Municipal Transparency: Analysis of the Efficacy of Policies and Tools for the Treatment and Access to Public Information in the Municipalities of Ecuador

This project addresses the issue of opacity in Ecuadorian municipal management, where technological tools and the current legal framework (LOTAIP) are not effectively leveraged to guarantee the citizen's right to information. Despite existing regulations, the lack of control mechanisms and the persistence of corruption limit transparency and civic auditing. The research proposes an interdisciplinary approach using the 'Mapa Infoparticipa' methodology to evaluate Ecuador's 221 municipalities. Through a qualitative and quantitative analysis of municipal websites, the team seeks to diagnose the current state of transparency and propose concrete improvements in the communication practices of local governments. As a result, the project will develop a mobile application for measuring transparency, train institutional communication officers, and deliver a manual of best practices. The expected impact includes increased citizen trust in institutions, more open public management, and the strengthening of participatory democracy through the use of information and communication technologies.<br/><br/><b>Goal</b>: <br/>To make visible the level of compliance with the Organic Law of Transparency and Access to Public Information in Ecuadorian municipalities. The project aims to identify barriers to information access and propose communication strategies to strengthen transparency and citizen participation.<br/><br/><b>Research lines</b>: <br/>State, citizenship, public policies and interculturality