In the case of Ecuador, our armed forces are considered to be an institution ...

In the case of Ecuador, our armed forces are considered to be an institution that protect the rights, freedoms and guarantees of all our citizens — men and women. We therefore look at defence as a public good that integrates human rights, international humanitarian law, gender equity and multiculturalism in a cross-cutting manner. This takes concrete form in the implementation of our gender policy in the Ecuadorian Armed Forces, which has been in force since March 2013. The gender policy fosters a change in the cultural patterns that cause gender-based violence, through which related subjects are incorporated into training for all military personnel and the promotion of educational programmes designed to prevent sexual violence that are tailored specifically for the training of troops. The policy has also brought improvements to military infrastructure so that adequate conditions are in place for military personnel, female and male alike.