Civil society organisations in Ecuador have historically played an important role in public services, constitutional processes and citizen participation. However, the enabling environment has deteriorated amid rising violence, repeated states of emergency and the government’s declaration of internal armed conflict in January 2024. These measures have enabled the suspension of fundamental liberties, militarisation of internal security and growing concerns over disproportionate restrictions and human rights violations by state forces.
Freedom of association, peaceful assembly and expression are formally protected, but increasingly constrained. Protests, particularly against extractive projects, have faced repression and militarisation, while journalists investigating corruption, insecurity and drug trafficking face escalating attacks from state and non-state actors. Government pressure on critical media and journalists has further weakened freedom of expression.
The legal framework for CSOs remains uncertain and vulnerable to executive interference. Registration procedures are technically demanding, centralised and uneven across institutions, while initiatives such as the Integrity Strategy for Civil Society Organisations and the Organic Law on Social Transparency have raised concern over disproportionate controls, ambiguous dissolution grounds and stigmatising narratives.
Funding has also become less stable due to shifting donor priorities, Ecuador’s upper-middle-income status and the suspension of US cooperation, threatening organisational sustainability and staff retention. Although participation and access to information are legally recognised, consultation processes often remain selective, symbolic and poorly accountable. Digital rights are also fragile, with concerns over surveillance, cyberattacks, digital exclusion and limited safeguards against internet restrictions. Despite this context, Ecuadorian civil society remains active in defending rights, transparency and democratic participation.