Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study examines the demand for water justice in the Kichwa community of La Calera, Ecuador, through the external and internal conflicts it faces regarding the use, distribution, and gover-nance of water resources. An interpretive qualitative methodology was employed, based on in-depth semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and documentary analysis, with the data analyzed according to grounded theory principles. The findings show that water is conceived as an essential common good with symbolic and identity-forming significance, thereby strengthening the community's social and cultural cohesion. They also reveal the persistence of centralized water-governance structures that hinder the recognition of existing community practices and norms. The study concludes that Indigenous worldviews and rights must be considered in the formulation of public water policies in order to promote water governance that is more just, equitable, and responsive to local contexts.
Source: Minerva
Author: Karla Paulina Hidalgo Montesinos
Institution: Central University of Ecuador
Language: English
Subfield: Water Science and Technology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7213284242