DILI, 06 March 2025 (TATOLI) – The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) on Violence against Children, Najat Maalla M’jid jointly with Vice Prime Minister Mariano Assanami Sabino on behalf of the IX Constitutional Government of Timor-Leste, on Thursday (5/3), launched Timor-Leste as a member of the Pathfinding Global Alliance.
The launch, which was held at the Kayrala Xanana Gusmão Conference Room, was witnessed by Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Minister of Education, Minister of Transport and Telecommunication, Vice Minister of Health, Prosecutor General, Human Rights Ombudsman, Vulnerable Person Unit (VPU) Police Inspector, President of INDDICA, UNICEF and WHO representatives, development partners, civil societies and children.
“This is a moment of great value because it is owned by the state, and I just want to tell you that I’m really happy today. I have been following all the processes carried out by Timor before, during, and after the launch. To be very frank, you can end all forms of violence against children. It is possible if we involve families, support parenting, engage the community, and bring religious groups on board. You can count on me, the UN system, and donors, who will work more closely together. I am really happy and thank you for organizing the visit so intensively—it was truly fruitful. I will provide all the support I can from my colleagues at the UN here, and together we can make this happen,” said Najat in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Vice Prime Minister Assanami representing Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão said that the Government is deeply committed to advancing the work being led by INDDICA: “The goal is to track progress on the protection of children phase by phase and to create a pathway for the Public Prosecutor to monitor the implementation of systems to protect children.”
“I would like to particularly highlight the importance of teachers ensuring that children learn not through threats, but through meaningful education. We have enacted laws, and now we must focus on implementing them. Measuring the effectiveness of these laws to eliminate violence against children is mandatory, with no conditions attached. Additionally, congratulations to all national and international agencies for their support and valuable partnerships with this country. On behalf of the Prime Minister, I appreciate the SRSG’s visit and the ongoing contact to assess whether we are on track,” Assanami said.
TATOLI
