2023 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

17th Edition

Phase 6 of 7

Publication Preparation 18/09/2023 - 06/11/2023

Process phases

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Quito: I Am Chimbacalle Citizen Action Agenda

Official proposal

06/06/2023 11:53

Historically marginalized groups' demonstrations seek their full participation in the political, economic and social life of their neighborhood. The world is undergoing major social transformations, driven by urbanization, climate change and technological advances, which open the door to social inclusion or exclusion. Social inclusion is the process of improving the ability, opportunity and participation of people who are disadvantaged because of their identity, so that they can actively participate in society.

Inclusive participation of the different human groups existing in the community was promoted, improving the coexistence of all the neighborhoods belonging to the sector, raising awareness of inclusive methodologies to promote and encourage the appropriation and belonging to the culture and history of the community, as well as the personal growth of the inhabitants. New inclusive spaces within the neighborhood to coexist and create new ideas for the social development of Chimbacalle.

Citizen participation in public decision-making processes can promote a deeper understanding of problems and co-responsibility in the search for solutions. At the same time, it promotes the implementation of proposals with a higher degree of legitimacy and approval.

Through a participatory process, residual spaces were transformed into spaces with different activities in order to encourage the community to participate collectively, the intention of these spaces is to invite people to relax and share in environments full of music, art and games. Unsafe spaces for pedestrians are modified and improved for users. In addition, with urban art interventions, community integration is achieved through participation in various artistic proposals. The lack of adequate spaces for the enjoyment of the user is identified, as well as green areas for the use of public space with the implementation of urban art that is practiced in the south of the city, opening the possibility of the participation of representative artists of the place.

The Urban Laboratories project promoted by the Secretariat of Territory, Habitat and Housing (STHV) is a tool for identifying and developing territorial public programs and policies for land use, habitat, public space, built heritage and housing, under the concepts of sustainability, social inclusion, environmental quality, universality and social cohesion.

The Chimbacalle Citizen Action Agenda made it possible to achieve the real aspirations of the neighborhood's inhabitants, through the proposal of new and innovative criteria for urban development and territorial planning, which view human settlements as living organisms that develop day by day, and which must be considered as a set of systems that are articulated within an integral vision, which must be enriched by participatory processes.

Within this context, public space represents local identity and is an essential tool to foster civic life. For this reason, it is necessary to influence decisions that influence public space through participatory processes of urban intervention. The growth of cities has implied rethinking how to make use of space to achieve economic, social, cultural and environmental objectives that strengthen egalitarian, inclusive and democratic societies. Chimbacalle's sustainable urban planning focuses, through its agenda, on promoting a higher quality environment that improves the well-being, physical and mental health of its inhabitants. Priority is given to the generation of inclusive and accessible public spaces, and the materialization of comprehensive neighborhood rehabilitation projects that contribute to the recovery, cohesion and integration of the social fabric.

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