DILI, 25 june 2021 (TATOLI)– The Non-Governmental Organization OXFAM in Timor-Leste observed that Timor-Leste has a good progress of women participating in political life.
The Country Director of OXFAM, Fausto Belo Ximenes said that Timor-Leste has a good image in the world for having a representative of women involved for some important pillars and even in political life.
Timor-Leste has a high levels of political representation at the national level- both in the government and the national parliament as result of a quota required by the low. Timor-Leste has one of the highest women representations in the Parliament in asia pacific region. Currently 7 Timorese political women join the structure of Timor-Leste government and more than 20 women as members of the National Parliament.
Nevertheless, women representation in leadership roles at municipal and local level remain low. Significant improvements needed to be made to ensure similar representation at the municipal and local levels. Today, there are hardly any women leading the country’s 13 municipal authorities and only 21 of 442 suco (village) chiefs (4.7 percent) elected in 2016 local elections were women. So while we are making some positive strides at the national level, we need to encourage and create space for women leadership beyond Dili”,
OXFAM’s Country Director, Fausto Belo Ximenes also known as Nino told TATOLI Agency, in his office, at Hudi Laran, this friday.
In addition to quota/percentage representation, he also suggested that while quality of decision making at political level is of paramount importance.
In addition to quota/percentage representation, he also suggested that while quality of decision making at political level is of paramount importance. Thus, there is a continued need for Timor -Leste to promote women and girls’ potentials to participate at the political level, and this will require, among others, greater investment in education, allocation of resrouces to empower women, and change of mentality.
Together with its civil society partners, Oxfam also works to transform social norms and practices that discriminate women and girls and other vulnerable peoples. The includes equal control over resources, power-sharing, and property ownership which tend to favour men more than women. For example, a 2019 analysis by Rede Ba Rai (Land Network)- one of Oxfam’s partners reveals of 10,652 land claims in nine municipalities, 64% of claims were made by men only, in comparison with 22% of claims from women only.
He stressed that in the coming years, Oxfam continues to work in partnership with other civic society organization and the Timor-Leste government combat the discrimination against women and defines women rights and empowerment. “Social transformations everywhere take time. However, Timor-Leste has made some great strides or progress over the years. If we- Government, Civil society, Development partners, and communities- all work together, no aspiration is too difficult to achieve” said Mr. Belo Ximenes.
Empowering the vulnerable groups such women and children and fight against any forms of violence and discrimination against them have always been one of Oxfam’s areas of focus in Timor-Leste and globally.
Journalist: José Belarmino de Sá
Editor: Rafy Belo
