The right to housing in rural Ecuador: structural challenges for territorial equity

Abstract

In rural areas of Ecuador, the right to adequate housing faces multiple structural challenges that deepen territorial inequality. Although the Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador recognizes this right and there are legal frameworks such as the COOTAD and the Law on Social Interest Housing, their enforcement remains limited. The lack of access to basic services such as drinking water, sanitation, and electricity directly affects more than 50% of the rural population, where 71.2% also live in multidimensional poverty (INEC, 2025). Housing in rural settings not only serves a residential purpose, but also functions as the center of families’ productive, social, and cultural life. However, many homes are built with precarious materials, are located in risk-prone areas, and lack minimum habitability conditions. This situation highlights the need for more equitable territorial planning and public policies that respond to the sociocultural characteristics of rural areas. The 2024–2025 National Development Plan outlines guidelines to reduce the housing deficit and improve rural quality of life, but its implementation has been uneven. A comprehensive vision of habitat is needed—one that integrates infrastructure, access to services, community participation, and respect for local ways of life. Ensuring adequate housing in rural areas is not only a legal obligation but also a key strategy to overcome structural poverty, foster social cohesion, and advance toward genuine and sustainable territorial equity.