WOMEN'S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AT LOCAL LEVEL IN TIMOR LESTE

Elda de Barros

Alola Foundation

Support district level

Program coordinator

Timor Leste’s law to support women’s political participation

Constitution RDTL:Article 17: Concerning equality between women and menArticle 63: Regarding women and men political participation and

citizenshipPolitical party’s lawLei no 6/2006,artigu,12 alinea 3 partisipasaun iha lista

kandidaturaArticle 3 /2009: About community leader there are 3 seats for women in suco

councilNational Plataform of Timor LesteCEDAW Article 7: about the women’s political rights and article 14 about

rural women development

Estadu Ratifika CEDAWIha tinan 2002 tama iha Parlamentu NasionalIha Tinan 2003 ratifikaIha tinan 2008 Konsultasaun ba halo relatorio

alternativaTinan 2009 aprezenta aprezenta iha Nasoens

UnidasHetan rekomendasaun bar-barak konaba

assuntu feto nian.

WOMEN ARE KEY ELEMENT FOR POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT

Women and men have the same rights. They have the same rights in political arena, in decision making area, in advocacy sphere and in development process.

Community Leader Women’s Rule in Suco Council

Women’s task in suco council:Check women and children’s problems• Find solution for women and children’s

problems• Make proposals to develop women and

children’s life• Eradicate violence against women• Help victims of domestic violence

QuantityLocal elections in 2004-2005 (Suco level)Leader of village (Suco): female 7; male 435Leader of sub-village (Aldeia): female 22; male

2200Total member: female 1326. Total suco 442Local elections in 2009 (Suco level)Leader of village (Suco): female 10; male 432Leader of sub-village (Aldeia): female 28; male

2122Total member: female 1326. Total suco 442

Capacity Building ‘s Program for Leader of Community

Alola Foundation have already covered 8 districts, 28 sub-districts and 218 villages in order to improve the community leader’s capacity and in order to empowerment them.

According to our observation, there are only 5% of women have good general knowledge and have decision making influence in suco council.

After training, they already know about their work, duties or responsibility as a community leader.

Women’s Challenge in suco councilEducation level minimumHousework Patriarchal system Limited self-confidence Women’s pole in political parties listLack of information about the law 3/2009Insufficient family’s supportInadequate capacity building’s program

Observations Less human resource and financial resource

in order to conduct women’s trainingCommunity doesn’t take in deep

consideration the women’s roleWomen don’t have self confidence and their

family and community don’t believe in their capacities

Lack information about national development Lack of courage to speak in public and in

privacy because men dominate.

RecommendationsSustainable capacity building program Advocacy to reduce women’s discrimination.Gender sensitive government's budget to

promote educational program for womenCreating jobs to promote women’s

movements and women’s participation.

Support from local Support from local authority authority

IntroductionIntroduction

From 2009 until 2011 Alola Foundation promotes community leadership training in order to analyze stereotypes.

Rol game to check the power situation

During 2007-2008 Alola Foundation takes on a new staff in District to work together with women’s groups

Motivating women’s economic independence.Supporting with Finance Ministry and

Development Ministry women’s knowledge about business

Promoting together Agriculture Ministry rural women’s groups

Supporting with Finance Ministry women’s economy in housework and in business

Sustaining local product

Atauru Group

Trainer from Belun while makes a colours mixture

Aileu Group Ermera Group

MANUFAHI GROUPMaliana group

Manufahi group

THANKYOU