CIVICUS discusses Ecuador’s new Organic Law on Social Transparency with Vivian Idrovo, coordinator of the Alliance for Human Rights Ecuador.
The law, enacted in August, establishes mandatory registration for civil society organisations (CSOs) and risk-based audits. The government has justified it as a measure against money laundering and crime financing, but domestic and international organisations warn its ambiguous provisions could restrict independent civil society action. The law comes in a context where CSOs are being systematically stigmatised by high-ranking officials.