the quality of information on femicides was highlighted.
On the second day, a meeting was held with the Ministry of Women and Human Rights, where they presented the variables they collect on the services provided to women victims of violence and the development of the Registro Único de Violencia (RUV). Then, with the National Service of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Sciences (SNMLCF), the modalities of data collection on corpses of women victims of gender-based homicide were detailed.
On the last day, during the meeting with the Ministry of Health, they presented their registration systems both for people who attend for internal consultation and for those who require emergency services. At the working meeting with the National Police and the Statistical Strengthening Group, which is led by INEC, the CoE-UNODC-INEGI explained the structure of the CEA ECLAC questionnaire and clarified doubts about its completion. At the closing meeting, a summary of the activities and discussions was presented to INEC, highlighting the potential for standardizing and optimizing the data collection processes on femicides.

Continued collaboration among the institutions involved is expected for the drafting of a national report with recommendations for the adoption of the MEMF.  This inter-institutional effort seeks to strengthen the collection and analysis of data on femicides in Ecuador, with the objective of improving the quality of information and its homologation at the national level. Collaboration and coordination between the different entities is essential to achieve an efficient and accurate registration system that contributes to the fight against gender violence in the country.