Report by Zevonia Vieira
How do you feel about visiting Timor-Leste after independence?
Well, it’s really honor be the first United Kingdom (UK) since the independence, we are here to have a chance to talk in-depth with your politicians, your leaders and deep more wide base on working to deliver programs in the community, it’s really strong sense of the passion with Timorese, appreciate your independence someone find to new avenue in the future, so it’s been a real pleasure to visit.
What kind of Your favorite things that you see in Timor like food, places, and the weather?
Oh gosh, it’s very welcoming, which is lovely, I am not very good with heats, making sure I don’t sit out of the sun too long, but it’s beautiful, I actually, I think I take away, something in different country, it’s warm with the smile, that’s what I capture, from the tiny children warm with the smile, hospitality and generals, so it’s lovely, the food is delicious too, like my lovely coconut.
How will UK support health issue in Timor-Leste? These are a concerned for the public, especially women.
First of all, to do that to tickle some of the mortality rate and build the reality well through plan on action for continuing for health improvement, and we spent some time to talk to the Minister of Health, to understand very integrated perspective, which of course absolutely make sense is the most impactful way to have progress, some on those on going challenges and as the UK to be providing funding and some of it expertise at health issue like malnutrition and ways things is we are able to talk to who is in the program through UNICEF on that issue to understand how in a practical sense, the £1 million we are providing through UNICEF who help. So, of my think one start of malnutrition. Building the program that help educate the mothers, and indeed give them guide on how to grow and sustain the right food to young children one of the most impactful changes, so we are proud to be working on site to UNICEF to support.
Why the UK really want to support on health issue in Timor-Leste?
I think women and girls one of the key, pillars of UK development policy, and maternal health, child health is the critical part, but I think also because president tell here and completely different of the environment and that pretty much to talk about the most important thing for his country, was to really be able to improve the health of the next generation to make sure we could maximize human capital, and I think in terms of delivering this short of step changes and policy which difficult to do because your geography make a difficult, you have enormously spread population in small community and it’s hard to achieve, so want to bring our expertise and our commitment to support some of it, this is quite rightly at the central of your governments focus.
What do you think about how to support more education issues, especially to promote gender equality in Timor-Leste?
I think, exactly right that cognitive development it’s good and can be as physical health is good. But right at the next stage to education. I will continue commitment to 12 years of schooling for all girls, and I look forward year ahead to funding, have way to share some of the program expertise that we have had to do as well, but think exactly that speaking to your minister for gender and inclusion last night to hear from her, was I think exactly quite challenge to take on, but to see that minister oppose, prove to invite male, wise man but see says to me that it’s absolutely not standing through government. This the challenge that needs to be tackles and this means have set up and trying look cross government and understand where the block is are and how enable to help, I hope that some of that become clear, particularly ways that UK can bring expertise better, will do that, but I think that says to me that it is a new government that actually understood, there is a challenge, here have to be solved, and they even inspiration the young men.
What does Timor-Leste’s government can learn from UK’s Government about gender equality?
Any country is perfect but we certainty have a very strong legal system in place to support under right the equality and freedoms we consider to be important, the values, issues base gender based violence, the legal protection, if the soft crime are committed, I think as legal space takes time to instill, but again we would be happy to talk those who’s is looking ,how we develop that and need to continuing development and would say will perfect, but we are very open society, we are very comfortable, is lovely.
You have incredible free press that really easy able to, take something that right and challenge the government, and challenge society on it, and that really powerful, you have huge asset here, which you shouldn’t undervalued, and the next generation come through, young women power on that on, you know social media, provide education, people don’t understand what is not acceptable and where they loud to fight for their rights and I hope that you know if government want we can find the way to demonstrate, how we do that in UK, to believe that system is work, and for supporting young women, is not perfect, it’s hard, but it’s with moving through on.
Do You believe, if we promote the gender equality, this country more inclusive in every sector?
Absolutely, I think gender equality at every level, promotion equality, community, leadership, all of this areas means that you get the best of this and I would say when women ask of a vote in UK it’s was achieve because men supposed to, so actually it’s a team effort, support to understood the value that they bring as well as see the freedom and protection for the women and for the other groups who be minority in the communities the whole community, so it’s really working together to see to develop those qualities, you know where women are able to its position. We always bring values to the conversation, to the workplace and to the community leadership.
How UK government support program on women peace and security?
It just launch the program here, it’s going to be deliver by UN WOMEN, but it’s going to work with government officials, parliamentarian, diplomatic leaders, where it was champions, have to empower them to be able speak about it, be able to call it out, you know when there are else where no rights and to really drive for public policy stage, that comes to critics understanding of why this make difference, why it’s fighting for. Looking around come of access for high quality education so that in approximate security conflict resolution particularly. We can raise level of participation historically in many places, say that everywhere is not representation by women in that space, so again to trying pounds out, so it’s really to public policy level, using amazing UN WOMEN team to boost on it, and that’s bring generates next level of tackling the challenges, I constantly reminded, I forget about women, I am busy being me as we all are, then you do something in public space and you realize you can see young women listening, wandering and get in touch and say, I haven’t realize that women can do that, I haven’t but I see you did and I will so much representation come from leading women doing what we do, and we could to see that just help certain of level of the public policy voices.
What is the key message for women in Timor-Leste, and to our government leader to promote gender equality and inclusive in Timor-Leste?
I think key is the brings better calls live for women and more choices, active and why any government not want to maximize all human capital potential and 50% of population is female, why you not want to make sure that you got all your boys and your girls, all your young men, all your young women, educate it, wanting to be part of the successful this wonderful country as it, develop some grows.
