Asia Pacific Regional High Level Consultation on Gender, Food Security and Nutrion.

26 Jullo 2013

The views expressed in this paper are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Governors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The countries listed in this paper do not imply any view on ADB's part as to sovereignty or independent status or necessarily conform to ADB's terminology.

Introduction
Timor-Leste has ratified and adopted several international such as CEDAW; UN resolution 1325 on women, peace and security; Beijing platform for action;

At national level-Constitution article 17 on promotion of equality; and

Dili Agreement and Resolution on gender responsive budgeting aiming to achieve gender equality.

Participation of Women in Politics and Decision Making

Increase participation of women in politics and decision making at all level and as managers in private sectors; First amendment of Electoral Act in 2007 to increase the number of women in the National Parliament-every 4 MP, one must be a woman; Dissemination of the importance of women participation and equality in leadership at all level of development.

Participation of Women in Politics and Decision Making- Cont

Second Amendment to Electoral Act in 2011 to increase women participation in politics and decision making to 1 in between 3 candidates- 25 out 65 sits are women, 38% in the National Parliament; Female parliamentarians form a group to specifically address gender issues at all level of society; The Portfolio of Women in Politics: specifically address the 7 priorities i.e. Education, Economy, Health, Culture, Media, Justice, Peace and Security; Provide capacity development on leadership to woman before elections are taken place; The inclusion of 40% of women in the infrastructure projects for village development.

Access to Justice Progress

Conduct seminars, workshops, discussions including CEDAW to tribunal officials, prosecutors and layers since 2007; Conduct national campaigns on Legal literacy in all territory; Establish Judicial Training Centre and conduct training on Human Rights including CEDAW to judicial authors; Human Rights Ombudsmen to oversee cases of human rights abuses and violations

Violence against Women Progress

Law against domestic violence-defines as public crimes; Dissemination of this law to all districts, local leaders, traditional leaders, community and universities as well as national TV, radios and news papers; National Action Plan on Gender Based Violence 2012-14 including M & E Framework and costs;

Education Progress
90 % of school age enrolment at the primary school with proportion of 47% are girls (2011); 49,5% of girls enrolled in junior high school (7-9) in 2011-2012; 50,6% enrolled in Secondary; 204,463 graduated from Literacy Program (sim eu posso) in 2011-2012 and 65% are women; School feeding program year 1-9; Scholarship program to 658 to study abroad in 2010-13, 37% are women.

Zero Tolerant Policy in 2011 on sexual violence, corporal punishment and any other forms of violence in schools.

Social Protection
Constitutional mandatory-every citizen has the right to access to health care and treatments in clinics and hospitals freely; Health of mothers and children is the top priority in the National Strategic Plan in health 2011-2030; 85% of mothers have received assistance from pre-natal care in 2009-2010; Post-natal care reached 41% in 2011; Sexual health curriculum and reproductive for Adolescence; Program of Bolsa da Me has reached 14,000 beneficiaries (vulnerable families and women headed household) in 2012; Scholarships for childrens of veterans of the war; Pension to veterans, elderly and disability person;

Economic Development
Provision of agriculture input subsidies; Provision of training and distribution of livestock to women groups;

Provision of free vaccination and treatment to livestock;

Establish women groups as seed producers; Provision of Agriculture Extension Workers in all villages; Form women groups in horticulture-linking to market accession; Provision of training and distribution of hand tractors and mini tillers to women groups; Training and distribution of maize storage equipment;

Employment Progress
Labour act has just enacted in in February 2012 provides equal opportunity and treatment to have access to jobs, vocational and professional trainings, work conditions, remuneration, nondiscrimination in workplace and sexual harassment; Gender policy for private sectors to guarantee cooperation and collaboration within private sector and their partners and provide assistance to respond to the necessity of micro and medium entrepreneurs focus on women; 42% of women contribute to the economy through agriculture handicrafts industry.

Take away messages

Involvement of men or husbands in any training, workshop or gender activities to raise awareness to support womens initiatives; Food security and nutrition (production and consumption) is a multidimensional issue and thus requires a multi-sector approach; All entities have to make sure that programs or projects must be implemented in participation of beneficiaries (men and women) right from the planning until graduation; Not enough to have a good policy and plan, but beyond that we need to have good political will to operationalize all these programs and plans.