United Nations 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:

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21 September 2023

Avansa to’o 2030 - Opsaun no Oportunidade ba Timor-Leste

Iha tinan 2015, governu sira husi nasaun hotu-hotu, sosiedade sivíl no umanidade tomak foti esforsu boot ida hodi adopta Objetivu Dezenvolvimentu Sustentavel (ODS) - ambisiozu, haree ba oin, no atu hetan liuhusi parseria no konsensu - ho objetivu atu hasai ema husi kiak, hamenus dezigualdade, no rezolve kestaun sira seluk ne'ebé limita ita-nia potensialidade; atu proteje ita-nia planeta, ita-nia uma, husi mudansa klimátika no dezastre sira ne'ebé kauza husi ema; atu hetan prosperidade ba ema hotu-hotu, hamenus dezigualdade, hamenus modelu konsumu, promove igualdade no justisa, atu nune'e ema hotu-hotu, maske iha sira-nia sirkunstánsia, Bele moris no moris-di'ak; promove ko-ezisténsia pasifika no mundu ida-ne'ebé la iha konflitu; no buat hotu-hotu ne'ebé sei realiza liuhusi parseria - hanesan, respeitu, la iha diferensa bazeia ba nasaun ida-ne'ebé boot, ho ema hotu-hotu iha lian no partisipasaun iha futuru. Semana ida-ne'e iha Nova Iorke, hahú husi 16 Setembru 2023, mundu ne'e halibur fali hodi marka pontu balun husi ODS sira no diskute dalan sira atu aselera implementasaun ODS sira-ne'e. No ho konkluzaun ne'ebé triste teb-tebes katak ita la'o sai husi dalan atu atinje ODS sira. Iha mundu tomak, iha pandemia COVID, ne'ebé taka mundu, estraga ekonomia no hatudu ita-nia interligasaun; funu foun sira ne'ebé sa'e maka'as; susar ba multilaterizmu no konsensu atu rezolve krize sira ne'ebé urjente liu iha mundu; ameasa emerjente sira husi governu sira ne'ebé eleitu demokrátiku; falta konfiansa ba governu sira ne'ebé eleitu; intoleránsia ne'ebé aumenta maka'as; todan ba tusan boot; dezempregu no inkapasidade atu absorve foin-sa'e sira ba ekonomia. Ita haree hela problema ida-ne'ebé boot kona-ba direitus umanus ne'ebé ita hotu hanoin rezolve ona; diseminasaun notísia falsu no informasaun ne'ebé la loos liu husi média sosiál sira, ho ideolojia perigozu sira sai hanesan "faktu"; Tragédia sira ne'ebé hamosu mudansa klimátika ne'ebé la iha rohan no klaru katak la iha satisfasaun ho asuntu globál no dezigualdade sira ne'ebé aumenta - iha nasaun sira-nia laran, entre nasaun sira no ema sira-nia laran. Tuir mai iha númeru ne'ebé boot katak sei lori tinan 500 tan atu alkansa igualdade jéneru no haree duni feto no labarik-feto sira hanesan ema ho direitu hanesan. Maski la iha tempu ne'ebé di'ak liu atu moris - teknolojia aprezenta ona oportunidade no transformasaun ne'ebé hakfodak hodi inventa, inovasaun, ligasaun, ne'ebé la eziste de'it iha tinan 50 liubá; iha labarik barak liu ba eskola kompara ho tempu ne’ebé deit iha istória; demokrasia barak liu; muda norma sosiál ne'ebé la'o ba oin no bazeia ba direitu. Ita haree ona aumentu iha Artifisiál Intelijénsia no oportunidade sira ne'ebé aprezenta ona, konsensu globál ne'ebé boot tebes no hakarak loloos atu salva ita-nia planeta; oportunidade foun sira ba kreximentu ekonómiku ne'ebé di'ak no sustentavel no emerjénsia husi bloku podér foun sira iha Global Sul, ko'alia no dezafia ba injustisa istórika sira, enkuantu ezije fatin ne'ebé justu liu - iha negosiasaun finanseira sira, inklui reestruturasaun instituisaun finansiamentu globál sira, iha komérsiu no justisa klimátika. Sira ne'ebé sempre iha direitu marjinál - feto, LGBQTI+, ema ho defisiénsia, joven - hotu-hotu luta hasoru violénsia no diskriminasaun. Hanesan Exelensia, Prezidente Repúblika, Jose Ramos-Horta, envolve hela iha konversasaun globál no pozisaun lideransa Timor-Leste nian iha Nova Iorke ba Simeira ODS nian, ne'e mak tempu di'ak atu reflete kona-ba oportunidade sira ba tinan 7 oin mai. Ha'u-nia fiar dezde ha'u to'o iha Timor-Leste fulan 9 liubá, no hafoin dekade rua hetan independénsia no dedikasaun atu harii fali nasaun ida-ne'ebé destruída, mak Timor-Leste hanesan nasaun ida-ne'ebé iha oportunidade atu avansa no atinje kreximentu dezenvolvimentu ba ajenda 2030 nian. Timor-Leste, maske iha istória ida-ne'ebé difisil, pasífiku no estavel, ho lideransa ida-ne'ebé konfia, ne'ebé hili husi eleisaun regulár no la-kontroversiál ida ho eleisaun parlamentár ikus ne'ebé hetan susesu iha nasaun ne'e no estabelesimentu governu konstitusionál IX ne'ebé lidera husi S.E., Primeiru-Ministru Xanana Gusmão. Timor-Leste kontinua hatudu respeitu ba direitus umanus, iha instituisaun sira ne'ebé forte, inklui governasaun, nia pozisaun no influénsia iha asuntu internasionál maske ho nia dimensaun, membru ida-ne'ebé iha valór no adere ba padraun internasionál liu husi membru Nasoins Unidas, CPLP, fundador/membru g7+, relasaun bilaterál forte ho nasaun sira iha mundu tomak, no nia estatutu observador atuál ASEAN nian. Nia iha rekursu sira hosi Fundu Petróleu ne'ebé jere didi'ak, atu koko solusaun inovativu sira ba dezenvolvimentu. Timor-Leste mós sai hanesan nasaun primeiru entre nasaun sira seluk ne'ebé kompromete ona ba Ajenda Dezenvolvimentu Sustentavel tinan 2030 no hahú kedas, nasaun ne'e halo ona revizaun nasionál voluntáriu rua (VNR), ne'ebé foin lalais ne'e aprezenta ona iha Forum Politiku Nivel Aas (HLPF) iha fulan Jullu tinan ida-ne'e. Maibé, iha kestaun boot sira ne'ebé presiza rezolve. Enkuantu fokus ne'ebé loos mak kona-ba saida mak asuntu sira-ne'e - taxa kreximentu ne'ebé aas ba kapitál umanu husi tinan 2002 to'o 2022; 70% dependénsia ba importasaun ai-han, 40% dezempregu, 48.3% pobreza multidimensional ne'ebé agrava inseguransa ai-han no taxa malnutrisaun ne'ebé aas, 47% husi labarik sira ne'ebé seidauk to'o tinan 5 sofre stunting, rezultadu edukasaun ne'ebé fraku, dezafiu ba infraestrutura no konetividade, seidauk iha fokus sufisiente ba “oinsá” - sistema revizaun kona-ba oinsá dezafiu hotu-hotu nia interasaun, liu husi aproximasaun integradu no koordenadu. Ida ne'e atu orienta oinsá rekursu sira implementa la'ós de'it atu alkansa efisiénsia no efikásia, maibé atu eskala intervensaun sira liuhusi solusaun sira ne'ebé sei rezulta rezultadu eskala, nesesáriu atu alkansa ODS sira. Dezafiu la'ós atu identifika problema sira, maibé atu identifika sistema saida mak presiza troka no oinsá atu intervén ho diferente. Iha dalan balun ne'ebé Timor-Leste bele avansa no halo iha tinan 7 oin mai. Primeiru, estabelese objetivu dezenvolvimentu, inklui apoiu husi asisténsia dezenvolvimentu, tenke koordena maka'as iha lideransa governu nian okos. Aprosimasaun ida-ne'ebé integradu husi parseiru governu/dezenvolvimentu sira hotu ne'ebé koordena ona ba planeamentu, prioritiza, identifika populasaun no munisípiu sira ne'ebé presiza liu, orientasaun finansiamentu no eskala tenke sai nu'udar prioridade absoluta. Porezemplu, planeamentu no intervensaun sira kona-ba uma rurál sira labele hala'o sein análize integradu kona-ba oinsá atu fornese uma rurál sira mós bele uza atu alkansa asesu ba bee, saneamentu, asesu ba kuidadu saúde no edukasaun, uza dadus no evidénsia ne'ebé forte kona-ba saida mak funsiona, inklui atrai tipu investimentu no teknolojia oin-oin hodi alkansa meta sira. Esforsu atu hamenus mortalidade labarik no inan nian, inklui hamenus malnutrisaun no stunting, tenke iha pelumenus empoderamentu feto nian. Porezemplu, iha estimativa katak feto isin-rua hamutuk 40,000 kada tinan iha Timor-Leste, no ho koordenasaun, planeamentu no alokasaun ne'ebé loos ho valór USD28M kada tinan, feto hamutuk 28,000 ne'ebé reprezenta 70% sei simu kuidadu ante-natal, ema na'in 32,000 ne'ebé reprezenta 80% sei hetan atende husi asistente partu ne'ebé iha kualifikasaun, ema na'in 36,000 ne'ebé reprezenta 90% sei simu kuidadu pos-natal no asesu ba servisu planeamentu familiár ne'ebé sei lori ba alkansa objetivu sira husi ODS kona-ba mortalidade inan nian hamutuk 70/100,000 mortalidade inan iha 2030 no se feto sira simu planeamentu familiár hodi loke espasu ba oan, sei hamenus stunting 50%. Planeamentu dezenvolvimentu ida-ne'ebé koordena sei rekere konsisténsia, espesializasaun téknika adisionál ne'ebé ajénsia ONU sira lori ba meza no tenke halo ho instituisaun governu relevante hotu-hotu, parseiru dezenvolvimentu bilaterál no ajénsia ONU - atu hala'o planeamentu konjuntu, identifika responsabilidade sira bazeia ba vantajen komparativu, identifika fonte finansiamentu, oinsá atu atrai finansiamentu adisionál, konkorda hamutuk kona-ba saida mak atu halo, oinsá atu halo monitorizasaun no importante liu, saida mak sei atinje eskala. Segundu, oportunidade ba finansiamentu ba dezenvolvimentu labele depende de'it ba finansiamentu públiku. Tenke identifika fonte finansiamentu seluk ba objetivu dezenvolvimentu nian iha maneira koerente, estratéjiku no kona alvu. Enkuantu orsamentu governu nian ba tinan 5 oin mai identifika ona prioridade no orsamentu sira, ida-ne'e mesak de'it labele finansia realizasaun ODS sira-nian. Sei iha nafatin nesesidade atu halo kustu finansiamentu hodi alkansa ODS sira iha períodu tinan 7 nia laran no finansiamentu adisionál saida mak bele hetan asesu. Ida ne'e sei la'ós de'it fo rezultadu lalais no kresimentu ekonómiku maibé sei garante estabilidade ba Fundu Petroliferu. ONU iha istoriku iha konvoka konversasaun kona-ba finansiamentu inovativu, inklui kona-ba finansiamentu bazeia ba rezultadu, iha ne'ebé investidór sira selu fali governu ba rezultadu espesífiku sira kona-ba edukasaun no alvu saúde nian. Diálogu hirak-ne'e atu halibur parseiru tradisionál no investidór privadu sira, instituisaun finansiamentu multilaterál sira kona-ba identifika fatin ne'ebé mak iha sentidu atu investe iha Timor-Leste, la'ós de'it atu kria empregu maibé atu kria emprezariedade lokál (franchising, cadeia de valór, asesu ba teknolojia, rekursu, abilidade, dijitalizasaun) ne'ebé sei responde ba dezafiu sosiál sira. Konversasaun sira-ne'e mós sei identifika dalan konkretu ba investimentu no finansiamentu, ho objetivu klaru no vontade polítika ne'ebé forte, atu hasai bloku sira-ne'e. Porezemplu, PNUD dezenvolve ona mapa investidór ODS ba nasaun sira iha Azia (Malazia, Tailandia, Sri Lanka, etc.), ajuda governu sira-ne'e atu identifika oportunidade ba investimentu privadu sira atu alkansa ODS no identifika investidór privadu/sosial potensiál sira, enkuantu suporta governu sira atu kria ambiente ida-ne'ebé bele fasilita. Terseiru, tenke iha esforsu konsultadu ida no rekursu inisial sira ba dijitalizasaun no abilidade sira ne'ebé liga ho kriasaun empregu. Planu kona-ba kriasaun empregu ba foin-sa'e sira tenke foka liu ba kriasaun empregu dijitál sira. Planu ne'e tenke dezeña bazeia ba enkuadramentu adaptativu ida atu identifika abilidade téknika no dijitál ne'ebé presiza no númeru ema ne'ebé disponivel ba abilidade hirak-ne'e, atu aselera kapasitasaun ekonómika, rekoñese dezafiu kontinu sira iha sistema no infraestrutura sira, dezenvolve enkuadramentu formasaun tékniku no dijitál ida, hahú husi inisiu, identifika iha ne'ebé mak abilidade hirak-ne'e sei implementa no sustenta no sistema monitorizasaun ida-ne'ebé forte ne'ebé deliberadu - mak planu ne'e bele lao? Ba dala haat, protesaun ba direitus umanus no dezigualdade sira ne'ebé iha ligasaun tenke sai sentrál ba foti desizaun kona-ba dezenvolvimentu. Asesu ba servisu ho kualidade no abilidade atu iha abilidade no instrumentu atu hadi'a kondisaun moris, liuliu ba ema ne'ebé vulneravel liu, nu'udar direitu fundamentál ne'ebé sidadaun sira tenke iha kbiit atu ezije, no governu nu'udar ema ne'ebé kaer devér, tenke fornese hanesan baze atu alkansa objetivu dezenvolvimentu no kria pás sustentavel ho maneira inkluzivu no la-diskriminatoriu. Ikusliu, buat hotu iha leten labele akontese sein reforma governasaun - setór públiku ida-ne'ebé ativu, kapasitadu no adekuadu ho kapasidade atu orienta desizaun polítika sira, maibé konsistente no apolitiku nafatin. Sistema jestaun finanseira públiku ida-ne'ebé halo monitorizasaun ba despeza governu nian ne'ebé hale'u alkansa meta sira no la'ós de'it despeza no prestasaun servisu sira no permite foti desizaun lalais iha nivel foti desizaun ne'ebé aas liu, suporta mudansa lalais iha aprosimasaun sira bainhira presiza no hamenus duplikasaun la'ós de'it atividade sira maibé iha funsaun no instituisaun sira. Ha'u hakarak atu ramata ho subliña dalan balun ne'ebé ONU no ninia ajénsia espesializada sira bele kontinua fó apoiu ba governu no povu Timor-Leste hodi alkansa ODS sira. ONU nia vantajen komparativu mak iha nia baze koñesimentu ne'ebé luan husi Timor-Leste no globalmente, atu fornese konsellu polítika imparsiál no neutral, inklui uza bid data (hanesan sensus). Ajénsia ONU nian, iha koordenasaun husi Koordenador Rezidente ida-ne'ebé iha kapasidade, bele fó apoiu ba governu hodi fasilita finansiamentu adisionál, inklui liuhusi investimentu sosiál sira, atu konvoka fasilita parseria rejionál no globál sira, eskala projetu pilotu sira- kona-ba saúde, nutrisaun, transformasaun sistema ai-han, hapara stuntung labarik sira no mortalidade inan no iha fornesimentu abilidade sira kona-ba kriasaun empregu. ONU nia papél normativu no apoiu ba governu nu'udar xave atu asegura katak governu kontinua kumpre nia responsabilidade direitus umanus, promove igualdade jéneru no empoderamentu feto sira-nian, no mós halo relatóriu kona-ba konvensaun ONU nian ne'ebé Timor-Leste asina - hotu-hotu importante atu fasilita realizasaun Programa Governu IX nian ne'ebé lori ba ODS.

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21 September 2023

Leapfrogging into 2030 – Options and Opportunities for Timor-Leste

In 2015, governments of all nations, civil society, and humanity as a whole took a giant stride by adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - ambitious, forward-looking, and to be achieved through partnerships and consensus - with the aim of lifting people out of poverty, reducing inequalities, and addressing other issues that limit our potential; of safeguarding our planet, our only home, from climate change and human-induced disasters; of achieving prosperity for all, reducing inequalities, rebalancing consumption patterns, promoting equity and justice so that all individuals, regardless of their circumstances at birth, can thrive and prosper; fostering peaceful coexistence and a world without conflicts; and all of this to be accomplished through partnerships – equal, respectful, without distinctions based on the size of a country, with everyone having a voice and a stake in the future. This week in New York, from 16 September 2023, the world is again gathering to mark the halfway point of the SDGs and discuss ways in which to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs. And within the backdrop of the very depressing conclusion that we are completely off-track in achieving the SDGs. Globally, there has been the COVID pandemic, which shut down the world, ruined economies and demonstrated starkly our interconnectedness; new and escalating wars; the rising distrust of multilateralism and consensus to resolve the world’s most urgent crises; the emerging threats of the overthrowing of democratically elected governments; increasing lack of confidence in elected governments; growing intolerance; huge debts burden; unemployment and inability to absorb young people into economies. We are witnessing a growing backlash on human rights that we all thought were settled; dissemination of fake news and misinformation through social media, with dangerous ideologies becoming ‘facts’; unending climate change-induced tragedies and clearly a dissatisfaction with global state of affairs and growing inequalities – within countries, among countries and within people. Then there is the grim figure that it would take us another 500 years to achieve gender equality and truly see women and girls as human beings with equal rights. Even with all the bleakness around us, there is no better time to be alive – technology has presented astounding opportunities and transformation to invent, innovate, connect, that did not exist just 50 years ago; there are more children in school than any time in history; more democracies; changing of social norms that are more progressive and rights-based. We have seen the rise of Artificial Intelligence and the opportunities it presents, the overwhelming global consensus and genuine desire to save our planet; new opportunities for green and sustainable economic growth and the emergency of new blocs of power in the Global South, speaking up and challenging historical injustices, while demanding fairer playing ground – in financial negotiations, including for the restructuring of global financing institutions, on trade and on climate justice. Those whose rights have always been marginal – women, LGBQTI+, people with disabilities, young people – are all fighting back, against violence and discrimination. As His Excellency, the President of the Republic, Jose Ramos-Horta, is engaging in the global conversations and positioning Timor-Leste’s leadership in New York for the SDG Summit, this is a good time to reflect on the opportunities for the next 7 years. My belief since I got to Timor Leste 9 months ago, and after two decades of independence and dedicated rebuilding of a then wrecked country, is that Timor-Leste is one of the few countries with the opportunities to leapfrog and achieve development growth in time for the 2030 agenda. Timor-Leste, despite a difficult history, is peaceful and stable, with a trusted leadership, enabled by regular and uncontroversial elections with the country’s last successful parliamentary elections and the establishment of the IX constitutional government under the leadership of HE, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao. Timor-Leste continues to demonstrate respect for human rights, has strong institutions, including for governance, its position and influence in international affairs despite its size, a valued member and adherent to international standards through membership of United Nations, the CPLP, founder/member of g7+, strong bilateral relations with countries across the world, and its current observer status of ASEAN. It has the resources from a properly managed Petroleum Trust Fund, to test innovative solutions to development. Timor-Leste was also among the first countries to commit to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and since then, the country has conducted two voluntary national reviews (VNR), the latest of which was presented at the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) in July of this year. There are, however, major issues that will need to be addressed. While the focus rightly has been on the ‘what’ of the issues – a flat rate of growth for human capital from 2002 to 2022; 70% dependency on food imports, 40% rate of unemployment, 48.3% multidimensional poverty that aggravates food insecurity and a high malnutrition rates, 47% of children under 5 suffering from stunting, poor education outcomes, challenging infrastructure and connectivity, there has not been enough focus on the ‘how’ – systems review on how all the challenges interact, through an integrated and coordinated approach. This is to guide how resources are deployed to not just achieve efficiency and effectiveness, but in scaling up interventions through solutions that will result in scale of outcomes, necessary to achieve the SDGs. The challenge is not about identifying the problems, but in identifying what systems need to change and how to intervene differently. There are a few ways in which Timor-Leste can leapfrog and make the next 7 years count. First, setting development objectives, including support from development assistance, must be strongly coordinated under government leadership. An integrated and whole of government/development partners coordinated approach to planning, prioritizing, identifying the most in need populations and municipalities, guiding financing and scale must be an absolute priority. For example, planning and interventions on rural housing cannot be undertaken without an integrated analysis of how the provision of rural housing can also be used to simultaneously achieve rural access to water, sanitation, access to health care and education, using strong data and evidence of what works, including attracting different types of investments and technology to achieve the goals. Efforts at reducing child and maternal mortality, including reducing malnutrition and stunting, must have at the very least, women’s empowerment at its core. For example, there are an estimated 40,000 pregnant women per annum in Timor-Leste, and with right coordination, planning and allocation of USD28M a year, 28,000 women representing 70% will receive ante-natal care, 32,000 representing 80% will be attended to by skilled birth attendant, 36,000 representing 90% will receive post-natal care and access to family planning services which will lead to achievement of SDG targets on maternal mortality of 70/100,000 maternal mortality by 2030 and if the women receive family planning to space their children, will reduce stunting by 50%. A coordinated development planning will require consistency, additional technical expertise of which UN agencies bring to the table and must be done with all relevant government institutions, bilateral development partners and UN agencies – to undertake joint planning, identify responsibilities based on comparative advantage, identify sources of funding, how to attract additional financing, agree jointly on what to track, how to track and most importantly, what will achieve scale. Second, opportunities for financing for development must not only rely on public finance. Other sources of financing for development goals must be identified in a coherent, strategic and targeted way. While the government budget for the next 5 years has identified priorities and budget, this alone cannot finance the achievement of the SDGs. There will still be a need to undertake the cost of/financing for achieving the SDGs within a 7-year period and what additional financing can be accessed/mobilized. This will not only fast-track results and economic growth but will ensure stability for the Petroleum Fund. UN has a track record in convening conversations around innovative financing, including on outcome-based financing, where investors repay the government for the achievements of specific outcomes on education and health targets. These dialogues are to bring together traditional partners and private investors, multilateral financing institutions on identifying where it makes sense to invest in Timor-Leste, not just to create jobs but to create local entrepreneurship (franchising, value-chains, access to technology, resources, skills, digitalization) that will concurrently address social challenges. The conversations would also identify concrete roadblocks to investments and financing, with clear targets and strong political will, to remove the blocks. For example, UNDP has developed SDG Investor Maps for countries in Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, etc.), helping these governments identify opportunities for private investments to achieve SDGs and identifying potential private/social investors while supporting governments to create an enabling environment. Third, there must be a concerted effort and seed resources for digitalization and skills linked to job creation. A plan around job creation for young people must be centred on creating digital jobs. The plan must be designed around an adaptive framework in identifying the technical and digital skills needed and the number of people available for these skills, to accelerate economic empowerment, recognizing the perennial challenges in systems and infrastructure, developing a technical and digital skills training framework, from the start, identifying where these skills would be deployed and sustained and a strong monitoring system that is deliberate – is the plan working? Fourth, the protection of human rights and bridging inequalities must be central to decision-making around development. Accessing quality services and ability to have the skills and tools to improve livelihoods, especially for the most vulnerable, are fundamental rights that citizens must be able to demand, and the government as duty bearers, must provide as the foundation for achieving development objectives and engendering sustainable peace in an inclusive and non-discriminatory way. Finally, all the above cannot happen without governance reforms – an agile, capacitated and fit-for-purpose public sector with the ability to guide political decisions while remaining consistent and apolitical. A public financial management system that tracks government spending around achievement of targets and not just expenditure and delivery of services and enables quick decision-making at the highest level of decision making, supporting quick changes in approaches when necessary and reduction in duplication of not just activities but in functions and institutions. I would like to end by re-emphasizing some ways in which the UN and its specialized agencies can continue to support the government and people of Timor-Leste in achieving SDGs. UN's comparative advantage lies in its extensive knowledge base from Timor-Leste and globally, to provide impartial and neutral policy advice, including using big data (census for example). UN agencies, under the coordination of an empowered Resident Coordinator, can support the government to facilitate additional financing, including through social investments, to convene facilitate regional and global partnerships, scaling up pilot projects– on health, nutrition, food systems transformation, ending child stunting and maternal mortality and in the provision of skills on job creation. UN’s normative role and support to government are key to ensuring the government continues to fulfil its human rights accountability, promotes gender equality and empowerment of women while also reporting on UN conventions of which Timor-Leste is a signatory – all critical to enabling the achievement of the IX Government Programme leading to the SDGs.

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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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Irene Kobesi, a police officer working with the Vulnerable Person’s Unit (VPU). She joined the ‘Do No Harm’ seminar to strengthen her knowledge of ‘Do No Harm’ approach. Photo: UNDP/ 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?

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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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17 October 2023

Baucau gets a new centre for cervical cancer screening and management

This centre boasts a comprehensive range of services, including Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) screening, a colposcopy machine, and the capability to perform thermal ablation procedures for early-stage cancers and precancerous lesions. Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) is a simple and non-invasive examination of the cervix, expertly conducted by healthcare professionals after the application of diluted acetic acid. If a pre-cancerous or cancerous lesion be suspected, a colposcopy procedure is recommended. Colposcopy involves a thorough examination of the cervix, aided by a specialized microscope equipped with a light source (colposcope). This newly established centre marks Timor-Leste's second dedicated facility for cervical cancer screening and management. The first centre was inaugurated at the national hospital (HNGV) in May 2022. Since its inception, the colposcopy clinic at the HNGV has provided cervical cancer screening services to more than 320 women and performed colposcopy for over 20 women. Cervical cancer is preventable and curable if detected early and treated adequately. And yet, it is one of the most common causes of cancer related death among women globally as well as in Timor-Leste. It is estimated that in the country, annually 10 cases of cervical cancer occur for 100,000 women and 6 women die per 100,000 women due to cervical cancer. This also indicates that around 60% of diagnosed cases are advanced cases. WHO has been actively working with the Ministry of Health in Timor-Leste for improving the health and well-being of women and families and strengthening diagnostics for the community.

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17 October 2023

Baucau's Tirilolo Hospital takes first steps to become a climate-resilient facility

A solar power system has been installed to support the Simulation Skills Centre at the hospital and the premises now has an eco-friendly water treatment plant. The solar panels can generate 21.2 kilowatts of power and are fortified by advanced lithium batteries, ensuring long-term efficiency and uninterrupted operation. The panels are designed to withstand wind loads of up to 2400 pascal. This initiative of the Ministry of Health in collaboration with WHO is focused on showcasing how healthcare facilities can reduce their carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions by embracing clean energy solutions. Additionally, this approach will strengthen the hospital's capability to safeguard and enhance the well-being of their target communities through environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient methods. Recognizing the paramount importance of safe, clean water in healthcare settings, the hospital has also introduced a water treatment plant. Utilizing ultrafiltration technology, this fully automated plant can produce 4,000 liters of purified water per hour. Its modular and self-contained design ensures ease of transport and maneuverability, allowing for adaptability to meet the evolving needs of the hospital and its patients. By embracing clean energy and ensuring access to safe water, the hospital is not only redefining healthcare standards but also setting a precedent for a healthier, greener future.

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17 October 2023

TIMORESE WOMEN AS ACTIVE CHANGE-MAKERS IN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION

Dili — Timor-Leste is a small island developing state characterized by geophysical and hydrometeorological hazards compounded by existing socioeconomic vulnerabilities such as lack of coping capacities and poverty. Many populations residing in the coastal areas have been severely impacted due to sea level rise and climate change, forcing them to migrate in search of better places to live. Frequent flooding and landslides have also pushed people away from their homes. "For many local authorities, considering women in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) planning means allocating budget for relief and response activities solely for women. However, the Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR) training has shifted the paradigm to women’s empowerment in resilience and risk reduction agenda, transforming them from passive survivors to active change-makers," said Anita da Costa Soares, Youth representative of Batara village, Manatuto in Timor-Leste. Disaster- and climate-induced displacements directly affect at-risk populations and disproportionately impact women and girls, as well as persons with disabilities and the LGBTQIA+ communities. During disasters, the risks of gender-based violence and trafficking in persons are further heightened due to inequality and vulnerabilities borne by the at-risk communities. In 2021, tropical cyclone Seroja brought heavy rains that caused flooding, affecting over 178,000 individuals in 13 municipalities. Nearly half of the affected population (49 per cent) were women and girls. The pre-existing vulnerabilities of women, coupled with the flood risks, led to protection concerns, including gender-based violence and human trafficking. Group discussions on community action plan ©Elisabeth Araújo/IOM Recognizing that inequality exacerbates vulnerability during emergencies, the community members residing in areas where they are prone and vulnerable to disasters recently participated in comprehensive workshops on community-based disaster risk management plan that underlined the importance of risk mapping and information management to ensure that marginalized groups, such as women, children and the elderly, have equal access to resources and are actively involved in decision-making processes. Women's livelihood training to address vulnerabilities and disaster risks ©IOM The unique experiences women went through, especially at the local levels, provided them with powerful skills essential to active decision-making process in emergencies, as improving gender equality is crucial to strengthening national resilience to disasters. This includes the incorporation of protection risks into community-based disaster risk management, which addresses gender-based violence during disasters. The practice also challenges traditional gender norms and behaviour. By prioritizing the needs of all community members, women established inclusive disaster preparedness initiatives. They also participated in formulating a community action plan that covers first aid, search and rescue, and evacuation procedures. Additionally, these efforts are complemented by livelihood trainings for economic empowerment, which challenge traditional gender roles and allow women to define their own aspirations. Equipping women with skills, knowledge and tools necessary to respond effectively in times of crisis therefore reduces their vulnerabilities, which may be compounded in emergency settings. At the local levels, Village (Suco) Disaster Management Committees (SDMCs) play a substantial role in disaster risk reduction. SDMC leverage the essential contributions women make in information flow and exchange, with door-to-door awareness-raising campaigns being a crucial aspect of disaster risk reduction and prevention. Through series of activities above, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) ensures that disaster risk reduction is gender-responsive, empowering women to have more active and participatory roles in the community they are part of. As such, gender-responsive disaster risk reduction can contribute to breaking the cycle of inequality. Awareness raising ©Elvis Sarmento “Thanks to the dedication of women towards fighting inequality and fostering resilience, communities in Timor-Leste have become a shining example of what can be achieved when we work collectively in one direction. The success done by these women demonstrates that, by prioritizing inclusivity and addressing inequalities in the disaster cycle, we can build a more resilient and sustainable future for all,” said Ihma Shareef, IOM Timor-Leste Chief of Mission. The IOM’s emergency and post-crisis-related projects were made possible through the generous support of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). *** By Elisabeth Araujo, National Program Officer ebaraujo@iom.int and Maulana Iberahim, Media and Communications, miberahim@iom.int IOM Timor-Leste

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Community risk mapping ©Elisabeth Araújo/IOM

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28 September 2023

Timor-Leste’s National Health Laboratory recognized as a National Influenza Centre

Dili: The influenza laboratory at the Timor-Leste’s National Health Laboratory has been recognized as the National Influenza Centre (NIC) under the WHO’s Global Influenza Programme, and as a member of the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS). The National Health Laboratory is under the National Institute of Public Health Timor-Leste (NIPH-TL). Its recognition as a NIC marks a crucial step towards strengthening the global fight against influenza and other respiratory diseases. With this recognition, the number of NICs in the WHO Southeast Asia Region is now 13. NICs collect virus specimens, conduct preliminary analysis, and share these specimens with the WHO collaborating centres for advanced analysis. This advanced analysis contributes to the WHO’s recommendations on development of appropriate vaccines against seasonal influenza and helps conduct pandemic risk assessment by tracing the global circulation of emerging strains. NICs are national institutions designated by national ministries of health and recognized by WHO. They facilitate influenza virus sharing, which is termed a cornerstone of preparing the world against future pandemics. Ms Endang Soares da Silva, heads of the National Health Laboratory. Photo: WHO Timor-Leste. “This is indeed a very big development for Timor-Leste,” said Ms Endang Soares da Silva, who heads the National Health Laboratory. “The interventions that we undertook to qualify as an NIC have helped in strengthening the overall processes at the National Health Laboratory, including the capacities for integrated influenza and COVID-19 surveillance,” she said. The national laboratory has been sharing virus specimens and testing data with the WHO since 2016. Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Health officially requested WHO to recognize the national laboratory as a NIC in 2022. To make this happen, experts from the WHO Collaborating Centre in Melbourne, Australia, teamed up with WHO's South East Asia Regional Office and national stakeholders to review the country’s sentinel surveillance network and assess the laboratory for the NIC recognition. They conducted interviews with laboratory staff, reviewed laboratory documents, assessed testing procedures, and visited surveillance sites. The assessment revealed areas needing improvement, such as biorisk management, quality control, and document handling in the short term. In the long term, equipment maintenance and calibration needed attention. The WHO Collaborating Centre agreed to mentor NHL staff to implement these changes and attain NIC status. “The sheer dedication of the laboratory staff, despite dabbling with the pressures during COVID-19, and the resolute of the Ministry of Health made the recognition possible,” said Dr Arvind Mathur, WHO Representative to Timor-Leste. “The recognition as an NIC will enhance the country’s capacity in monitoring influenza and other respiratory viruses, overall disease surveillance and also help in outbreak preparedness and response nationally,” he said. Support from the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework Partnership Contribution (PC) and other partners helped establish core testing capabilities, enabling the national laboratory’s recognition as an NIC. To date, GISRS has 152 NICs in 128 WHO Member States, or in 131 countries, areas, and territories. The official announcement of the laboratory’s recognition as an NIC came in August 2023.

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A laboratory technician at work at the National Health Laboratory. Photo: WHO Timor-Leste

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25 August 2023

South-South cooperation between Timor-Leste and Thailand for midwifery education to bring down maternal mortality

The Government of Timor-Leste, through the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, is embarking on improving the quality and standards of midwifery education to bring down the maternal mortality rates in the country, with a potential South-South cooperation with the Government of Thailand and its Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), facilitated by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Timor-Leste and Thailand country offices. To initiate this partnership, a delegation from TICA visited Timor-Leste for a two-day assessment mission to visit midwifery schools; National University of Timor-Leste, Instituto Superior Cristal (ISC) and Health Science Institute (ICS). Speaking during the opening of a four-day curricula and faculty development workshop for midwifery educators in Dili, ahead of the midwifery assessment mission, Ms. Rachel Smith, a midwifery specialist from Burnet Institute observed: “the impact of midwives is substantial if they are educated, regulated to global standards, and if they are part of midwifery associations”. With Timor-Leste having one of the highest maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in Asia at 195 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to Timor-Leste Demographic Health Survey (TL DHS 2016), the partnership will enable both Thailand and Timor-Leste to leverage on learning experiences through South-South cooperation for safe motherhood. Similarly, Timor-Leste is set to benefit from Thailand’s experience in providing technical assistance on maternal health and networking with other countries in the region as well as establishing links with TICA. “In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Timor-Leste National Public Health Institute (INSP-TL), the UN Population Fund has supported midwifery curriculum development and formulation of national guidelines for midwifery training in Timor-Leste, establishment of basic skills laboratories and capacity development of midwifery educators – including their participation in national, regional and international level trainings and workshops,” said Pressia Arifin-Cabo, UNFPA Country Representative in Timor-Leste. “UNFPA has also supported the National Midwifery Association of Timor-Leste (APTL) with the development of midwifery competency standards that conform to international standards and its registration as a member of International Confederation of Midwives (ICM),” added Pressia Arifin-Cabo. Midwives are crucial in ending preventable deaths during and after childbirth and achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.1 – that aims to reduce global deaths due to complications from pregnancy and child births ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030. Complications related to pregnancy can be prevented if proper investment in midwifery education is prioritised. In Timor-Leste, UNFPA continues to support midwifery education and the National Midwifery Association of Timor-Leste (APTL) since its establishment. Through this South-South cooperation, the capacity of teaching faculty in midwifery schools and teaching and learning methodologies will be enhanced by focusing on human resources development activities to increase the quality of care by midwives, therefore improving the quality of life of mothers and babies and end preventable maternal and infant deaths. For more information, contact: Suleiman Okoth Communications and Programme Support Specialist United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Timor-Leste Mobile: +67075169796, Email; okoth@unfpa.org

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Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) delegation during their assessment mission in Timor-Leste. © UNFPA Timor-Leste

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Press Release

17 October 2023

Timor-Leste’s first state of art simulation skills centre opens in Baucau

In addition to the simulation skills centre in Baucau, three more centres will come up in Dili, and one each at the referral hospitals at Maubesse, Maliana, Suai and Oecussi. Traditional medical and nursing education has relied heavily on training with real patients in clinical settings, where mistakes can pose a significant concern for patient safety. Simulation skills centres offer safe practice place for students and professionals by bridging the gap between classroom instruction and real clinical practice, while reducing the risks associated with learning on real patients. Simulation is highly effective for developing skills in procedures requiring eye-hand coordination and ambidextrous (two-handed) maneuvers, helping learners prepare for unexpected medical events. Healthcare simulations serve four primary purposes: education, assessment, research, and integration into the healthcare system, ultimately enhancing patient safety. Mr. José dos Reis Magno, Vice Health Minister of Timor-Leste thanked WHO for the continuous support to the Ministry of Health. “This facility is crucial for strengthening the health sector in Timor-Leste and reducing overall morbidity and mortality in the country,” he said during the inauguration event. Timor-Leste currently faces a shortage of skilled and competent human resources, with only 25 healthcare professionals per 10,000 population, significantly below the global Human Resources for Health (HRH) strategy goal of 44.5 per 10,000. The competency and confidence in critical care and emergency management is also limited. The establishment of simulation skills centers will result in improved quality health services for more than 1.3 million people, bringing Timor-Leste closer to achieving its goal of comprehensive, equitable, and accessible healthcare services. "Simulation facilities are a vital component in advancing healthcare education, ensuring professionals are well-prepared for the challenges they may encounter,” said Dr Arvind Mathur, WHO Representative to Timor-Leste. “By launching this center and expanding the concept to other locations, we are taking a substantial step toward improving healthcare delivery and patient safety in Timor-Leste,” he said. For more information, contact: Jyoti Shelar, Communications Consultant, WHO: [email protected]; +67077728051

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Press Release

07 September 2023

UN Population Fund Goodwill Ambassador, Catarina Furtado, visits Timor-Leste to support maternal health, gender equality and human rights

Since being appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador in 2000, Catarina Furtado has traversed the world to visit UNFPA programmes – highlighting essential needs and rights of women and girls. This is her third visit to Timor-Leste and her second as UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador. “We are very pleased and honored to welcome Catarina Furtado here in Dili. She is a global champion of women and girls and a sexual and reproductive rights advocate. Her work has greatly impacted women and girls around the world,” said Pressia Arifin-Cabo, Country Representative for the UN Population Fund in Timor-Leste. As a renowned TV personality and filmmaker in Portugal, Catarina uses her platforms to share stories about sexual and reproductive rights and prevention of gender-based violence (GBV) and other harmful practices focusing on women and girls, in Portugal and to global audiences. She is well known for her television documentary series, Príncipes do Nada, that introduced audiences to issues ranging from maternal health to adolescent pregnancy. Through her charity organization, Corações Com Coroa, founded ten years ago, she advocates for the prevention of GBV and empowering women and girls in Portugal. While in Timor-Leste, Catarina Furtado will visit maternal health projects that were a result of a strong collaboration between the UN Population Fund and the Government of Timor-Leste. She will visit a Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) center that are critical to end maternal and infant deaths in Timor-Leste, witness various efforts to raise awareness and prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the progress towards ending stigma and discrimination towards People Living With HIV in the country. She will also observe the strengthening of a multi-sectoral approach to the prevention of and response to gender-based violence (GBV). Catarina Furtado’s visit aims to raise awareness on the urgency of preventing maternal deaths and gender-based violence in Timor Leste and across the globe by 2030, in line with the UNFPA Transformative Agenda. For more information, contact: Suleiman Okoth Communications and Programme Support Specialist United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Timor-Leste Mobile: +67075169796, Email; okoth@unfpa.org

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Press Release

06 September 2023

Miguel da Costa: Shifting gears to save lives in Timor-Leste

In Timor-Leste, lack of patient transport remains one of the most important challenges preventing communities from accessing health care services. Most families, in rural areas like Manatuto municipality, cannot afford to pay for private arrangements to reach health centers. For Miguel da Costa, a 58-year-old ambulance driver, driving is not just about shifting gears and ensuring his passengers reach their destination – it is about saving lives. Miguel has transported patients for over a decade – mostly mothers and babies from remote areas – to receive essential health care services and is the reason that many pregnant mothers in Manatuto and its environs reach health centers on time. “Having an ambulance service makes a big difference in saving lives. My job is about saving communities and patients from walking, carrying patients using porters or tuk tuks and ensuring patients reach the hospital on time,” narrates Miguel da Costa. “The ambulance I am driving has saved a lot of lives. Most mothers in Manatuto can identify this ambulance and have a personal story of how it saved their lives or those of their loved ones. I am happy to offer my services to ensure patients access health facilities on time,” said Miguel da Costa. He drives one of the only two ambulances currently available in Manatuto municipality; one serving district health facilities and other referral facilities in neighbouring municipalities. The ambulance that he is currently driving was initially meant to support the Manatuto Health Services - Department of Maternal Mortality but because of limited ambulances, it is also used in emergencies and when there are accidents. “Communities and health centers in the district have my number and I am always on call whenever there is a distress call requiring ambulance services.” Miguel’s ambulance was originally donated by Rui Costa, a former Portugal National Team football player, who was touched by the struggles of pregnant mothers in Timor-Leste to reach community healthcare centers. It was Otília Joana de Assunção Moniz Pereira, a public health officer and Head of Department of Public Health at Manatuto District Health Services, who traveled to Lisbon, Portugal in 2010 to receive this donation. “UNFPA facilitated my visit to Portugal to share experiences on maternal health in Timor-Leste. I was fortunate to meet Rui Costa and Catarina Furtado, UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador and shared with them about the challenges that mothers are facing in accessing health facilities and the high number of preventable deaths during births – especially in Manatuto. “Rui Costa agreed to donate one ambulance, that is still in use to date, to help improve health services. While we appreciate the services of the ambulance, it has been in use for a long time and its condition has deteriorated due to aging and accessing rough terrains in hard to reach areas,” said Otilia Joana de Assunção. When asked about what would happen if the ambulance operations cease, Miguel da Costa stated: “If the current ambulance stopped its operations, the critical transport services in the district will be seriously affected as patients in need will have to depend on alternative means to reach health facilities. I appeal to well-wishers and authorities to consider donating a new ambulance to ensure critical services are not interrupted in Manatuto”. For more information, contact: Suleiman Okoth Communications and Programme Support Specialist United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Timor-Leste Mobile: +67075169796, Email; okoth@unfpa.org

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Press Release

30 June 2023

ILO & UNICEF call for urgent measures to stop the worst forms of child labour in Timor-Leste

Tetun. ILO & UNICEF husu medida urjente sira atu hapara forma traballu infantil ne'ebé aat liu iha Timor-Leste. Oecusse Ambeno, 12 Junu 2023 - organizasaun Internasional traballu (ILO sigla Inglés) no Fundu Nasoins Unidas ba labarik (UNICEF sigla Inglés) renova ona sira-nia apelu ba priorizasaun rede seguransa sosiál no prestasaun servisu sosiál ho kualidade hodi tulun proteje labarik sira hasoru forma traballu infantil ne'ebé aat liu iha Timor-Leste. Ajénsia ONU rua ne'e husu liután Governu atu konsidera adopsaun ba projetu Planu Asaun Nasional Timor-Leste nian (PAP sigla Tetun) hasoru forma traballu infantil ne'ebé aat liu, ne'ebé sei tulun define atividade sira ne'ebé klasifika hanesan traballu infantil no lista servisu balun tan, ne'ebé sei estraga labarik sira. Apelu ne'e hala'o iha rejiaun Autonoma Oecusse Ambeno durante eventu komemorasaun loron Mundial Kontra Traballu Infantil, ne'ebé komemora iha loron 12 fulan Juñu iha mundu tomak. Iha Timor-Leste, esbosu Planu Asaun Nasional ba traballu infantil, ne'ebé mak iha ona meza Ministru Koordenador Asuntu Ekonomiku ba aprovasaun, sei fó orientasaun ne'ebé presiza tebes ba nasaun atu responde no prevene forma traballu infantil ne'ebé aat liu. "Ami hakarak hato'o fila-fali ami-nia apelu ba ratifikasaun PAN ida-ne'e lalais liu atu nune'e bele sai hanesan matadalan ba Governu no setór sira ne'ebé iha relasaun ho Governu atu servisu no kontribui ba eliminasaun traballu infantile iha Timor-Leste" hateten Reprezentante ILO ba Indonesia no Timor-Leste, Michiko Miyamoto. Traballu ba infantil, ne'ebé refere ba servisu ne'ebé aat ba dezenvolvimentu fíziku no mental ba labarik ida, aumenta ona iha Timor-Leste tanba kiak uma-kain ne'ebé aas liu, ne'ebé obriga inan-aman barak liu atu haruka sira-nia oan sai hodi hetan osan adisionál ba despeza uma-kain nian. Aleinde ne’e, impaktu sosiál no ekonómiku husi pandemia COVID-19 no inflasaun nu'udar rezultadu husi krize Rusia-Ukrania nian, aumenta ona estrese ba rendimentu uma-kain nian no dudu labarik barak liu ba atividade ekonómika sira. Tuir peskiza Nasional Traballu Infantil 2016 nian, labarik liu 67,688 ho idade tinan 5 to'o 17 ka labarik porsentu 16 iha grupu idade ida-ne'e envolve iha forma atividade ekonómika balun. Peskiza ne'e hatudu tan katak labarik na'in 52,651 mak klasifika hanesan envolve iha traballu infantil, ho porsentu 10 husi labarik sira-ne'e mak tinan 5 to'o tinan 12. "Labarik barak kontinua nafatin ladún la goza sira nia infantisidade, sira-nia potensialidade no sira-nia dignidade tanba sira gasta oras ne'ebé la iha rohan hodi envolve iha atividade ekonómika perigu sira," dehan Reprezentante País UNICEF, Bilal Aurang Zeb Durrani. "Matadalan husi komitmentu internasionál ne'ebé Timor-Leste halo liuhusi ratifikasaun Konvensaun Direitu Labarik iha 2003, ita tenke foti pasu urjente sira hodi hapara problema ne'e" Atu troka tendénsia ida-ne'e, ILO no UNICEF halo advokasia ba aumentu rede seguransa protesaun sosiál hanesan rejime kréditu ba família vulneravel sira. Aleinde nee, hadi'a asesu ba kualidade servisu sosiál sira hanesan edukasaun no empregu ne'ebé di'ak ba ema adultu sira mós sei hasai família sira husi xoke ekonómiku no proteje labarik sira husi traballu infantil. ILO no UNICEF iha kompromisu atu servisu hamutuk ho Governu no Sosiedade Sivil hodi halo inan-aman sira sente sensivel kona-ba natureza traballu infantil no atu ajuda sira komprende kona-ba efeitu aat husi prátika ne’e. -------------------------------Remata------------------------ Ba informasaun detallu, bele kontaktu: Jacinto Belo, ILO, Mobile Number - +67077233863; Email Address - jbelo@ilo.org
Tapuwa Mutseyekwa, UNICEF Advocacy and Communication Specialist, Mobile number - +670 77231103; Email Address – tmutseyekwa@unicef.org
Antonio Gomes, UNICEF Communications Officer, Mobile number - +670 77232441; Email address - angomez@unicef.org

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Press Release

10 June 2023

PROGRAMA AI-HAN MÚNDIAL TIMOR-LESTE HAMUTUK HO KOICA KONTINUA PROMOVE NUTRISAUN BA LABARIK SIRA IHA ESKOLA

Baucau – Ohin loron, eskola hamutuk ruanulu-resin-haat iha munisípiu laran tomak simu apoiu adisional ba sira-nia atividade merenda eskolar liuhusi entrega ofisiálmente ekipamentu foun ba dapur. Ekipamentu sira ne’e inklui fogaun dapur foun, bikan tein, kontentór bee nian no travessa, no sei hadi’a preparasaun hahan no dapur ijiene nian iha eskola hirak ne’e. Ne’e sei ajuda mós atu asegura labarik liu 4,200 ne’ebé hela iha Baucau hetan ai-han nutritivu lor-loron no prepara ai-han ho seguru. Sasan sira ne’ebé fornese parte ida husi doasaun milaun $7.8 husi Repúblika Korea no KOICA, ho durasaun tinan 5, hodi suporta programa ‘Say No to 5 S (stop childhood starvation, soil transmitted worms, skin diseases, smoking and sugary drinks)’, ka “Dehan Lae ba 5 S”, programa konjuntu ONU entre WFP ho WHO ho objetivu atu hapara labarik sira husi hamlaha, moras lumbriga, moras kulit, fuma no bebidas midar iha eskola atus haat nia laran. Total hamutuk 79,000 labarik-feto no mane sira mak sei hetan benefisiu husi melloramentu alimentasaun eskolár hanesan aprte ida husi projetu “Dehan Lae ba 5 S” iha munisípiu tolu kada tinan to’o 2025 ho parseria ho Ministériu Edukasaun, Juventude no Desportu no Ministériu Administrasaun Estatál. Iha serimonia entrega iha EBF Fatulia-Venilale, Baucau, Xefe Programa WFP, Dr Ali Khan hateten”Merenda eskolar hanesan dalan ida ne’ebé signifkativu no susesu tebes ne’ebé Governu Timor-Leste servisu hodi hasa’e Nutrisaun no kombate ra’es badak. KOICA nia kontribuisaun ba programa iha Baucau ohin loron hari’I bazeia ba apoiu ne’ebé fornese ona ba eskola sira iha Manufahi no Bobonaro no reprezenta pasu ida tan atu atinzi ambisaun ida ne’e”. Vise-Diretora KOICA Sr. Kwangsoo An, hateten ‘Hau impresionadu haree progresu dapur ohin loron nian no rona WFP no Ministériu Edukasaun nia planu atu apoia eskola sira iha Timor-Leste”. Prezidente Autoridade Munisipiu Baucau S.E Sr. Olívio Freítas agradese ba WFP no KOICA ba sira nia apoiu hodi hakbiit eskola no rekoñese kompromisiu atu harii dapur foun haat iha munisípiu iha faze tuir mai ba programa ne’e. # # # Ba informasaun detallu kontaktu imogen.wilson@wfp.org Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/wfptimor/ Website www.wfp.org/countries/timor-leste

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