Social Sciences and Human Rights: An Analytical Approach from the Reality of Ecuador

Abstract

The present study aimed to analyse the interrelationship between the social sciences and human rights in Ecuador, adopting a critical approach oriented towards understanding their impact on contemporary social reality. Methodologically, the research was conducted under a qualitative approach, with a descriptive–analytical scope and a non-experimental design, based on a documentary review of indexed academic sources, regulatory frameworks, and specialised literature, analysed through content analysis techniques. The results indicate that, although Ecuador has had an advanced constitutional framework since 2008, which expands the catalogue of rights and incorporates innovations such as the rights of nature, significant gaps persist between legal recognition and effective implementation. These gaps are conditioned by structural inequalities, institutional limitations, and tensions between economic development and sustainability. Furthermore, the role of the social sciences is highlighted as a key field for interpreting these dynamics, making power relations visible, and proposing more relevant intercultural and decolonial approaches. It is concluded that human rights should be understood as dynamic social constructions whose effectiveness depends on the articulation between legal frameworks, public policies, and citizen participation, making it necessary to strengthen governance and institutional capacity in order to advance towards a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable society.