The Centre for Planning and Social Studies (CEPLAES) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation with headquarters in Quito, Ecuador. It has thirty years experience doing academic work as well as engaging directly with actors nationwide, mainly women’s organisations and other social organisations, as well as local and national NGOs.

The mission that guides the organisation’s day-to-day activities is "To contribute to overcome economic, social, environmental and gender-based inequity by means of knowledge management and advocacy on public policy issues."

CEPLAES has a multidisciplinary team with a high technical level that is committed to the defence and promotion of the fundamental rights of persons and communities. Since its foundation CEPLAES has implemented over one hundred research projects on issues concerning social and economic development, public policies, migration, women and gender, gender violence, and ethnic groups and culture, among others. The results of these studies are gathered in over fifty published titles. Currently the centre is working in four thematic areas, as follows: Socioeconomic rights; the rights of women, indigenous and Afroecuadorian people; social and political rights; and social and environmental rights.

Publications and other materials regarding violence against women and Women’s Police Stations:

Nuestro derecho a una vida sin violencia. (Cartillas de Alfabetización para Mujeres Nº 1. 2006) This primer is part of the Legal Literacy for Women Programme developed by the Observatory on the right of women to a life without violence, which is coordinated by CEPLAES. The programme is keyed to women leaders and organised women from the various social sectors in the seven provinces of Ecuador. It includes a Guide for Facilitators, the primer and several support instruments.
Mujeres fragmentadas, identidad y violencia de género. (Gloria Camacho, 1996.) More than half of all women have been subject to physical attack by their partner. This is one of the pieces of evidence in this book that leads the author to suggest that gender violence is a social problem. By means of a suggestive and rigorous analysis, the publication presents statistical information, reflections based on the life stories and the systematising of an educational experience that aims to modify violent relationships, while proposing certain alternatives.
Nada justifica la violencia. Manual para autoridades de policía y jueces de contravenciones y Guía para facilitadoras. (Elsie Aguilar, Gloria Camacho, 1997.) CEPLAES, in coordination with the National Women’s Council (CONAMU), has produced this education and support manual geared towards government and police authorities. It brings together information on the problem of intrafamily violence and Law 103, passed in 1995 for the purpose of preventing and punishing violence against women and the family. The manual promotes enforcement of this law under conditions adequate to the victim.
Programa educativo sobre violencia del marido contra la mujer. (Lourdes Barragán, Alexandra Ayala and Gloria Camacho, 1992.) This is a programme keyed to popular women’s organisations that seeks to promote reflection on violence against women in the domestic sphere and unequal relations between men and women, as well as to propitiate appropriate actions to counter this reality. The programme was carried out based on the results of research undertaken in Quito. It consists of four modules, a training manual and educational support materials, including a video, a radio play, two posters and several didactic games.
Boletín alerta! This is a periodical publication of the Observatory on the right of women to a life without violence, which is coordinated by CEPLAES and operates in seven provinces in Ecuador since 2003. The Bulletin gathers the main results of the follow-up work done on criminal proceedings for sexual crimes and intrafamily violence and the offices of overseers, including the opinion of the actors involved. Proposals are set forth, along with information on the issues at hand.