DILI, 06 February 2025 (TATOLI) – The United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General (UN-SRSG) on Violence against Children, Najat Maalla M’jid will visit Timor-Leste, from March 3rd to 5th 2025.
“At the INDDICA’s invitation, Timor-Leste will receive a visit from the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children, Najat Maalla M’jid, from March 3rd to 5th 2025,” the Council of Ministers made the announcement during the presentation of the national commitment to eliminate violence against children, on wednesday.
The visit is part of the commitments made at the First Global Ministerial Conference to End Violence against Children, held in November 2024 in Colombia, which culminated in global and national commitments to strengthen child protection.
During the conference, “Timor-Leste presented ten commitments and expressed its interest in joining the ‘Pathfinder 2.0’ Global Alliance to End Violence against Children.”
The commitments made by Timor-Leste include the approval of the Juvenile Justice Law by 2026, the integration of child protection into education policies, the strengthening of specialized justice for children and the professionalization of social workers in the area,
“There are also plans to expand parental education programs, increase the budget for child protection services, create legal frameworks for online safety and limit access to alcohol and tobacco, as well as implement a National Plan to Eradicate Violence against Children and an Information Management System for child protection policies,” the statement reads.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
