Behind the Bars of Care: Intersectionality, Migration, and Gendered Public Policies in Ecuadorian Prisons Tras las rejas del cuidado: interseccionalidad, migración y políticas públicas en perspectiva de género en cárceles ecuatorianas

Abstract

This article examines the concept of care with a specific focus on migrant women deprived of liberty in Ecuador. Drawing on both international and national normative frameworks, it explores the implications of care as a responsibility historically assigned to women, even within contexts of incarceration. The analysis highlights how this dual burden—gender condition and migratory status—exacerbates inequalities while constraining the full exercise of human rights. It also emphasizes the urgency of developing public care policies with a gender-sensitive and intersectional perspective, aimed at fostering inclusion and social justice within the penitentiary systems of the region.