Regulatory Challenge: International Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons in Ecuador

Abstract

This article intends to identify the main challenges Ecuador faces in regards to the international protection of refugees and stateless people. Firstly, the Ecuadorian normative context is established and described, in which the traditional classification of rights is eliminated in order to emphasize the equivalent hierarchy of constitutional rights. Furthermore, there is reference to guidelines to strengthen the protection of refugees. Among them is recognized the necessity of guaranteeing the fundamental rights of asylum seekers and recognized refugees, through local integration and more efficient procedural mechanisms. As well, the article recognizes the necessity of appointing an authority to define the best assessment procedure for statelessness in Ecuador. Finally, a commentary regarding the determination of a humanitarian statute as a means of supporting persons in need of international protection (PINPs) is presented.