In Ecuador, the Ombudsperson has facilitated multi-stakeholder dialogues to ensure that the views of civil society are considered when developing public policies on the safeguarding of human and environmental rights defenders.

The inclusion of civil society in the development of public policies on the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms is vital to ensuring that such policies consider the security needs of different groups, in this case human and environmental rights defenders. In doing so, ombuds Institutions can facilitate public oversight, protect media freedom, and ensure access to information.