Use of ICTs in Informing About the External Debt Situation of Ecuador - Ecuador

The project aimed to disseminate information and raise awareness about the consequences of the external debt situation of Ecuador and to more strongly involve social organisations, notably those that are part of the National Debt Committee, in actions towards greater political impact in order to finally reduce the debt level of Ecuador.

The project maintained a web site, publishes a number of blogs, managed an electronic discussion forum, maintained a ‘virtual library’, has uploaded information about the external debt situation in Ecuador to the Spanish-language Wikipedia and has published an educational CD on the debt situation. This CD is still used in professional colleges, social organisations and high-schools.

Jubileo participated in a number of national events during which they discussed and lobbied for reusing funds freed by rescheduling the external debt burden. Thanks to the fact that a number of key members of Jubileo 2000 were at influential places in the government, the project not only informed about consequences of the foreign debt charge, but could also, ideally, actually influence national policy in this matter. Through the National Debt Committee a number of articles have been the subject of the national referendum in September 2008 for inclusion into the new Ecuadorian constitution. With this, a major step in upscaling and spreading results has been taken.

The first phase of the project has been completed in 2009. The project is now in independent continuation. Jubileo 2000 is reviewing its mission statement in the light of the fact that the Ecuadorian government has rescheduled its foreign debt.

The change of government in December 2006 and the move to the left of Ecuadorian policies are exerting much influence on Ecuadorian society. The population of Ecuador is deeply divided over political issues and this leads to a polarisation of the country which may work out in a counter-productive manner.

Read more about IICD's Ecuador Country Programme.

The first phase of the project has been completed. In the light of the fact that the Ecuadorian government has defaulted its foreign debt there is no direct need for a follow-up phase of this project anymore.

Interaction with the target audience has been limited during the first phase. The Wiki about debt (http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuda_externa_ecuatoriana) was written by Jubileo without external co-authoring. The number of comments on the 3 discussion forums (Asamblea Constituyente, global food crisis, new Ecuadorian constitution) was low. The question is to what extent Web 2.0 interactivity was really requested and perceived as important within the scope of this project. A project-level Focal Group meeting has been organised to get a clearer picture of user needs within this project. As a result, Jubileo 2000 wants to put more emphasis on the effects of the foreign debt charge on women and also on the way the debt situation becomes visible in daily life in Ecuador. Also, more participation in the generation of information by the public will be sought.

• To set up, using ICTs, an effective information exchange on the Ecuadorian debt situation with social organisations and public and private institutions thus strengthening citizens’ action and influences on governmental policies.

With the coming to power of the Correa administration, debt rescheduling is very much on the political agenda. Jubileo 2000 and the project are well positioned to make a contribution to interacting with Ecuadorian civil society about the foreign debt situation and about options for other uses of funds thus becoming available.

The new Constitution covers the aspect of external debt and the Jubileo project has been very timely in addressing the issue. A number of issues brought up by Jubileo are present within the new Constitution thus showing the impact of the project. Challenge is now to follow up on these ideas and give them a practical orientation.

Read more about IICD's Ecuador Country Programme.

Read more about IICD's approach towards Governance.

The question may well be asked to what level Web 2.0 interactivity was really requested and perceived as important within the project. A project-level Focal Group meeting has been organised to get a clearer picture of user needs within this project. As a result, Jubileo 2000 wants to put more emphasis on the effects of the foreign debt charge on women and also on the way the debt situation becomes visible in daily life in Ecuador. Also, more participation in the generation of information by the public will be sought.

Educating on the impact of the external debt situation has revealed itself to be by no means easy given the technical and, for many people, abstract level of the subject. The use of audiovisual tools was very useful in making the subject easier to digest.

Jubileo 2000 Red Guayaquil is a social movement that seeks, through partnerships with national and international social organisations, to raise public awareness about the issue of public debt, and to lobby at political level for finding a just and sustainable solution by defining appropriate policies favouring social development and environmental conservation.