Comprehensive Reparation and Special Protection of Children and Adolescents after the Alausí Landslide

Abstract

This research examines the right to special protection of children and adolescents following the landslide that occurred in the Alausí canton in 2023. The findings show that, after two years, the State has incurred in a prolonged omission, as it has not effectively restored the necessary conditions for the exercise of fundamental rights interconnected with special protection. This omission has created barriers to accessing education, health, housing, mobility, and recreation, with direct effects on the integral development and psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents. The study was designed with a mixed-methods approach, combining analysis of national and international regulations, institutional reports, and direct observation (2025), complemented by interviews with families and local authorities. The triangulation of these sources revealed that the absence of comprehensive measures has perpetuated the violation of rights. The results highlight the need to implement integral and transformative reparation mechanisms, including the restitution of infrastructure with the active participation of children and adolescents, specialized psychosocial care, satisfaction measures that reflect the narratives of local childhood, guarantees of non-repetition, and the incorporation of their voices in the design of post-disaster policies.