Implementación de Políticas Públicas de Paridad de Género en Ecuador: las Elecciones Seccionales de la Provincia de Cotopaxi (2000-2025

Abstract

Abstract: This research allows for a deeper analysis of the implementation of public policies on gender parity in the local elections of the province of Cotopaxi between 2000 and 2025. The present study focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of these regulations, exploring the gap between formal equality (by law) and substantive equality (in practice). The research draws on the contributions of authors such as Joan Scott, Judith Butler, and Marta Lama to understand gender as a historical category and a performative social construct that articulates different power structures. The findings suggest that Ecuador has been a pioneer in constitutional parity since 2008, which requires a 50/50 representation system, as it demands representation and alternation that maintains a fundamental sequentiality for effectiveness. However, the research argues that the realization of these rights faces structural and cultural barriers that impact territorial governance. The study proposes an approach that combines documentary analysis of laws, codes, and session minutes with semi-structured interviews conducted with women who hold or have held positions in provincial and cantonal assemblies and parish councils. This allows for the identification of subjective experiences and barriers that are part of the official statistics. The research seeks to document cases of delegitimization and exclusion through the actors involved, as these aspects impact the performance of elected women. These aspects function as a control mechanism that associates the patriarchal order with power. The case of Cotopaxi also allows us to observe the place of Indigenous women, who face the drama of political discrimination, symbolic violence, and exclusion, with their obligations and capabilities undervalued. These elements reveal a problem.