General aspects:
Ecuador has an emergency and disaster coordination mechanism: the “Emergency Operations Committee (COE)”, which is made up of a plenary with decision-making power; a technical implementation area made up of Technical Work Tables (MTT) for humanitarian and complementary care to cover the sectors of water and sanitation, health, services, humanitarian assistance, education, productivity, education, housing and international cooperation; and, a response operations area made up of the Working Groups (GT) for logistics, order and security and search and rescue, has its presence at the national, provincial and cantonal levels.
Said Committee coordinates actions in favour of the protection of the rights to life, health and integrity of people. Among its functions are the identification, analysis and resolution of operational problems related to population care and assistance. The National Risk and Emergency Management Service (SNGRE) serves as the secretariat of the COE to organize meetings whose purpose is the discussion of matters related to the pandemic and the issuance of the corresponding agreements and resolutions, which after their approval are duly disseminated and published, in order to operationalize and resolve various aspects of care identified in the emergency.
The SNGRE organized the institutions according to their structure into technical tables and working groups, made up of delegates from the highest authorities with the capacity to issue guidelines that allow the mobilization of resources to care for the population affected by the health emergency. These multidisciplinary teams -which are organized by sector- have the following responsibilities:
- Implementation of plans, protocols and guidelines for the response.
- Maintaining a networking with the actors of the National Decentralized Risk
Management System, to collect and validate information on the evolution of the emergency.
- Supporting provincial COEs in the fulfillment of their functions, report strict compliance with resolutions and make suggestions.
In said context, the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) adopted the following plans, programs, protocols, and projects aimed at protecting the Ecuadorian population:
- Health Promotion and Risk Communication Plan to Respond to the COVID-19
Pandemic for Peoples and Nationalities of Ecuador.
- Protocol for Home Isolation in rural areas, peoples and nationalities.
- Telephone line 171 option 6, online psychological care for victims of violence.
- Guidelines for the development of educational communication products for peoples and nationalities, agreed with institutions and organizations of peoples and nationalities.
- Manual to prevent coronavirus in indigenous communities of Ecuador.
Document prepared jointly with PAHO and indigenous organizations.
- Roadmap communication plan for peolples and nationalities.
- Protocol for prevention and contingency of COVID-19 in the area of influence of the Tagaeri- Taromenane Intangible Zone.
Indigenous, Afro-descendant and Montubios Peoples:
The Secretary of Human Rights formed different work teams with lines of action such as:
- Coordination of Protocols and Reports: Its purpose is to prepare protocols and normative and technical instructions; coordinating and reviewing the systematization of information on humanitarian aid demands; preparation of technical reports and alerts; and, promotion of spaces for inter-institutional coordination in the territory.
The results achieved by this team were as follows:
- Participation and contributions in the preparation of the “Protocol for the
prevention and care of people with suspected COVID-19 in communities,
peoples and / or nationalities during the health emergency.”
- Map of organizations of the different Indigenous Peoples and Nationalities at national level.
- Document on knowledge and ancestral intercultural medicine in times of pandemic, which has been approved and is being edited for publishing.
- Preparation of a situation report for the Warints community in Morona Santiago.
- Health and Intercultural Communication: Its purpose is to socialize the measures issued by the National Emergency Operations Committee (COE) to indigenous peoples and nationalities, in order to protect and safeguard health and prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the communities.
Implementation of the “Health Promotion and Risk Communication Plan to respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Peoples and Nationalities in Ecuador”, through the technical table made up of the following institutions: Secretariat of Human Rights (SDH), Ministry of Public Health (MSP), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), General Secretariat of Communication (SEGCOM) and UNESCO, social organizations of peoples and nationalities (Indigenous, Afro-Ecuadorian and Montubios) and the Coordinator of Educational Popular Radio of Ecuador (CORAPE).
Intercultural communication campaign, in which the information of the MSP, National COE, press and indigenous organizations, Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon (CONFENIAE), Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) and CORAPE was systematized using audiovisual and graphic material addressed in native languages to nationalities and peoples, through community radios. In addition, translators in Chapaala, Shuar, Awa and Kichwa are supporting the communication team.
Additionally, a database of the different indigenous organizations was created in order to determine the actors with whom the communication material socialization campaigns should be articulated for this segment of the population; and in this way, generate feedback that allows knowing the demands, needs and alerts of the different communities.
- Northern Border: Its purpose is to strengthen contingency plans and articulate state entities and NGOs that work with nationalities in that region, as well as surveillance regarding the unauthorized presence of miners and loggers, armed groups, among others. .
The measures and action plans were systematized, articulated and promoted with the different social actors of peoples and nationalities, as well as with state institutions, in order to meet the health needs for the provision of health services in this area. To fulfill this objective, the information of the nationalities and peoples that are in the border area was recorded and systematized.
Likewise, different actions to provide medical care for this population were articulated with the MSP, the Armed Forces, among others. For example, an agreement was made between the MSP and the Secretariat of Human Rights for medical care of the Siekopai nationality.
The management with the decentralized autonomous governments (GAD) of the border area has been articulated for the suitable application of the protocols for the peoples and nationalities.
Generation of reports on the demand for humanitarian aid from nationalities: Chachis, Awas, Ëpera and Afros.
Production of disaggregated reports on the requirements of peoples and nationalities in relation to four variables: food, protection voucher, medical supplies and product marketing, of the Chachis, Awas, Espera nationalities and the Federation of Agricultural Organizations Alonso de Illescas. Follow-up to the needs of the Wisuya community.
Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation (PIAV):
The Secretariat for Human Rights, through the Directorate for Monitoring and Follow-up of Protection of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation (DMSPPIAV), has undertaken the following actions:
Since the start of the COVID-19 health emergency, the DMSPPIAV coordinates with the actors involved in the protection of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation: MSP, Ministry of Environment and Water of Ecuador (MAAE), Ministry of National Defense (MIDENA), Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion (MIES), Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MIDUVI), Ministry of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources (MERNNR), PETROAMAZONAS, REPSOL, CASA PARA TODOS, DAC, Orellana and Pastaza Governments, provincial, cantonal and parish, GADs, among others.
This articulation is carried out in order to undertake actions from the institutional competences level to plan and execute prevention and contingency activities regarding COVID 19 in the Tagaeri-Taromenane Intangible Zone (ZITT) and its area of influence for the protection of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation (PIAV).
Oil companies (PETROAMAZONAS, REPSOL Ecuador and ANDES PETROLEUM ECUADOR LTD.) and all those that carry out work in the areas adjacent to the ZITT and its Buffer Zone were ordered to inform the Secretariat of Human Rights about the preventive measures, protocols and contingency plans that are being implemented to prevent contagion in the area.
Regarding development and dissemination of communication actions for the ZITT communities and their area of influence, an informative document was prepared on COVID-19 and general prevention actions with translation into the Kichwa and Wao Tededo languages, as well as the subsequent recording and dissemination of these informative audios. This material is broadcast in the Waorani and Kichwa communities through radio communications, as well as through social networks.
Issuance of early alerts on possible cases of COVID 19 as well as on the development of illegal activities that would put local populations at risk, also have been implemented.
Within the framework of the National COE, the “Protocol for prevention and contingency of CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) in the area of influence of the Intangible Zone Tagaeri-Taromenane” was issued and promoted. Said Protocol was issued on March 20, 2020 and updated on April 20, 2020. The aforementioned Protocol establishes a framework for action in the territory in the context of the Health Emergency by COVID-19, in the communities that are in the area of influence of the Intangible Zone Tagaeri-Taromenane ( ZITT) and Yasuní National Park (PNY). Through it, the institutions responsible for acting in the contingency (FFAA, MAEA, SDH and MSP) were determined, in order to respond efficiently and in an articulated manner.
Support for basic necessities (matches, soap, oil, salt), and food kits for the Curaray River communities were coordinated with the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion (MIES), the Municipal GAD of Arajuno and the Municipal GAD of Pastaza, in order to prevent Kichwa communities from moving to populated centers and to protect their health.
The document “Guidelines for Community Action for the prevention of COVID 19 infections in the ZITT and its Area of Influence” was elaborated and then validated by the President of the Waorani Nationality and representatives of organizations linked to the protection of PIAV – Land is Life. Said document presents prevention guidelines for leaving the community, as well as for the return and coexistence with people at risk of COVID-19 infection in the community.
For further information, please access the links to the Protocols that the Ecuadorian Government has issued in relation to the care and protection of peoples and nationalities in the framework of the COVID-19 pandemic:
- Protocol for the prevention and care of people with suspected COVID-19 in communities, peoples and / or nationalities during the health emergency – Year 2020. (available in Spanish)
https://www.gestionderiesgos.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/06_protocolo_pueblos_y_nacionalidades_covid-19_0057817001594076725.pdf
- Protocol for the prevention and contingency of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the area of influence of the Intangible Zone Tagaeri-Taromenane – Year 2020. (available in Spanish)
https://www.gestionderiesgos.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Protocolo-para-prevenci%C3%B3n-y-contingencia-de-coronavirus-zona-tagaeri-taromenane.pdf