About the Migration Governance Indicators
About the Migration Governance Indicators
Migrants' rights
Migrants' rights
Indicators in this domain assess the extent to which migrants have the same status as citizens in terms of access to basic social services such as health, education, and social security. It also describes the rights of migrants to family reunification, to work, and to residency and citizenship. The ratification of the main international conventions is also included within this domain.
Indicators in this category look at the extent to which migrants have access to certain social services such as health, education and social security. They also examine measures to ensure integration and access to work.
Whole of government approach
Whole of government approach
Indicators in this domain assess countries’ institutional, legal, and regulatory frameworks related to migration policies. Domain 2 also reviews the existence of national migration strategies that are in-line with development, as well as institutional transparency and coherence in relation to migration management. This domain also investigates the extent to which governments collect and use migration data.
Indicators in this category assess the institutional frameworks of cities for migration. This area also examines the existence of migration strategies consistent with development objectives, as well as institutional transparency and coherence in migration management.
Partnerships
Partnerships
This domain focuses on countries’ efforts to cooperate on migration-related issues with other states and with relevant non-governmental actors, including civil society organizations and the private sector. Cooperation can lead to improvements in governance by aligning and raising standards, increasing dialogue and providing structures to overcome challenges.
Indicators in this category focus on cities’ efforts to cooperate on migration issues with the national government as well as other cities and relevant non-governmental actors, including civil society organizations and the private sector.
Well-being of migrants
Well-being of migrants
This domain includes indicators on countries’ policies for managing the socioeconomic well-being of migrants, through aspects such as the recognition of migrants’ educational and professional qualifications, provisions regulating student migration and the existence of bilateral labour agreements between countries. Indicators equally focus on policies and strategies related to diaspora engagement and migrant remittances.
Indicators in this category assess cities’ initiatives in terms of international student mobility, access to the labour market and decent working conditions for migrant workers. Aspects related to diaspora engagement and migrant remittances are also included in this domain.
Mobility dimensions of crises
Mobility dimensions of crises
This domain studies the type and level of preparedness of countries when they are faced with mobility dimensions of crises, linked to either disasters, the environment and/or conflict. The questions are used to identify the processes in place for nationals and non-nationals both during and after disasters, including whether humanitarian assistance is equally available to migrants as it is to citizens.
Indicators in this category examine the type and level of readiness of cities to deal with aspects of mobility crises. The questions focus on the processes in place for citizens and non-citizens both during and after disasters, especially if humanitarian assistance is available for migrants and citizens.
Safe, orderly and regular migration
Safe, orderly and regular migration
This domain analyses countries’ approach to migration management in terms of border control and enforcement policies, admission criteria for migrants, preparedness and resilience in the case of significant and unexpected migration flows, as well as the fight against trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants. It also assesses efforts and incentives to help integrate returning citizens.
Indicators in this category look at the cities’ approaches to migrant safety as well as return and reintegration policies and the fight against trafficking in persons.
Key findings
Introduction
This country Profile describes examples of well-developed areas of the Republic of Ecuador governance structures and areas with potential for further development, as evaluated through the six domains of the Migration Governance Indicators (MGI). These address migrants’ rights, a “whole-of-government” approach, partnerships, socioeconomic well-being of migrants, the mobility dimensions of crises, and safe and orderly migration.
Click the icons on the wheel to explore the key findings.
The Migration Governance Indicators (MGI) initiative is a policy-benchmarking programme led by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and implemented with research and analysis from the Economist Impact. Funding is provided by IOM Member States.
Key findings
Migrants' rights
Migration governance: Examples of well-developed areas
- The latest amendment in 2021 of the Organic Law on Human Mobility extended the coverage of the rights guaranteed for the immigrant population, Ecuadorians abroad and returnees.
- As of 2018, the Ministry of Public Health began allocating budget funds specifically to meet the growing demand for health services of the migrant population.
- Resident foreign nationals are entitled to work in Ecuador and to access social security on an equal footing with Ecuadorians.
- The Government approved in 2020 a Comprehensive Plan to provide assistance and ensure the protection of rights in the context of the increasing flow of Venezuelan migrants into Ecuador.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility conducts projects in support of inclusion, diversity and the prevention of discrimination, such as the Prevention and Awareness-raising Campaign against All Forms of Discrimination of 2020.
Areas with potential for further development
- There is a restriction on access to bonuses – temporary cash transfers – for migrants.
Key findings
Whole of government approach
Migration governance: Examples of well-developed areas
- The Association of Ecuadorian Municipalities (Asociación de Municipalidades Ecuatorianas) developed a methodological tool for mainstreaming human mobility in development and land management planning, and informed Ecuador’s 221 cantonal Decentralized Autonomous Governments.
- In 2018, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility set up the National Human Mobility Roundtable as the main inter-institutional forum for analysis, sharing of experiences, and citizen coordination and participation in implementing public policies.
- In 2020, the National Human Mobility Advisory Council (Consejo Consultivo Nacional Defensorial de Movilidad Humana), was set up as a place for analysis, debate and advice, bringing together public institutions, non-governmental organizations, local leaders and social groups.
- The National Agenda for Equality in Human Mobility 2017-2021 aims to guarantee rights, reduce inequalities and end discrimination against people on the move, and it also incorporates a gender-based approach.
Areas with potential for further development
- As the Regional Roundtables on human mobility have no permanent members, coordination with local governments is sporadic and unstructured.
- The National Human Mobility Plan does not have its own budget allocation, nor does it have evaluation and monitoring mechanisms.
Key findings
Partnerships
Migration governance: Examples of well-developed areas
- Since 2018, Ecuador has signed four memorandums of understanding on migration: with Mexico (2018); with the United States (2018); with Spain (2019); and with Colombia (2020).
- The formulation of the National Human Mobility Plan (2018) entailed consultations with the migrant Ecuadorian community, which has six members in the National Assembly representing the constituency abroad.
- The Intersectoral Roundtable on Ecuadorians in Human Mobility: Returnees and Emigrants (Mesa Intersectorial sobre Personas Ecuatorianas en Movilidad Humana: Retornados y Emigrantes) set up in 2020 allows civil society organizations from the Ecuadorian community abroad to participate as observers.
- Through the Under-secretariat for the Ecuadorian Migrant Community, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility maintains a constant, semi-formal dialogue with the diaspora by means of communications and meetings.
Areas with potential for further development:
- There is no formal structure or set operating schedule for forums that enable two-way dialogue and alliances for civil society and private sector involvement in migration governance.
Key findings
Well-being of migrants
Migration governance: Examples of well-developed areas
- The Organic Law on Human Mobility provides for different visas designed to attract specific skills.
- The Council of Higher Education issued the Regulations governing degrees and diplomas obtained at foreign institutions (2019), together with the requirements and procedures for the registration of foreign qualifications, including a fast-track recognition mechanism, relaxed formal requirements and improved online processing.
- One of the aims of the Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons 2019–2030 (Plan de Acción contra la Trata de Personas) is to regularize and monitor employment agencies so that they do not become recruiting grounds for human trafficking for labour exploitation purposes.
- The National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (2021) promotes regulatory reform to enhance the due diligence process, to improve the handling of the problems of access and fees associated with processing of payments, and to facilitate the use of electronic means of payment by people migrants.
Areas with potential for further development:
- Ecuador has no national processes for managing labour immigration or the impact of that migration on the availability of employment in the domestic labour market.
- Public policies and practices relating to the ethical recruitment of migrant workers make no provision for preventive action in coordination with the private sector.
Key findings
Mobility dimensions of crises
Migration governance: Examples of well-developed areas
- People in situations of human mobility constitute a cross-cutting priority and “must always be taken into consideration in all components of disaster and response management” in the National Disaster Response Plan (2018).
- The Organic Law on Human Mobility (2017) broadened the definition of beneficiaries of the humanitarian visa to include persons in need of protection for humanitarian reasons.
- The Protocol for Processes to Protect Vulnerable Ecuadorians Abroad (Protocolo para Procesos de Protección a Ecuatorianos en Condición de Vulnerabilidad en el Exterior) (2021) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility sets forth a procedure for taking account of, managing and coordinating the various bodies that provide protection and assistance in cases affecting Ecuadorian migrants and their families.
Areas with potential for further development:
- There is no strategy or specific plan for mitigating climate change-related migration.
- The National Development Plan 2017–2021: A Lifetime (2017) refers to human mobility as a cross-cutting issue but contains no concrete measures for reintegrating returning migrants, nor references to mitigation and response in contexts involving internally displaced persons.
- Neither the National Disaster Response Plan (2018) nor the Specific Risk and Emergency Management Plan take into consideration the specific vulnerabilities and situation of migrants.
Key findings
Safe, orderly and regular migration
Migration governance: Examples of well-developed areas
- The Returning Migrant Certificate (Certificado de Migrante Retornado) accords the rights of social and economic inclusion to its recipients and their families.
- The Action Plan against Trafficking in Persons 2019–2030 (2019) promotes coordinated actions to prevent human trafficking, investigate and punish the crime, protect victims, and buttress the mechanisms for implementing, monitoring and assessing public policy.
- The Comprehensive Plan to provide assistance to and protect the rights of Venezuelans (2018) identifies situations of vulnerability with respect to children and gender, among other factors.
- In 2020, the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a Protocol for Inter-institutional Action in Cases of Migrant Smuggling.
- The Comprehensive Plan to provide assistance and ensure the protection of rights in the context of the increasing flow of Venezuelan migrants into Ecuador introduced in 2018 is updated periodically.
Areas with potential for further development:
- There are no formal cooperation agreements with other countries on seeking and identifying missing persons, despite the mandate to negotiate such agreements given in the Organic Law on Action in Cases of Disappeared and Missing Persons (Ley Orgánica de Actuación en Casos de Personas Desaparecidas y Extraviadas) (2020).
2021 December
