Indigenous Peoples, Exclusion and Precarious Work: Design of Strategies to Address Poverty in Indigenous and Peasant Populations in Ecuador through the SWOT-AHP Methodology

Abstract

This research analysed the options that, following decent employment and the social economy, can allow the human development of poor, excluded and vulnerable indigenous populations in Ecuador. A set of strategies were developed which can be implemented by public authorities and by community organisations. They were designed from two types of expert consultations: the Delphi method and the analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) combined with Analytic Hierarchy Process method (AHP) for hierarchizing the criteria collected and obtaining strategies. The proposed strategies are as follows: adopting appropriate legal frameworks, respecting peoples’ rights, better distribution of public resources, implementing monitoring systems, developing solidarity markets and recognizing the participation of the poor as a subject of rights. This investigation revealed differences between the state, which identifies the poor with monetary indicators, and the indigenous peoples, who see it as the lack of community links, by conceiving the poor as a beneficiary of official assistance, despite the fact that a strong community and peasant organisation could be used. The value of an economy based on reciprocity and confidence was also recognized, identifying niches of production and consumption to create partnerships and ensure the participation of indigenous peoples in decision-making areas.