EFFECTIVE AND SIGNIFICANT PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESS OF ECONOMIC
POLICY AND DEVELOPMENT.
Prepared by: Alexandra Min Ocles Padilla.
Institution: Secretariat of People Social Movement and Citizen Participation
Event Date: December 14-15, 2010
Location: Geneva
Contributions: made by Pedro De Jesus (dir Diversity and Multiculturalism.)
The Ecuador is experiencing a period of change and transition in line to go about building a
new model of state, as stated by the 2008 Constitution, but also aims to consolidate a new
society, inclusive, intercultural, equitable and absolute diverse.
Our constitution and the country as such, are now under study and observation precisely
because we propose advanced proposals that will help us strengthen equity, solidarity, pluri
nationality and interculturality as core mandates of Well Being/Good Living. In this sense, we
know clearly that to get out of an outdated system and rooted in the structures of the old
state, means going to break all the logics that have historically been the causes of exclusion
and marginalization of the oppressed, marginalized and discriminated against in other words,
we speak of indigenous and African Descents.
In this sense it is fundamental to speak of a principle of life and this change present today in
Ecuador, the same that also constitutes source and reason of public policy and state
planning, which the Andean world know as the Well Being/Good Living. This principle
changes the direction of politics, of the economy and its relationship with nature, and
between humans. Well Being/Good Living is based not only on having, but above all in being,
be present, do and feel; it means living well, to live fully.
Our concept of Well Being/Good Living requires us to rebuild the public and the common to
recognize, understand and value each other together with nature; we are different but equal,
on the basis of reciprocity and mutual recognition, all these to build a better shared social
future.
In recent years, government investment has exceeded investment rates of previous
governments especially in health, education, housing mainly for the benefit of the poorest
sectors such as indigenous peoples and nationalities and Afro-Ecuadorians, but certainly
eradicate the crisis and historical exclusion requires greater efforts and policies that reach
the change of the social, economic and cultural structure of our countries.
Then comes to our mind the need to consolidate the Well Being/Good Living, as a tool for
guaranteeing the rights of citizens, all of this associated with the construction of a new model
of accumulation and redistribution. We clearly know that strong levels of inequality and
exclusion are the result of a development strategy that has been mainly based on
accumulating wealth through producing primary commodities that sought to be place in
foreign markets.