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06 October 2022
Improving women’s health through a cervical cancer screening facility
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01 October 2022
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25 September 2022
World Contraception Day 2022: Access to safe and effective family planning methods key to gender equality and improved livelihoods
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Timor-Leste
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Timor-Leste:
Story
24 June 2022
ASPIRING TO MAKE A 'BIG LEAP' IN TIMOR-LESTE'S DEVELOPMENT: THE VITAL ROLE OF GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT AND WHY WE NEED TO ACT NOW!
Since the restoration of independence on 20 May 2002, Timor-Leste has made considerable progress on socio-cultural, political and economic rights. However, the post-COVID-recovery in the wake of higher food and energy prices caused by the war in Ukraine has compounded existing gender inequalities making it imperative to centre stage women and girls to build back better. It is also clear that the country needs to maximise all its resources (human, financial, environmental and knowledge) and assets to achieve better outcomes for all, including children, the LGBTIQ persons, the elderly, and the disabled.
Despite a strong commitment to equality in Timor-Leste, violence against women and girls (VAWG) remains pervasive, with estimates from 38% to 59% of women experiencing violence in their lifetime. The 2019 Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicates that the VAWG is a significant structural barrier to the country's development. In his inauguration speech, newly-elected HE President Jose Ramos Horta emphasised the importance of gender equality and women's empowerment as a fundamental prerequisite for inclusive national development and building a resilient democracy.
Timor-Leste has already made significant progress in addressing inequalities through legislation, policy development, institutional mechanisms, and raised public awareness. The second National Action Plan on Gender-based Violence, pending approval from the Council of Ministers, commits to ending gender-based violence through a multi-sectoral, comprehensive and coordinated approach. The NAP GBV has been developed following the national laws and international commitments of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the International Convention on the Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Covenant on Social and Economic Rights (ICSER) and the Convention on the Rights of the Children (CRC). Timor-Leste has adopted the Women's Economic Empowerment Strategy and National Social Protection Policy as fundamental policies that complement women's agency. However, the national development plan (the SDP) recognises that more remains to be done and establishes several critical priorities.
Furthermore, the draft Second NAP GBV is supported by findings of an assessment from the preceding NAP, whereby more significant action is needed to audit the gendered impact of legislative changes on the development and well-being of women. Recognising women in their multiple and intersectional socio-economic and political identities is also imperative. It would be good to know, for example, the representation of women's voices in the design of the Cesta Basica programme, the $200 levy on poorer households, the push to reduce malnutrition in the country and the Bolsa de Mae Generation Foun.
While we are looking at how women's participation and empowerment can be further championed in Timor-Leste, we must build on the good progress that has been achieved. Currently, Timor-Leste has one of the highest rates of women parliamentarians in the world and the highest in the Asian/Pacific region. The President of the National Parliament promulgated a new Village (Suco) Law in July 2016 to have at least one woman per Suco as Suco Chief. We must ensure now that the upcoming elections leverage the momentum the country has built on to prepare communities, especially aspiring women representatives. For effective implementation of policies, further strengthening the capacity of the national women's machinery and various ministries are vital, as also emphasised through the recently revised National Action Plan of Gender-Based Violence (NAP GBV).
Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations today. It is a significant obstacle to fulfilling women's and girls' human rights and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The United Nations in Timor-Leste remains committed to working with the Government to address the long-term impact of the pandemic and addressing existing structural barriers to gender equality through multiple interventions, including EU-UN Spotlight Initiative and Equality for All initiatives, among others. Led by the Government and together with partners, we will continue responding to all forms of VAWG, with a particular focus on domestic and family violence, sexual and gender-based violence, harmful practices, femicide, trafficking, and all forms exploitation in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the principle of 'leaving no one behind.'
It would also be essential to acknowledge that gender inequality has deep socio-cultural roots and manifests in non-linear ways. Therefore, it will require a coordinated, comprehensive, multi-sectoral and lifecycle approach. Which essentially means a Whole of Government, womb to tomb approach.
It is time to consider setting up a National Women's Empowerment Fund with a 20-year plus timeline because the piecemeal approach has not worked so far. Additionally, we urgently need to focus on three key areas – implementation of legislation, social protection, and gender-responsive financing:
Laws are already there. Weaker implementation is a barrier. If the State is able to ensure the implementation of these laws, this will ultimately improve the protection of women and girls, leading to the upholding of women's rights.
A long-term social protection scheme will provide effective mechanisms to reduce the vulnerabilities of women and girls, leading to their empowerment and participation.
Gender-responsive budgeting is a critical part of the Public Financial Management agenda and will improve the social and economic situation of women and girls by ensuring a fair allocation of resources
With a gender-champion leadership at the helm of affairs in the country and in the context of Timor-Leste's bid for a bigger and better global repositioning and expansion of the economy, we have a historical opportunity to include women and girls in the much-needed sustainable economic diversification and leverage Timor-Leste's interest for regional integration, while leaving no woman and girl behind. If there was ever a better time to promote gender equality agendas and incorporate gender perspectives throughout the wide range of challenges we confront in Timor-Leste and the Pacific region, it is now!
-END-
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Story
17 May 2022
UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR AND COUNTRY TEAM WISH TIMOR-LESTE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF RESTORATION OF INDEPENDENCE
On behalf of the UN Country Team, I offer the warmest wishes on this momentous occasion.
Today’s anniversary marks another landmark in the productive and exemplary partnership between Timor-Leste and the United Nations. For more than two decades, the United Nations has worked side-by-side with the people of Timor-Leste, supporting the country’s efforts to build a strong and resilient State and promote sustainable peace and prosperity.
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10 May 2022
Solidarity to End Violence
Viqueque, Timor-Leste.
The two-day ‘Do No Harm’ workshop on ethical and safe approach when responding to cases of gender-based violence (GBV) was held on March 30, 31 in Viqueque, Timor-Leste. The ‘Do No Harm’ workshop aims to promote better understanding of the nature of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) which interlinks with mental health of the survivors, and supports local communities to adopt ‘Do No Harm’ approach, namely ethical and safe method when respond to cases of VAWG. The workshop has been conducted in three municipalities, Bobonaro, Ermera and Viqueque, lectured by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), local authorities and Justice Institutions that work closely on VAWG and GBV. At the seminar, the participants including school teachers and students are encouraged to share their experiences when dealing with GBV cases and survivors, and discuss about how they can improve local community to response and prevent the VAWG.
Irene Kobesi works as the PNTL (Policia National Timor-Leste) First Sergeant in Vulnerable Person Unit (VPU), supporting survivors of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). She said “I participated in the ‘Do No Harm’ workshop, because, as a VPU officer, my duty is to protect women and girls.” At the workshop, interconnections between VAWG and mental health of the survivors were underlined to understand the wider perspective of VAWG: survivors are harmed not only when they received violence, but also when they receive indiscreet questions about the sexual violence during the judicial process.
https://youtu.be/ilSYHxHS7Cc
During the seminar, it was emphasized that people’s better understandings of VAWG and cooperation from local authorities are necessary to eliminate VAWG at the community level. Maria Odete do Amaral, a Chief of Village in Viqueque, stated “I really wanted to join this seminar because this is essential for me as a community leader. I can share what I learned in this seminar with my community, and those who experienced violence, mostly women and girls.” While “Prevention of domestic violence can start from family. If we have knowledge in VAWG, domestic violence can be prevented in the early stage. If we solve family issue with violence, our children never learn how to solve problem without violence” addressed by Jose Delima, a Coordinator of Public Defender.
In Timor-Leste, climate change also exacerbates cases of VAWG. In the interview, Irene shared her experience in the flash floods during March 29th -April 4th 2021, resulted in disastrous landslide that produced more than 15,000 internally displaced people right after the disaster. “Last year, we experienced the catastrophic flood. Some people were traumatized, because they didn’t have place to live, and experienced violence from their partners. We provided support to those who suffered from both flood and violence. If their houses are not safe to live, we contacted local authorities to provide them an emergency shelter.”
To respond and prevent VAWG, a bottom-up approach to adopt ‘Do No Harm’ at the community level is essential, because the causes of the violence are deeply connected to the social context of Timor-Leste. “Together, we can end violence against women and girls” concluded Irene.
By Fidelia Mendonca, Ayumi Kimura
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18 April 2022
Historical insights, sustainable and inclusive development: What they might mean for us now and for the future
An essential first step is perhaps to help people clearly define what type of national development people of Timor-Leste would like to see in their country
The United Nations is here to support the government and the people of Timor-Leste. The SDGs and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development offer evidenced-based and solution-based directions for an inclusive, prosperous and sustainable future for all.
With the second round of the Presidential Elections imminent, it has been an interesting and exciting past week, thinking about now as well as the future of the country. Irrespective of the people’s decision for either of the candidates, the President’s ‘father-of-the-nation’ role entails a key guiding role that contributes to strengthening the economy, political systems, collaborations, and reconciliation in the wake of the COVID-19 fallout and critical development challenges facing the country.
In the past week, I had the privilege of joining an exciting and insightful online webinar featuring an interview with Professor Jeffrey Sachs on Accelerating Progress on SDGs in Malaysia . The interview –skillfully moderated by my friend and colleague UN Resident Coordinator for Malaysia and Singapore, Ms Karima El Korri – was organised by the Sunway University and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), part of a global network of universities and institutions promoting sustainable development practices. Incidentally, we (the UN) are assisting the University of Timor-Leste to join this Network soon. As always, Professor Sachs covers a lot of historical ground and makes fascinating connections between social and economic progress and many global challenges that the world faces today. He starts by drawing attention to the combination of events that contributed to global economic growth in the period after 1776 (imperialism, the industrial revolution, the role of fossil fuels, self-interest, the dominance of market economies and many other factors).
Professor Sachs points out that “…one of the reasons the world is struggling to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels is that we have had 200+ years of economic growth based on a reliance on fossil fuels and market economies. The powerful forces behind fossil fuels are pervasive and shape almost every aspect of our lives. So, breaking that dependence and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and shifting towards carbon-neutral growth may take years, possibly decades.” This is why governments and development institutions need to prepare long-term plans now and to ensure that these are practically progressed annually for this critical global transition. He notes that sadly even after the past decade of rising global temperatures and changing global weather patterns contributing to more frequent and devastating environmental disasters, as well as the loss of biodiversity and the COVID-19 pandemic, we have yet to see many governments, industries and international institutions develop and implement robust long-term (20-year plus) plans for zero carbon growth. As the IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) has said on many occasions (see: https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-insights/perspectives/ipcc-report-climate-change/) ‘time is running out’! “…one of the reasons the world is struggling to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels is that we have had 200+ years of economic growth based on a reliance on fossil fuels and market economies. The powerful forces behind fossil fuels are pervasive and shape almost every aspect of our lives. So, breaking that dependence and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and shifting towards carbon-neutral growth may take years, possibly decades.” By making a powerful case for the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) as the guiding principles for a better, more sustainable world for all, he advocates for “six big transformations” that he believes are essential for nations in the Asia-Pacific region (all of whom, according to data from ESCAP, are ‘off-track in terms of progress against the SDGs’ (see: https://data.unescap.org/data-analysis/sdg-progress.) The Asia-Pacific region is home to 60% of the global population, so if the world is to achieve the SDGs by 2030, it is vital that this region achieves the progress that is needed. The six transformations that Professor Sachs’ identifies are: (i) Quality Education for all; (ii) Health for all; (iii) Energy and industrial transformation; (iv) Sustainable land use (and one might add, especially for small island states and many others sustainable use of oceans); (v) sustainable cities; (vi) Digital transformation. While also emphasising the vital importance of gender equality and inclusion, Professor Sachs’ makes a personal plea for increased women’s leadership globally and in all spheres to accompany and accelerate the transformations needed to create a better world for all. This presentation made me reflect on the work that the UN is supporting in Timor-Leste and elsewhere. How can we better support political leaders, governments and key institutions in the countries we serve to develop serious, long-term, inclusive, and sustainable plans for climate action and carbon-neutral growth? And more importantly, how can we more effectively support the development and implementation of long-term plans for such transformations? An essential first step is perhaps helping people clearly define what type of national development they would like to see in their country. In my conversations with some Timorese citizens, I have heard friends and colleagues say that they would like Timor-Leste to be more like Singapore. I wonder, however, which aspects of Singapore’s development people in Timor really value. If that is a ‘model’ that Timorese citizens want to emulate, how can we start to chart a path to move from where we are now to foster a model of development that benefits and creates a better, more sustainable future for all? And critically, how can we ensure that progress is measured year-on-year to safeguard a better future for all?
With the second round of the Presidential Elections imminent, it has been an interesting and exciting past week, thinking about now as well as the future of the country. Irrespective of the people’s decision for either of the candidates, the President’s ‘father-of-the-nation’ role entails a key guiding role that contributes to strengthening the economy, political systems, collaborations, and reconciliation in the wake of the COVID-19 fallout and critical development challenges facing the country.
In the past week, I had the privilege of joining an exciting and insightful online webinar featuring an interview with Professor Jeffrey Sachs on Accelerating Progress on SDGs in Malaysia . The interview –skillfully moderated by my friend and colleague UN Resident Coordinator for Malaysia and Singapore, Ms Karima El Korri – was organised by the Sunway University and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), part of a global network of universities and institutions promoting sustainable development practices. Incidentally, we (the UN) are assisting the University of Timor-Leste to join this Network soon. As always, Professor Sachs covers a lot of historical ground and makes fascinating connections between social and economic progress and many global challenges that the world faces today. He starts by drawing attention to the combination of events that contributed to global economic growth in the period after 1776 (imperialism, the industrial revolution, the role of fossil fuels, self-interest, the dominance of market economies and many other factors).
Professor Sachs points out that “…one of the reasons the world is struggling to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels is that we have had 200+ years of economic growth based on a reliance on fossil fuels and market economies. The powerful forces behind fossil fuels are pervasive and shape almost every aspect of our lives. So, breaking that dependence and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and shifting towards carbon-neutral growth may take years, possibly decades.” This is why governments and development institutions need to prepare long-term plans now and to ensure that these are practically progressed annually for this critical global transition. He notes that sadly even after the past decade of rising global temperatures and changing global weather patterns contributing to more frequent and devastating environmental disasters, as well as the loss of biodiversity and the COVID-19 pandemic, we have yet to see many governments, industries and international institutions develop and implement robust long-term (20-year plus) plans for zero carbon growth. As the IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) has said on many occasions (see: https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-insights/perspectives/ipcc-report-climate-change/) ‘time is running out’! “…one of the reasons the world is struggling to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels is that we have had 200+ years of economic growth based on a reliance on fossil fuels and market economies. The powerful forces behind fossil fuels are pervasive and shape almost every aspect of our lives. So, breaking that dependence and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and shifting towards carbon-neutral growth may take years, possibly decades.” By making a powerful case for the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) as the guiding principles for a better, more sustainable world for all, he advocates for “six big transformations” that he believes are essential for nations in the Asia-Pacific region (all of whom, according to data from ESCAP, are ‘off-track in terms of progress against the SDGs’ (see: https://data.unescap.org/data-analysis/sdg-progress.) The Asia-Pacific region is home to 60% of the global population, so if the world is to achieve the SDGs by 2030, it is vital that this region achieves the progress that is needed. The six transformations that Professor Sachs’ identifies are: (i) Quality Education for all; (ii) Health for all; (iii) Energy and industrial transformation; (iv) Sustainable land use (and one might add, especially for small island states and many others sustainable use of oceans); (v) sustainable cities; (vi) Digital transformation. While also emphasising the vital importance of gender equality and inclusion, Professor Sachs’ makes a personal plea for increased women’s leadership globally and in all spheres to accompany and accelerate the transformations needed to create a better world for all. This presentation made me reflect on the work that the UN is supporting in Timor-Leste and elsewhere. How can we better support political leaders, governments and key institutions in the countries we serve to develop serious, long-term, inclusive, and sustainable plans for climate action and carbon-neutral growth? And more importantly, how can we more effectively support the development and implementation of long-term plans for such transformations? An essential first step is perhaps helping people clearly define what type of national development they would like to see in their country. In my conversations with some Timorese citizens, I have heard friends and colleagues say that they would like Timor-Leste to be more like Singapore. I wonder, however, which aspects of Singapore’s development people in Timor really value. If that is a ‘model’ that Timorese citizens want to emulate, how can we start to chart a path to move from where we are now to foster a model of development that benefits and creates a better, more sustainable future for all? And critically, how can we ensure that progress is measured year-on-year to safeguard a better future for all?
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15 March 2022
Children in Grade 1 inspired to learn by peer mentors in Timor-Leste
Around forty children between the ages of five to seven sit in small groups on a large verandah and in classrooms at the Eskola Basic Filial (EBF) Matata school in Ermera Municipality. All of them are completely engrossed in books that they occasionally point to as they emphasize a detail or show each other some of the illustrations.
The setting is a school in the Ermera Municipality, where the UNICEF supported ‘Ready to LEAP’ (Learn, Engage, Achieve, Progress) programme, introduced in 2019 with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, is helping children have a smooth transition from home to formal schooling. Similar activity is being conducted at ten other basic education schools in Ermera and Liquica municipalities.
The initiative helps children who enrolled in grade 1 or those repeating grade 1 to get additional support from the school, their parents, families and other students (peer mentors) to build up their confidence and prepare to continue learning in a school-based setting. Trained peer mentors play a key role in inspiring younger children to learn.
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2020/Dmaia
Grade 3 students involved as young mentors to Grade 1 students in EBF Matata, Ermera municipality.
In a country where only 27 per cent of children are enrolled in preschools, and where the grade 1 repetition rate is 19 per cent, initiatives such as these make a big difference in inspiring younger children to transition smoothly into school-based learning. To date, the school readiness programme has benefitted 1,314 students in grade 1 classes and enabled 439 students between 10 -11 years old from eleven basic education schools to take part in this initiative as peer mentors. So as not to interrupt learning for peer mentors, these sessions take place every Saturday.
The training for teachers and peer mentors at the school in Ermera was initially conducted in 2019 in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. However, the rollout of the programme was interrupted by COVID-19 related school closures. Most of the trained peer mentors from Grade 5 and Grade 6, who usually take part in this initiative, had also already graduated or were busy preparing for their final examinations.
However, the EBF Matata basic school introduced new ideas to keep the programme running. Teachers from EBF Matata school started engaging with Grade 2 and Grade 3 students who were once beneficiaries of the programme in 2019, to train and help them become peer mentors themselves and help inspire younger children to learn.
“I feel so happy and proud when the teacher asked me to be a young facilitator. Since joining this programme, I have become much closer to grade 1 students and have become friends with them” said 10-year-old Davio Bosco Cardoso
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2022/LRangel
A peer mentor takes part in an interview through phone call to help other children continue to learn.
Nine-year-old Merelia de Francia Mali Goncalves expressed her excitement at being part of the programme “I feel so proud because I am like a teacher for them, I make them feel happy, to be diligent, and they come to the school every day. So it is a great feeling,” she says.
At the beginning of the programme, teachers accompanied the peer mentors and supported them until the mentors were capable of running the activities on their own. As the programme progressed, teachers say the peer mentors got over their initial shyness and became more confident to speak up and lead the sessions.
“This is not only benefitting the Grade 1 students. After taking a role as peer mentors, the literacy and numeracy skills of the mentors also improved, and so did their social skills, for example, understanding ways to solve problems, or how to communicate with friends and manage time,” said Lurdes Rangel Goncalves, a teacher at the EBF Matata School in Ermera.
With additional funding from UNICEF Australia, the ‘Ready to LEAP’ programme will continue in 2022 and 2023 in 30 more schools in five municipalities. These would incorporate additional inclusive and sustainable approaches, including supporting the participation of children with disabilities.
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06 October 2022
Improving women’s health through a cervical cancer screening facility
Last month when she learned about the cervical cancer screening available at the Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares (HNGV) in Dili, she promptly visited the health facility. On August 18, Gabat underwent the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA), a simple naked-eye examination of the cervix conducted by a health worker after application of diluted acetic acid. The result, given to her within a few minutes, was negative for any precancerous lesions or cancer.
“I am relieved,” said Gabat. “I will continue screening at regular intervals, because it is important,” she added.
Ann Liza Gabat (41) at the Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares (HNGV) in Dili. WHO Timor-Leste/Jyoti Shelar
Gabat is among the 160 women who have undergone the VIA screening since the Treatment Centre for Pre-Cancerous Cervical Lesions opened in HNGV in June 2022 with technical and financial support from the World Health Organization. The Centre consists of a VIA screening facility, a colposcopy facility and is also equipped to conduct the thermal ablation procedures for early-stage cancers or precancerous lesions.
Out of the 160 women, about nine were suspected for precancerous or cancerous lesions and advised to undergo colposcopy. The colposcopy procedure involves a healthcare provider taking a closer look at the cervix with the help of a microscope attached with a light (colposcope).
Of the nine women, four were detected with cervical cancer and were directed further for appropriate treatment and care.
Pascoal de Aranjo Pinto, in-charge of the Treatment Centre for Pre-Cancerous Cervical Lesions, said that the screening is offered twice a week and an average of eight women turn up at the facility on the scheduled days.
“We want more women to come forward for the screening,” said Pinto. “There is definitely a need for advocacy on the ground. Women need to know that they must not wait for any symptoms to get screened. Cervical cancer screening is recommended for women between 25 to 65 years, with or without any kind of symptoms,” he added.
dr. Odete Maria Freitas Belo, Minister of Health and Dr. Arvind Mathur, WHO representative to Timor-Leste inaugurate the Treatment Centre for Pre-Cancerous Cervical Lesions at HNGV in Dili on 2 June 2022. WHO Timor-Leste/Cirilo
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in Timor-Leste with 50 new cases (12.5 per 100,000 women) and 24 deaths (6.2 per 100,000 women) in 2018, according to a UNFPA country review document. The review also stated a prediction that a total of 3,494 women in Timor-Leste will die from cervical cancer by 2070 and 13,166 by 2120.
Almost all cervical cancer cases (99%) globally are linked to infection with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV), an extremely common virus transmitted through sexual contact. Therefore, WHO is in the process of implementing multi-pronged strategies not just directed towards screening for early detection and treatment of cervical cancer but also for preventing the disease.
“In addition to HNGV, the WHO is working with the Ministry of Health to start cervical cancer screening centres in five other referral hospitals in Timor-Leste,” said Dr. Arvind Mathur, WHO representative to Timor-Leste. “By 2023, the WHO with support from Gavi, the vaccine alliance, will also start HPV vaccination for 11-year-old girls as a school-based programme. Efforts are also on to introduce HPV DNA testing as a part of the cervical cancer screening programme,” he said adding that WHO has also trained 13 doctors and other healthcare providers to conduct VIA screening, colposcopy and thermal ablation procedures at HNGV and five other referral hospitals.
The efforts by WHO Timor-Leste are in alignment with the WHO’s global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem adopted during the 73rd World Health Assembly in 2020. The strategy aims proposes that 90% of girls are fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine by age 15 years, 70% of women are screened with a high-performance test by 35 years of age and again by 45 years of age, and 90% of women identified with cervical disease receive treatment.
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26 September 2022
World Contraception Day 2022: Access to safe and effective family planning methods key to gender equality and improved livelihoods
While access to family planning and sexual and reproductive health services is critical in ensuring gender equality and improved livelihoods, an estimated 257 million women lack access to safe and effective family planning methods globally.
Similarly, a UNFPA study on Impact of COVID-19 on Family Planning found that nearly 12 million women in 115 countries lost access to family planning services, leading to 1.4 million unintended pregnancies resulting from the disruptions caused by COVID-19.
In Timor-Leste over half of married women of reproductive age (15-49) have expressed a desire to space or limit the number of children they have. Although, nearly one in three women aged 15 to 49 have an unmet need for family planning, with women aged 20 to 24 having the highest unmet need.
For Mrs. Joanzinha Gura da Costa, a 22-year-old mother of two, lack of access to family planning meant postponing her education.
It is recommended that a woman should wait until her last child is at least two years old before becoming pregnant again, to safeguard her health and that of her child.
“I got married when I was a second year student in a private university in Dili where my husband was also studying. I was 20 years old at that time and had to discontinue my studies when I got pregnant. My first born daughter was born in July 2019 and my second born daughter in July 2020 – less than one year apart,” says Mrs. Joazinha Gura.
Girls and women should have the right to plan their families and to realise their dreams in life; for example, pursuing education, engaging in economic activities, to be prosperous, and to contribute to socio-economic development of their families, communities and nations.
“When I saw my classmates go to school I felt very sad and almost lost hope for the future, but after my second daughter was born, my parents and husband advised me to use contraceptives to allow me to continue with my studies and for better spacing.
“I went to Becora Community Health Centre in September 2020 to talk to a health service provider and was counselled on the benefits of using family planning and the available options. I opted for the use of injections method and managed to go back to university to continue with my studies -- I am now in my final year.
“When we are empowered to plan for our families -- as I and my husband did -- we spend more resources on our children’s nutrition, healthcare, and their education,” added Mrs. Joazinha Gura da Costa.
During the 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2019, Timor-Leste was part of 179 governments that adopted a landmark Programme of Action, representing a resounding endorsement that securing reproductive health, individual rights and women’s empowerment is the obligation of every country and community.
However, as the world marks World Contraception Day, celebrated globally on September 26, many women are denied their rights to access safe and voluntary family planning services. This hinders their ability to build a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.
Mrs. Olimpia Pinto, a mother of a two-year-old daughter, observes that family planning improves the quality of life for both parents and children.
“We decided to use injections as a family planning method, as a family, to allow for close attention to our daughter. She is now two years and seven months old. Me and my husband, who is still in college, have decided to have another child after he finishes his studies and gets a job while I continue supporting the family with my business.” Said Mrs. Olimpia Pinto.
Mrs. Candida Soares, a midwife at Becora Community Health Centre, who provides family planning services testified that the number of clients accessing family planning services has increased in recent years.
“The number of women seeking to use family planning methods in Becora Community Health Centre has increased in the last three years; in 2019 with a total of 1827, in 2020 with a total of 2671, in 2021 with a total of 1332, and from January 2022 until September 2022 with a total of 984.
“Notably, in 2021 and early 2022 the numbers reduced because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Government implemented state of emergency and social distancing restrictions,” Mrs. Candida Soares, explains.
Through the UNFPA Supplies -- a flagship programme that helps countries build strong health systems and widen access to a reliable supply of modern contraceptives and life-saving medicines for maternal health -- UNFPA has supported commodity procurement in close collaboration with Government of Timor-Leste since 2013.
For more information, contact;
Suleiman Okoth
Communications and Programme Support Specialist
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Timor-Leste
UN House, Caicoli Street
Dili, Timor-Leste
Mobile: +670 75169796
WhatsApp: +254 780534026
Email; okoth@unfpa.org
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23 September 2022
Tau iha prátika Fraternidade Umanu
Parte ida hosi lei sira neebé signifikante no rohan-laek katak ita ida bele sai hosi moris ida ba pás no atu promove fraternidade no laran-di 'ak liuhusi ita-nia asaun individuál sira.
Semana ida ne'e, Timor-Leste sai nu'udar nasaun dahuluk iha mundu ne'ebé inklui “Dokumentu kona-ba Fraternidade Umanu ba Pás no Moris Hamutuk” nu'udar parte husi valór nasionál sira. Dokumentu ida ne'e prepara ona iha fulan-fevereiru tinan 2019, ho dirijente relijiaun boot rua husi ita-nia tempu, Papa Francisco no Ima Avo-har Ahmed Al-Tayeb, ne'ebé reprezenta fiar ba importánsia husi “fraternidade" atu promove pás iha mundu.
Iha Timor-Leste, SE Presidente, Dr Jose Ramos Horta, informa ba ita hotu kona-ba importansia husi Deklarasaun ida ne’e iha inisiu tinan ida ne’e. Ikus liu, Parlamentu Nasionál aprova ona Dokumentu ne'e ho lian ida de'it iha loron 12 fulan-maiu no deklara ona ninia kompromisu ba valór sira husi pás, diálogu no respeitu ba direitus umanus.
Parlamentu mós husu ba Governu no sidadaun hotu-hotu atu promove importánsia fraternidade umana nian, ne'ebé hahú iha nível nasionál no habelar liu hosi asaun prátiku sira, ba nivel sosiedade tomak, ho objetivu atu hadi'a moris-di'ak sidadaun hotu-hotu nian, no iha nível multilaterál, liuhusi adosaun ba "hahalok protesaun nian ne'ebé promove konvivénsia pasífika entre povu sira. "Iha okaziaun serimónia simu pose nu'udar Prezidente Repúblika, Dr. José Ramos-Horta, hateten hikas fali esforsu hotu atu halo adaptasaun no hatama dokumentu sira iha kurríkulu eskolár Timor-Leste nian.
Nune'e, ho orgullu boot tebes maka semana ida ne'e ho vizita husi Sua Exelénsia Archbishop Edgar Pena Perra, Vise Primeiru-Ministru Vatikanu, Prezidente, Parlamentu no Governu Timor-Leste lansa ona “Centro da Fraternidade Humana Timor-Leste”. Ida ne'e momentu ida ne'ebé di'ak tebes iha istória país nian, ne'ebé koinside ho aniversáriu Restaurasaun Independénsia Timor-Leste nian ba dala 20.
Viva Fraternidade Humana! Viva Timor-Leste!
Ha'u sente onradu tanba hetan konvite atu fahe ha'u-nia perspetiva kona-ba konseitu “Fraternidade" no Dokumentu iha Simpóziu espesiál ida ne'ebé organiza hosi Universidade Catolica Timorense (UCT), Saun João Paulo II. Eventu nee espesiál tebes.
Iha ha’u nia diskursu ha’u dada inspirasaun husi Artigu 1 Deklarasaun Universál Direitus Umanus nian. UDHR hanesan dokumentu importante ida iha istória direitus umanus nian. Asembleia Jerál Nasoins Unidas nian fó sai ona iha Paris, iha fulan-dezembru tinan 1948 nu'udar padraun komun husi konkista sira ba ema hotu (la haree ba idade, rasa, étniku, jéneru, kapasidade ka karakterístika sira seluk) no ba nasaun hotu-hotu. UDHR ne'ebé estabelese ba dahuluk, direitu umanus fundamentál ne'ebé universalmente protejidu. Nia fó baze fundamentál ba servisu hotu-hotu kona-ba dezenvolvimentu umanu no tradúz ona ba lian 500.
UDHR afirma: "Ema hotu-hotu moris livre no hanesan iha dignidade no direitu. Sira iha razaun no konxiénsia no sira tenke halo buat ne'ebé hanesan maun-alin."
Objetivu Dezenvolvimentu Sustentável (ODS), ne'ebé dirijente mundiál sira konkorda ona iha tinan 2015, harii mós iha objetivu báziku sira ne'ebé sai hanesan dependénsia ba umanidade nia futuru. Dame, seguransa no dezenvolvimentu sustentavel so bele alkansa deit liu husi esforsu koletivu.
Santu Francis Assisi, iha nia livru "Arte no Arkitetura ba Dame", hateten tan katak "dalan ba dame la signifika sosiedade estagna maibé halibur ema hamutuk, hamutuk hodi buka objetivu ne'ebé fó benefísiu ba ema hotu".
Lideransa relijiozu no profeta sira hosi relijiaun hotu-hotu enfaze tiha ona mensajen ida ne’ebé hanesan kona-ba dame, domin no fraternidade durante tinan barak nia laran.
Iha aspetu ida ne'ebé signifikativu no rohan-laek liu ne'ebé ita hotu bele sai husi ne'e, ba pás no ba espíritu ida ne'ebé promove fraternidade umana no ninia laran-di'ak liuhusi ita-nia asaun individuál sira.
Tanbasá ida ne'e importante?
Tanba istória fó hanoin mai ita katak la iha pás, la iha dezenvolvimentu sustentável; ko'alia loloos, la iha dezenvolvimentu sustentável, la iha pás ida ne'ebé dura ba nafatin!
Maski nune'e, iha mundu ohin loron nian, ita kontinua moris iha mundu ida ne'ebé ho konflitu, pandemia, mudansa klimátika, no violénsia (infelizmente inklui mós konflitu entre relijiaun) ne'ebé kontinua kauza terus boot, hata'uk ema barak ne'ebé kiak no vulneravel liu nia moris no limita dezenvolvimentu lokál, nasionál no globál.
Istória na’in eminente ida dehan: “Ita hotu hanesan ema umanu, étniku, jeneru mak diskoneta ita, relijiaun haketak ita, politika fahe ita, no riku-soin, klase no mak klasifika ita! Sekretáriu-Jerál ONU nian foin daudaun ne'e dehan: "Ita nia mundu hetan susar tanba funu, hetan ameasa husi klima, ta'uk tanba odi, moe tanba kiak no hamlaha. Ita presiza halibur hamutuk solusaun sira - no ita presiza fó esperansa."
Entaun, oinsá mak ita bele tau prinsípiu fraternidade nian iha prátika?
Husik ha'u sujere dalan balu ne'ebé ita hotu bele kontribui.
Ba dahuluk, ita presiza iha dame ne'ebé loloos nu'udar ema individuál. “Liuhusi pás ida de'it mak ita bele iha liberdade," tuir buat ne'ebé mak hakerek husi Shri Chinmoy, iha ninia livru "Aventura de vida. Se laiha ida ne'e, ema sira ne'e sei kontinua kompete no halo kompetisaun beibeik ba malu. Prátika orasaun, meditasaun, yoga no rituál kulturál no relijioza sira seluk hotu buka atu promove dame iha ita-nia an rasik. minutu balu de'it husi hahalok hakmatek no reflesaun nian kada loron bele fó benefísiu ba ita ida-idak no ita nia moris no mós ba ita-nia maluk sira ne'ebé besik liu no mós ba ema seluk nia moris.
Segundu, importansia husi diálogu no asaun entre-relijiaun atu rekoñese kontribuisaun valiozu ne'ebé ema iha relijiaun hotu-hotu bele halo ba umanidade no kontribuisaun ne'ebé diálogu entre grupu fiar sira bele kontribui ba hasa'e konxiénsia no komprensaun valores komun ema nian. Asaun entre-relijiaun ne’e iha podér atu influénsia ema nia moris no bele hala’o papél importante atu promove asaun koletivu pozitivu hodi prevene no redús: violénsia bazeia ba jéneru (VBJ); violénsia hasoru labarik no ema ho defisiénsia; malnutrisaun no hamlaha; no dezafiu sosiál sira seluk.
Datoluk, importánsia inkluzaun nian hodi hasa'e konxiénsia kona-ba kultura ka fiar ne'ebé diferente no promove toleránsia, ne'ebé envolve sosiedade nia aseitasaun no respeitu ba diversidade relijiozu no kulturál, inklui kona-ba espresaun relijiozu. Edukasaun, liu-liu iha eskola no koléjiu sira, tenke kontribui ho forma ne'ebé kompletu hodi promove toleránsia no halakon diskriminasaun ne'ebé bazeia ba relijiaun, fiar, kapasidade, jéneru, klase, no diferensa sira seluk. Nu'udar ema umanu, ita iha diferensa sira ne'e ne'ebé halo ita ketak. Ita tenke insentiva atividade sira ne'ebé promove toleránsia, tradisaun pluralizmu, respeitu malu no diversidade fiar nian, atu nune'e bele promove fraternidade umana loloos iha nível rejionál, nasionál no lokál.
Dahaat, hanesan ita kompromete ona ba fraternidade umana, ita mós presiza haka'as-an hodi proteje no apoia forma moris seluk iha ita-nia planeta! Ita nia moris la'ós depende de'it ba ema seluk, maibé mós ba flora no fauna ne'ebé furak ne'ebé hela iha mundu. Karik umanu sira kontinua estraga mundu naturál, ita-nia ezisténsia sei hetan ameasa nafatin. Ita tenke promove kustodia diak liu iha ita nia planeta!
Ikus liu, ha'u hakarak hato'o katak ita hotu bele tau prinsípiu hirak ne'e balun iha asaun, hodi halo pelumenus asaun laran-di'ak nian ida kada loron ba ema ida ne'ebé la'ós ita nia maluk (ema ne'ebé la'ós ita-nia belun ka família).
Ho prinsípiu báziku hirak ne'e, ha'u fiar katak ita bele harii mundu ida ne'ebé di'ak liu ba ema hotu no halo buat barak liután hodi promove toleránsia kulturál no relijiozu, kompriensaun no diálogu iha Timor-Leste no iha mundu.
Ha'u fó parabéns ba líder hotu Timor-Leste nian ba sira nia kompromisu ba "fraternidade umana", ne'ebé agora ita hotu iha oportunidade atu moris hosi prinsípiu sira ne'ebé fó sai iha dokumentu vizaun no istóriku sira kona-ba Fraternidade.
-Remata-
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Story
22 September 2022
Putting Human Fraternity into Practice
One of the most significant and enduring legacies that any one of us can leave is to a life of peace and to demonstrably promote human fraternity and kindness through our individual actions.
This week Timor-Leste became the first nation in the world to include the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” as part of its core national values. This Document was prepared in February 2019 by two of the great religious leaders of our time, Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb, representing different faiths manifesting their belief in the importance of “fraternity’’ to promote world peace.
In Timor-Leste, HE President, Dr Jose Ramos Horta, informed all of us about the significance of this Declaration earlier this year. Later, the National Parliament unanimously approved the Document on 12 May and declared its commitment to the values of global peace, dialogue and respect for human rights. The Parliament also urged the Government and all citizens to promote the importance of human fraternity, starting at domestic level and extending through practical actions, to all levels of society with the aim of improving the welfare of all citizens, and at the multilateral level by adopting "protective conduct that promotes peaceful coexistence among peoples." On the occasion of his swearing-in ceremony as President of the Republic, HE President Dr José Ramos-Horta, recommitted to making every effort to adapt and include the Document in school curricula in Timor-Leste. So, it was with great sense of pride that this week with the visit of HE Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra, Deputy Prime Minister of the Vatican, the President, Parliament and Government of Timor-Leste launched “the Centro da Fraternidade Humana Timor-Leste”. This is an auspicious moment in the country’s history, coinciding with the 20th Anniversary of Timor-Leste’s Restoration of Independence.
Viva Fraternidade Humana! Viva Timor-Leste! I was honoured to be invited to share my perspectives on the concept of “Human Fraternity” and the Document at a special symposium organised by the Universidade Catolica Timorense (UCT), Sao Joao Paulo II. It was a very special event. In my remarks I drew inspiration from Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The UDHR is a milestone document in the history of Human Rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris in December 1948 as a common standard of achievements for all peoples (regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, abilities or other characteristics) and for all nations. The UDHR for sets out, for the first time, the fundamental human rights that must be universally protected. It provides the fundamental basis for all ‘human development’ work and has been translated into 500 languages. The UDHR states: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), agreed by world leaders in 2015, also built on the basic premise that the future of humanity is interdependent and inter-connected. Peace, security and sustainable development can only be achieved through collective efforts. Saint Francis of Assisi, in his book "The Art and Architecture of Peace", reiterates that the "path to peace does not mean making society blandly uniform but getting people to work together, side by side, in pursuing goals that benefit everyone". Religious leaders and prophets from all faiths have emphasised a similar message of peace, love, and fraternity for hundreds of years. One of the most significant and enduring legacies that any one of us can leave is to a life of peace and to demonstrably promote human fraternity and kindness through our individual actions. Why is this important? Because history reminds us that without peace, there can be no sustainable development; conversely, without sustainable development, there can be no enduring peace! The reality however in our world today is that we continue to live in a world characterised by conflicts, pandemics, climate changes, and violence (sadly also including inter-faith conflicts) that continue to cause enormous suffering, scar the lives of many of the poorest and most vulnerable people and restrict local, national and global development. In the words of one eminent historian: “We are all humans until race, ethnicity, gender disconnected us, religion separated us, politics divided us, and wealth, class and caste classified us! The UN Secretary General recently said: "Our world is blighted by war, battered by climate chaos, scarred by hate, and shamed by poverty & hunger. We need to come together around solutions - and we need to give hope." So how can we put the principles of fraternity into practice? Let me suggest some ways in which we can all contribute. First, we need to be at genuine peace as individuals ourselves. “It is only through inner peace that we can have true outer freedom,” as said by Shri Chinmoy in his book The Adventure of Life. Without this, human beings will continue to constantly compete and rival each other. The practice of prayers, meditation, yoga and other cultural and religious rituals all seek to promote peace in ourselves. Even a few minutes of quiet contemplation and reflection each day can benefit each and every one of us as well as to the lives of our nearest and dearest ones. Secondly, the importance of inter-faith dialogue and action to recognise the valuable contribution that people of all religions and beliefs can make to humanity and the contribution that dialogue between faith groups can contribute to increased awareness and understanding of the shared values of humankind. Inter-faith action has the power to influence peoples lives and can play a vital role in promoting positive collective action to prevent and reduce: gender based violence (GBV); violence against children and people with disabilities; homelessness; malnutrition & hunger; and other societal challenges. Thirdly, the importance of inclusion by raising awareness about different cultures and religions or beliefs and promoting tolerance, which involves societal acceptance and respect for religious and cultural diversity, including regarding religious expression. Education, in particular at schools and colleges, must contribute meaningfully to promoting tolerance and eliminating discrimination based on religion, beliefs, abilities, gender, class, caste or other ‘differences’. As human beings, we have more in common than any of these 'differences that keep us apart. We must encourage activities that foster tolerance, pluralistic traditions, mutual respect and the diversity of beliefs to actively promote genuine human fraternity at the regional, national and local levels. Fourthly, just as we commit to human fraternity, we also need to commit to protecting and supporting other life forms on our planet! Our lives depend not just on other human beings but on the beautiful flora and fauna that inhabit the Earth. If human beings continue to destroy the natural world, our own existence will continue to be threatened. We must promote better custodianship of our planet! Finally, let me propose that we can all put some of these principles into action by doing at least one act of kindness every day for someone who is a stranger (a person who is not your friend or family). By following these basic principles, I believe we can build a better world for all and do more to promote cultural and religious tolerance, understanding and dialogue in Timor-Leste and the world. I congratulate the leaders of Timor-Leste for their commitment to ‘human fraternity’, now we all have an opportunity to live by the principles expounded in the visionary and historic Document on Fraternity. -END-
Viva Fraternidade Humana! Viva Timor-Leste! I was honoured to be invited to share my perspectives on the concept of “Human Fraternity” and the Document at a special symposium organised by the Universidade Catolica Timorense (UCT), Sao Joao Paulo II. It was a very special event. In my remarks I drew inspiration from Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The UDHR is a milestone document in the history of Human Rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris in December 1948 as a common standard of achievements for all peoples (regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, abilities or other characteristics) and for all nations. The UDHR for sets out, for the first time, the fundamental human rights that must be universally protected. It provides the fundamental basis for all ‘human development’ work and has been translated into 500 languages. The UDHR states: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), agreed by world leaders in 2015, also built on the basic premise that the future of humanity is interdependent and inter-connected. Peace, security and sustainable development can only be achieved through collective efforts. Saint Francis of Assisi, in his book "The Art and Architecture of Peace", reiterates that the "path to peace does not mean making society blandly uniform but getting people to work together, side by side, in pursuing goals that benefit everyone". Religious leaders and prophets from all faiths have emphasised a similar message of peace, love, and fraternity for hundreds of years. One of the most significant and enduring legacies that any one of us can leave is to a life of peace and to demonstrably promote human fraternity and kindness through our individual actions. Why is this important? Because history reminds us that without peace, there can be no sustainable development; conversely, without sustainable development, there can be no enduring peace! The reality however in our world today is that we continue to live in a world characterised by conflicts, pandemics, climate changes, and violence (sadly also including inter-faith conflicts) that continue to cause enormous suffering, scar the lives of many of the poorest and most vulnerable people and restrict local, national and global development. In the words of one eminent historian: “We are all humans until race, ethnicity, gender disconnected us, religion separated us, politics divided us, and wealth, class and caste classified us! The UN Secretary General recently said: "Our world is blighted by war, battered by climate chaos, scarred by hate, and shamed by poverty & hunger. We need to come together around solutions - and we need to give hope." So how can we put the principles of fraternity into practice? Let me suggest some ways in which we can all contribute. First, we need to be at genuine peace as individuals ourselves. “It is only through inner peace that we can have true outer freedom,” as said by Shri Chinmoy in his book The Adventure of Life. Without this, human beings will continue to constantly compete and rival each other. The practice of prayers, meditation, yoga and other cultural and religious rituals all seek to promote peace in ourselves. Even a few minutes of quiet contemplation and reflection each day can benefit each and every one of us as well as to the lives of our nearest and dearest ones. Secondly, the importance of inter-faith dialogue and action to recognise the valuable contribution that people of all religions and beliefs can make to humanity and the contribution that dialogue between faith groups can contribute to increased awareness and understanding of the shared values of humankind. Inter-faith action has the power to influence peoples lives and can play a vital role in promoting positive collective action to prevent and reduce: gender based violence (GBV); violence against children and people with disabilities; homelessness; malnutrition & hunger; and other societal challenges. Thirdly, the importance of inclusion by raising awareness about different cultures and religions or beliefs and promoting tolerance, which involves societal acceptance and respect for religious and cultural diversity, including regarding religious expression. Education, in particular at schools and colleges, must contribute meaningfully to promoting tolerance and eliminating discrimination based on religion, beliefs, abilities, gender, class, caste or other ‘differences’. As human beings, we have more in common than any of these 'differences that keep us apart. We must encourage activities that foster tolerance, pluralistic traditions, mutual respect and the diversity of beliefs to actively promote genuine human fraternity at the regional, national and local levels. Fourthly, just as we commit to human fraternity, we also need to commit to protecting and supporting other life forms on our planet! Our lives depend not just on other human beings but on the beautiful flora and fauna that inhabit the Earth. If human beings continue to destroy the natural world, our own existence will continue to be threatened. We must promote better custodianship of our planet! Finally, let me propose that we can all put some of these principles into action by doing at least one act of kindness every day for someone who is a stranger (a person who is not your friend or family). By following these basic principles, I believe we can build a better world for all and do more to promote cultural and religious tolerance, understanding and dialogue in Timor-Leste and the world. I congratulate the leaders of Timor-Leste for their commitment to ‘human fraternity’, now we all have an opportunity to live by the principles expounded in the visionary and historic Document on Fraternity. -END-
1 of 5
Story
19 September 2022
Community healthcare gets a boost with support from UNICEF and the Government of Japan
The anxious father jumps up from his seat and rushes into the delivery room to meet his newborn daughter.
The inside of the delivery room is one of calm, as a set of a well-choreographed actions are followed by a group of nurses and midwives. A midwife gently wipes the child and places the newborn baby at the mother’s breast for early initiation of breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact – a critical step in ensuring survival of children and a good start to proper nutrition for the child.
A midwife makes sure a newborn baby is comfortable at a hospital in Timor-Leste. CQI programme 2022/Timor-Leste/Benevides
A nurse later takes the baby to be weighed and measured for height, as a midwife checks the blood pressure of the mother and contractions to prevent post-partum hemorrhage.
A nurse weighs a newborn at a community healthcare center in Timor-Leste. CQI programme 2022/Timor-Leste/Benevides
The coordinated work of nursing staff and midwives is a result of training and equipment provided through a partnership between the Ministry of Health and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Funding from the Government of Japan has contributed to the purchase of a range of equipment to help with the safe delivery of babies and treatment of children and mothers in 37 Community Health Centers in 6 municipalities.
Some of the essential medical supplies included gynecology tables, child and neonatal resuscitation tables with warmers and accessories, equipment sterilizers, mobile examination lights, doppler FHR (foetal heart rates) detectors, midwifery kits, electric nebulizers, hand operated resuscitators and sphygmomanometers. The equipment would enable healthcare personnel to provide regular and emergency care to newborns, babies, children and mothers.
The training and equipment are provided under UNICEF’s Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) initiative, a framework focused on maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) developed by the Ministry of Health with technical and financial support from UNICEF. The CQI approach ensures that healthcare is safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient and equitable.
The CQI programme has been implemented by the Ministry of Health, with support from UNICEF, since 2018. The main goal of the CQI programme is to improve quality of care for improving health outcomes of communities accessing health services, including reduction of deaths.
“Since the beginning of the CQI programme, service delivery has improved at these CHCs, staff are part of processes that help identify issues and come up with solutions,” said Snra. Augusta Lopez. “We see our efforts paying off. There is an increase in visits to the health center, and more confidence in families bringing their children to receive routine vaccines and seeking healthcare.”
The CQI initiative is funded by the Government of Australia through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) and the procurement of equipment for six municipalities was funded by the Government of Japan.
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Press Release
15 July 2022
EU-UN Spotlight Initiative funded “safe space” to provide psychosocial support to GBV survivors in Timor-Leste
The “safe space”, one of the Spotlight Initiative’s intervention in Timor-Leste, is a one-stop center offering a comprehensive range of services to survivors – including a safe shelter and psychosocial support.
According to Demographic Health Survey (DHS 2016), 33 per cent of women aged between 15 - 49 years, in Timor-Leste, have experienced physical assault.
However, most GBV cases are under reported to authorities; making the “safe space” an essential center for survivors.
The Health Services of Viqueque Municipality has also designated three health personnel trained in forensic GBV cases to help manage the facility.
“We now have appropriate facilities to accommodate members of the community who experience domestic violence or any form of gender-based violence against women and girls with specialized and dignified services,” said Mr. Franscisco de Carvalho, Director of Health Services in Viqueque Municipality.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Odete Maria Freitas, Minister of Health, reiterated the need for concerted efforts to end gender-based violence – a serious public health and a human rights issue in Timor-Leste.
“We need to pay close attention to end all forms of GBV cases by strengthening the Health Sector’s capacity to prevent and respond to gender-based violence -- since they are normally the first point of contact for GBV cases,” said Dr. Odete Maria Freitas, Minister of Health,Timor-Leste.
Though 59 per cent of ever-partnered women aged 15 - 19 in Timor-Leste experience intimate partner violence at least once in their lifetime, what is more disturbing is that the exact figures might be much higher.
Dr. Domingas Bernardo, UNFPA Timor-Leste Assistant Country Representative noted that UNFPA, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries, research institutions and academia, provide research support related to gender implications on health emergencies to strengthen the availability of evidence -- to inform advocacy and programmatic interventions that are gender-sensitive and responsive.
With recent reports confirming increased cases of violence against women and girls during pandemics and emergencies, the one-of-a-kind “safe space” in Timor-Leste, will help address gender inequality issues and meet the urgent needs of women and girls affected by violence or at risk of violence.
The Spotlight Initiative is a global partnership project between the European Union and the United Nations to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.
UNFPA collaborates with implementing partners, women’s right groups and organizations representing most marginalized communities to ensure that the response to pandemics and emergencies does not reproduce or perpetuate harmful gender norms, discriminatory practices and inequalities.
--------------------------------------------------End------------------------------------------------
For more information, contact:
Suleiman Okoth
Communications and Programme Support Specialist
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Timor-Leste
UN House, Caicoli Street
Dili, Timor-Leste
Mobile: +670 75169796
WhatsApp: +254 780534026
Email; okoth@unfpa.org
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Press Release
05 May 2022
Statement by UN Resident Coordinator Roy Trivedy
On behalf of the United Nations Country Team in Timor-Leste, I congratulate the Government for today’s approval of a draft resolution to be submitted to Parliament for Timor-Leste to become a State party to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as well as the Optional Protocol to this Convention. Following Parliament’s approval of the ratification and its deposition to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Timor-Leste will join the current 185 States Parties to the Convention and the 100 State Parties to the Optional Protocol.
I am reminded of the words of our Secretary-General Antonio Guterres here. He said, “We need everyone, including persons with disabilities, onboard to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Around the world, persons with disabilities and their representative organisations are taking action to realise the call: ‘Nothing about us, without us’”.
It was due time for the Government to take such an important decision. The Convention underlines the universality of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and the right of persons with disabilities to the equal effective enjoyment of these legal guarantees in a way that is respectful and accommodating of their differences.
The ratification will bring about lasting and transformative change in Timor-Leste’s standing on disability inclusion across its policies, programmes and operations. It will help ensure that people (men, women and children) with disabilities have access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities, as well as to participate and be involved in all aspects of society.
I hope that the ratification of the Convention and its Optional Protocol will provide a strong legal basis for the guarantee of equal opportunities for persons with disabilities in Timor-Leste through the elimination of all those barriers which exclude or restrict their full participation.
United Nations stands with the people and Government of Timor-Leste, civil society, also including the organisations of persons with disabilities, the private sector, and the media, to assist in effectively implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol to tackle the obstacles, the injustices and the discrimination that persons with disabilities experience.
Realising the rights of persons with disabilities is crucial to fulfilling the core promise of the 2030 Agenda: to leave no one behind. That is our goal.
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Atu garante direitu ema ho defisiénsia sira-nian presiza atu defende valór no prinsípiu sira karta Nasoins Unidas nian.
Lori ekipa Nasoins Unidas nia naran iha Timor-Leste, ha'u hato'o parabéns ba Governu nebe aprova ona ohin proposta rezolusaun ne'ebé sei entrega ba Parlamentu Nasionál, atu Timor-Leste sai nu'udar Estadu parte ba Konvensaun kona-ba direitu ema ho defisiénsia sira-nian no mós protokolu opsional ba Konvensaun ida-ne'e. Hafoin aprovasaun husi Parlamentu Nasionál ba ratifikasaun no ninia depozisaun ba Sekretariu-Jeral Nasoins Unidas nian Timor-Leste sei hola parte iha Estadu parte atuál sira hamutuk 185 no Estadu parte 100 ba Konvensaun no protokolu opsional.
Ha'u hanoin fali ba ita-nia Sekretáriu Jerál António Guterres nia liafuan nebeé. Nia dehan "Ita presiza ema hotu-hotu inklui ema ho defisiénsia sira atu alkansa objetivu sira husi dezenvolvimentu sustentavel." Iha mundu tomak ema ho defisiénsia sira no sira-nia organizasaun sira-ne'e foti asaun atu realiza apelu ne'e “ la iha buat ida kona ba ita, se la ho ita”.
Tempu opurtunu duni ba Governu atu foti desizaun importante ne'e. Konvensaun ne'e subliña universalidade direitu umanu no liberdade fundamentál hotu-hotu no direitu ema ho defisiénsia sira-nian ba goza efetivu husi garantia legál sira-ne'e ho maneira ne'ebé respeita no akomoda sira-nia diferensa.
Ratifikasaun sei lori mudansa ba tempu naruk no transformativu iha Timor-Leste nia relasaun ho Inkluzaun defisiénsia iha ninia programa no operasaun polítika sira. Ida ne'e sei ajuda garante katak ema sira (mane sira feto no labarik sira) ho defisiénsia iha asesu ba Edukasaun, saúde no oportunidade sira empregu no mós atu partisipa no envolve iha aspetu hotu-hotu sosiedade nian.
Ha'u hein katak ratifikasaun Konvensaun no protokolu opsional ne'e nian sei fó baze legál ida-ne'ebé forte atu garante oportunidade ne'ebé hanesan ba ema ho defisiénsia sira iha Timor-Leste liuhusi halakon tiha bareira sira-ne'e hotu ne'ebé esklui ka limita sira-nia partisipasaun tomak.
Nasoins Unidas hamriik hamutuk ho povu no Governu Timor-Leste, sosiedade sivíl inklui mós organizasaun ema ho defisiénsia sira, setór privadu no média sira, atu tulun hodi implementa ho efetivu Konvensaun kona-ba direitu ema ho defisiénsia sira-nian no protokolu opsional atu hatán ba obstákulu sira ne'ebé hasoru injustisa no diskriminasaun ne'ebé ema ho defisiénsia sira hasoru.
Realiza duni direitu ema ho defisiénsia sira-nian ne'e importante atu kumpre promesa fundamentál husi ajenda 2030 ne'ebé koko atu la husik ema ida iha kotuk. Ne'e mak ita-nia planu.
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Press Release
23 November 2021
More than 357,000 people have benefited from the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative in two years, concludes National Steering Committee
DILI, 23 November 2021: The Government of Timor-Leste, the European Union (EU), United Nations (UN), and Civil Society representatives met today to reflect on the achievements of the Spotlight Initiative. They reviewed progress and discussed future actions to address the increased risk of violence against women and girls in the wake of recovery from COVID-19 pandemic. The fourth meeting of the National Steering Committee was organised by the Secretariat of State for Equality and Inclusion and the UN Resident Coordinator's Office. The meeting brought together representatives from different Ministries, Municipalities, the EU, UN agencies, and Civil Society representatives.
The Spotlight Initiative, which started in January 2020 and which is financed by the EU, has substantially contributed to preventing and responding to violence against women and girls. Over 357,336 women and girls, or 27% of the total population of Timor-Leste, have benefitted directly from the programme over the past two years. More than 700,000 people were also reached through social media. Spotlight is aligned with the National Action Plan on Gender Based Violence (NAP GBV) and supports the implementation of the NAP GBV at national and municipal levels. The Secretary of State for Equality and Inclusion is a key government partner and Co-Chair of the National Steering Committee.
"I would like to convey my sincere appreciation for all the efforts you all have carried out. While all of us have faced various challenges due to limited movement because of COVID-19, sanitary health fence and the recent floods, but we have made significant progress, as seen in the results presented earlier. I believe together with the UN and European Union, we will improve implementation performance in the coming period," stated Secretary of State for Equality and Inclusion, Maria José da Fonseca Monteiro de Jesus.
In Timor-Leste, the Initiative is being implemented by five UN agencies (ILO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, and UN Women) in collaboration with civil society and Government partners through technical and financial support. The programme currently supports 22 civil society projects representing 33 partner organisations at national level and locally in three municipalities (Bobonaro, Ermera and Viqueque). In Phase 1, Spotlight will spend USD 4 million through implementing partners.
The European Union Ambassador stated, “Ending violence against woman and girls is a priority for the European Union, both in Europe and around the world. Gender-based violence is criminal. It’s a brutal form of discrimination and a violation of women's fundamental rights. There can be no excuses for it. The Spotlight Initiative is a practical manifestation of the EU’s political commitment to ending the violence. In Timor-Leste such violence is a major problem, and we are pleased to work with the Government and civil society to help eliminate it.”
Spotlight Initiative in Timor-Leste has worked with the Government and partners, including National Police (PNTL), Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Ministry of Health, Trade Union Confederation, Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Associação Empresarial das Mulheres de Timor-Leste (Timor-Leste Women’s Business Association), and Secretariat of State for Vocational Training and Employment (SEFOPE) to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against women and girls. Over 800 Public Sector representatives were trained, and 33 partnerships developed with organisations working with marginalised groups, particularly people from the LGBT community and people with disabilities, to improve their access to services.
As a result of community mobilisation, advocacy, system strengthening, and improved awareness, violence against women and girls (VAWG) reporting and response have increased considerably. The Spotlight Initiative partners provided over 7,000 support actions to women and girls in municipalities of focus who reported physical/sexual violence and sought legal help. More than 1,319 cases of VAWG were reported to justice officials – almost twice the number of cases compared to the previous year in these municipalities. In addition, the Spotlight Initiative supported 435 women and girl survivors of violence and their families through knowledge, information, and capacity building. Training and information for parents is contributing to healthy and respectful relationships at home and in schools.
It has been globally recognised that violence is often exacerbated in emergencies and natural disasters due to disruption of services, destruction of infrastructure, displacement, and limited access to referral services. Despite the shutdowns and restrictions in response to COVID-19 and recent floods, action against VAWG remains one of the highest priorities for the Government, United Nations, EU and partners in Timor-Leste.
"Women and girls in Timor-Leste are under greater risk of violence as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent the floods caused by Cyclone Seroja, making them more vulnerable. We are proud of the work done by the Government, the UN Agencies, Civil Society Organisations and the media during the past two years of the Spotlight Initiative. Despite difficult times, the Initiative reached many women, girls, boys, men and minority groups with information, training, and services. The UN in Timor-Leste will continue working with communities, the Government, and partners to eliminate all kinds of violence against women and girls and ensure that all people are safe, well supported and that peoples fundamental rights are effectively protected ", noted United Nations Resident Coordinator Roy Trivedy.
Timor-Leste is one of the countries that benefits from the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative with the support of the Government, civil society, and partners in the eradication of violence against women and girls. After achieving significant progress in the last 20 years since its historic independence vote, Timor-Leste has demonstrated its commitment to ending violence against women and girls (EVAWG) and intimate partner violence. Despite the vision for equality, violence against women and girls remains a challenge, with estimates from 38% to 59% of women and girls experiencing violence in their lifetime.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
The Spotlight Initiative, launched in September 2017, is a multi-year global partnership between the European Union and the United Nations to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. It represents an unprecedented global effort to invest in gender equality and women's empowerment as a precondition and driver for achieving sustainable development goals.
In the Pacific, the situation is particularly worrying. In some countries in the region, 76 per cent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime. Most affected are marginalised women and girls facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.
In Timor-Leste, the Spotlight Initiative was launched on 5 March 2020. It is being implemented through five UN agencies (ILO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, and UN Women), in support of the Government, and in close collaboration with the civil society, the World Health Organization (WHO), International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the UN Human Rights Advisor's Unit (HRAU).
The overall vision of the Spotlight Initiative in Timor-Leste is that women and girls enjoy their right to a life free of violence, within an inclusive and gender equitable Timor-Leste. The programme is aligned to the Timor-Leste "National Action Plan on Gender based Violence (NAP GBV) (2017-2021)" and National SDG Roadmap. It contributes to the elimination of domestic violence/ intimate partner violence (DV/IPV) by responding to the needs of women and girls and addressing the underlying causes of violence against women and girls, using a multi-sectoral and intersectional approach across the ecological model.
This involves strengthening and widening partnerships and solidarity across civil society, Government, media, private sector and development partners. The Initiative empowers individuals, equip institutions at national, sub-national and community levels with the policies, systems and mechanisms to prevent and respond to VAWG, and encourage the public to challenge harmful gender norms. Using innovative approaches, the Spotlight Initiative builds a social movement of diverse advocates and agents of change for gender equality and social inclusion.
The Spotlight initiative deploys targeted, large-scale investments to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific. For more information about the Spotlight Initiative, visit https://spotlightinitiative.org
For media inquiries, please contact:
Marino Mouzinho, Media Adviser, Office of the Secretary of State for Equality and Inclusion. Email: marinosmouzinho@gmail.com
Stella D'Assis, Communication and Visibility Officer, EU Delegation to Timor-Leste. Email: stelladassis@outlook.com
Ahmed Saleem, Communications Officer, UN Resident Coordinator's Office. Email: mohammed.saleem@un.org
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Press Release
09 November 2021
Government and United Nations in Timor-Leste launch Socio-Economic Impact Assessment Round-2 to contribute to the COVID-19 response and recovery
The study identifies the continuous impact of COVID-19 on households and businesses, with a specific focus on coping strategies adopted by vulnerable families, the informal sector and micro, small and medium enterprises.
While speaking at the launch, His Excellency Joaquim Amaral, Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, noted, "With the sense of duty fulfilled at this stage of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Timor-Leste assures of its commitment to continue supporting those in need including families, communities, companies and businesses. I am convinced that the SEIA-2 report will provide the Government and other partners with relevant information and evidence on the COVID-19 impacts to guide the new policy formulation."
SEIA-2 highlights how COVID-19 has magnified many of the underlying vulnerabilities within the country, including lack of basic infrastructure, reliance on imports, limited productive activities in the country, limited access to government services and limited technological capabilities. COVID-19 has negatively impacted many poorer households throughout the country. It has also affected formal and informal MSMEs in urban and remote areas that have exacerbated the impact of the pandemic. Many employees of MSMEs have lost employment during this period. Women employees, in particular, have been badly affected.
UN Resident Coordinator Mr Roy Trivedy said, "The pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges, but it also offers opportunities for us to build back and recover better. While we are at an important juncture of COVID19 recovery, it is worth reviewing the latest evidence presented by SEIA-2 and reconsidering the medium and long-term policies aligned with Timor-Leste's commitment toward the SDGs and leaving no one behind."
The global economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic is having a disproportionate impact on low-income and emerging economies. Timor-Leste experienced the largest GDP contraction since its independence. In March 2021, the Government of Timor-Leste (GoTL) introduced lockdowns and other restriction measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These restrictions along with the global economic slowdown and oil price uncertainty, plunged the local economy into severe contraction, with expected real GDP per capita to slip down to the 2009 level. Timor-Leste's non-oil businesses, represented mainly through micro and small enterprises, continue to be squeezed by the fallout of the COVID-19 crisis with looming long-lasting adverse outcomes for many of the most vulnerable groups of people.
"While the COVID-19 crisis has exposed stark inequities, SEIA-2 offers the Government of Timor-Leste to reconsider and prioritise resilience to climate, health, and economic shocks in the framework of the economic recovery plan. The worst effects of COVID-19 can be minimised if the country's leadership continues committing to a new social contract and implements forward-looking and comprehensive programmes to tackle critical tipping points to lift the population from multi-dimensional poverty traps", said UNDP Resident Representative Munhktuya Altangerel.
The assessment is guided by the UN Secretary General's Framework for the Immediate Socio-Economic Response to COVID-19 (https://unsdg.un.org/resources/un-framework-immediate-socio-economic-response-covid-19 ), which set out the framework for the UN's urgent socio-economic support to countries and societies in the face of COVID-19, putting in practice the UN Secretary-General's Shared Responsibility, Global Solidarity report on the same subject (https://unsdg.un.org/resources/shared-responsibility-global-solidarity-responding-socio-economic-impacts-covid-19).
It is one of three critical components of the UN's efforts to save lives, protect people, and rebuild better, alongside the health response. The assessment has focused on a series of in-depth evaluations guided by the Framework for the Immediate Socio-Economic Response to COVID-19, analysing actual and potential losses for Timor-Leste's economy and vulnerable groups due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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BACKGROUND NOTE FOR EDITOR
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have devastating impacts on health, social, economic and environmental systems. Against this backdrop, decision-makers require flexible, rapid and evidence-based diagnostic tools to inform crucial interventions and policy decisions. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has developed the Digital Socio-economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) to provide governments with comprehensive and timely information for evidence-based decision-making in responding to the needs of affected populations and enterprises in the immediate, medium and long term.
The UN's Framework for the Immediate Socio-Economic Response to the COVID 19 Crisis warns that "The COVID-19 pandemic is far more than a health crisis: it is affecting societies and economies at their core. While the impact of the pandemic will vary from country to country, it will most likely increase poverty and inequalities at a global scale, making the achievement of SDGs even more urgent.
Assessing the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on societies, economies, and vulnerable groups is fundamental to inform and tailor the responses of governments and partners to recover from the crisis and ensure that no one is left behind in this effort.
Globally, Governments sought to contain the spread of the disease by the oldest known method: quarantine and confinement. As a result of confinement methods, economic activity experienced the sharpest and most violent contraction on record. In Timor-Leste, the data point to a historical value of 8.7% in the contraction of our economy. In other words, a public health crisis has quickly turned into an economic and social crisis with the disruption of supply chains at local and global levels.
The Government of Timor-Leste used unprecedented resources to strengthen the nation's responsiveness in the face of the pandemic adopting and implementing the Economic Recovery Plan with short term measures to be implemented in 2020 and 2021. Massive support was released to strengthen the health system, help companies and preserve employment. New measures were used to protect the income of those who found themselves deprived of work or business activities.
Among those short-term measures, we highlight the emergency food basket, Cesta Basica, conceived as a universal measure to provide each Timorese citizen with a basket of food and hygiene products worth up to fifty ($50) dollars. With this programme, the Government intended, among others, to stimulate national production, increase the income of local farmers and traders and support the food and nutritional diet of ordinary Timorese families.
Today, when the programme is completed, more than one million, four hundred fifty-two thousand distributed baskets and almost eighty-three million dollars were injected to the economy. The dynamics introduced along to suppliers of goods and services and local producer is visible. The forecast for 2021 of 1.6% in economic growth reflects this impact that the Cesta Basica and other short term economic measures made to commerce, agriculture, the labour market and other sectors.
The Government's economic interventions helped create the opportunity for companies to continue their activities, despite the serious threats of closure or reduction in business volume, which hovered over them. The employment of many workers is secured and protected with the continuation of business activities. Many short term jobs were created through participation in the different stages of implementation of the Cesta Basica.
The COVID-19 pandemic is far more than a health crisis: it is affecting societies and economies at their core. The impact of the pandemic has varied from region to region. The pandemic has been exacerbated by the pre-existing conditions of poverty and inequalities in Timor-Leste, a small island developing state (SIDS), making the achievement of SDGs even more urgent. The recent Easter Flood deepened the crisis by affecting the most vulnerable population.
Therefore, it was important for Timor-Leste, as the first key step, to gather essential data documenting the nation's economic, and social indicators to accurately and efficiently support the Government in policy-making and response measures. UNDP and UNFPA in close collaboration with other UN agencies, the Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs (MCAE), and General Directorate of Statistics (GDS) under the Ministry of Finance, assessed the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The result of the collaboration was the second Socio-Economic Impact Assessment-2 (SEIA-2) Report, launched today by the Government of Timor-Leste and the United Nations.
SEIA-2 was a nationwide survey of 4,292 households and 1,086 micro, small and medium enterprises which aimed to understand how COVID-19, the easter flood, government sanitary fences, and government economic recovery measures had impacted Timorese household and micro, small and medium business across the country.
In a country with 46% of the population already suffering from multi-dimensional poverty and 75% primarily reliant on subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods, determining who counted among Timor-Leste's most vulnerable required a nuanced approach. SEIA-2 developed detailed social and economic matrices that allowed for data to be disaggregated across categories, including gender, age, location, disability status, and employment type. To isolate the impacts of the pandemic from the easter flood that Timor-Leste faced in the past 12 months, SEIA-2 covered changes felt between April 2020 and April 2021.
In addition to data on economic impacts, SEIA-2 also established key indicators on how health, education, community resilience, and social cohesion had been affected throughout the first year of the pandemic. Promising findings in the survey included over 70% of Timorese saying community trust increased during the State of Emergency. The results of the study show that youth most hit by job loss and unemployment - the young adult's age group 25-39 were most affected --- 43.3% of them lost their jobs in 2020-2021.
Although the Government fiscal response was strong, the most vulnerable household received the least benefits. Poorest households had used more severe livelihood coping strategies, such as borrowing money, selling livestock, and reducing education & health costs, and in most severe cases reducing the meal intake.
Gender disaggregation showed that women spent more time on domestic chores, particularly adult women. Women spent more time cooking and cleaning, water collection and family care.
FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES
Antero Veiga, Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs (MCAE). Email: anteroveiga@gmail.com
Ahmed Saleem, Communications Officer, UN Resident Coordinator's Office. Email: mohammed.saleem@un.org
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Press Release
24 October 2021
Government of Timor-Leste, UN System, and partners jointly celebrate UN Day 2021
BACKGROUND NOTE FOR EDITOR
The United Nations played a vital role in Timor-Leste’s restoration of independence and democratic transition by helping organise the Popular Consultation in 1999. Since 2012, the UN in Timor-Leste has shifted its mandate from peacekeeping to strengthening stability and prosperity through sustainable development. The UN is an impartial, strategic partner supporting the Government of Timor-Leste as a Member State to fulfil international commitments and meet national aspirations to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Almost 20 years since the restoration of independence, Timor-Leste has emerged as a democratic and peaceful country focused on state-building and accelerating progress on sustainable development for all, regardless of gender, age, ability or other characteristics.
UN Day marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations officially came into being. The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the Charter had been ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and by a majority of other signatories.
The UN System in Timor-Leste is led by the UN Resident Coordinator Roy Trivedy, who is the designated representative of the UN Secretary-General to Timor-Leste and is responsible for the coordination of development activities in the country.
All UN agencies come together with the Government of Timor-Leste and other development partners under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator to support the achievement of Timor-Leste’s national development priorities.
FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES
Joanico Sarmento, Chief of Social Communications, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Email: cdcs01mnectimorleste@gmail.com
Ahmed Saleem, Communications Officer, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office. Email: mohammed.saleem@un.org
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