Timor-Leste strengthens commitment for children as SRSG concludes mission in the country

Dili, 07 March 2025 - The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) on Violence against Children, Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, concluded yesterday a three-day visit to Timor-Leste, congratulating the Government, the UN, civil society and all stakeholders for their strong commitment to eliminate violence against children and urging them to build on this commitment by translating commitments into actions.

Dr. Najat’s visit coincided with the launch event, organized by INDDICA under the leadership of the Vice Prime Minister, to officially induct Timor-Leste as the 42nd Country to join the Pathfinding Global Alliance, which brings together countries committed to ending all forms of violence against children by 2030, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). 

This builds on the 10 commitments made by the Timor-Leste Government during the first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, which was conducted against the background that past the halfway point to the 2030 SDG deadline, violence remains a reality for half of the world’s children. The commitments relate to  strengthening of the legislative environment and the implementation of initiatives to protect children, including at home, in communities and at school.

Timor-Leste’s joining of the Pathfinding Global Alliance, marks a pivotal opportunity to further intensify efforts to strengthen the child protection and social welfare system to prevent and address violence against children.   

The Pathfinding Global Alliance, launched in November 2024 in Bogotá, Colombia, serves as a platform for partners to share information, successful practices, and lessons learned.

Violence against children – whether physical, emotional, or sexual – is a widespread concern across Timor-Leste.  Although current statistics on the prevalence of violence against children is scarce, available data shows normalization of violence against children in homes, schools, communities, and online.

The Government of Timor-Leste has introduced several laws, policies and actions to create a protective environment for children. These include for example the promulgation of the Law on Protection of Children and Youth in Danger (2023), a significant legislative reform, which guarantees critical protection rights to children and paves way for the development of other laws and regulations that are required to implement it. The SRSG called on all stakeholders for its full implementation. 

“I had a meeting with the President of Timor-Leste to brief him on all the visits and to highlight the country’shigh-level commitment to ending violence against children in all settings. We also discussed the pledge made in Bogotá, as well as the country’s membership as a global pathfinding leader on ending violence against children. During the discussion, the President reiterated his strong commitment to investing in child protection, the well-being of children, and caregiving to ensure we are building a protective, inclusive, and safe environment for all children. These are the key messages. I am very pleased with yesterday's workshop, which developed an action plan that will be implemented across all municipalities,” said Dr. Najat.

"Measuring the effectiveness of laws to eliminate violence against children is mandatory, with no conditions attached. Everything is rooted in the fundamental values of protecting the child, and it is non-negotiable. Congratulations to all Timorese, both in the country and abroad, for their commitment to children. 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," said Vice PM Assanami representing PM Xanana Gusmão. 

During her three-day visit in Timor-Leste, Dr. Najat met with child survivors of abuse, children and youths advocates, and held dialogue with the President, the Prime Minister, Vice Prime Minister for social affairs, key Government Ministers, President of Commissions A and F, Prosecutor General, Ombudsman, VPU Police Commander, Development Partners, Civil Society Organisations, during which, participants reiterated that protecting children must remain a core priority across levels of society and stakeholders should increase actions to address all forms of violence against children.   
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Tetun:

Timor-Leste hametin kompromisu ba labarik sira bainhira SRSG konklui misaun iha país

Dili, 07 Marsu 2025 - Reprezentante Espesiál Sekretáriu-Jerál Nasoins Unidas nian (SRSG) kona-ba Violénsia hasoru Labarik, Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, konklui horisehik vizita ida ba Timor-Leste durante loron tolu, hodi kongratula Governu, ONU, sosiedade sivíl no parte interesada hotu ba sira-nia kompromisu maka’as atu halakon violénsia hasoru labarik sira no husu ba sira atu harii kompromisu ida-ne’e hodi hakfilak ba asaun sira.

Dr. Najat nia vizita ne’e koinside ho eventu lansamentu, ne’ebé organiza husi INDDICA ho lideransa husi Vise Primeiru-Ministru, hodi fó pose ofisialmente ba Timor-Leste nu’udar Nasaun 42 ne’ebé tama iha Aliansa Globál Pathfinding, ne’ebé halibur nasaun sira ne’ebé komprometidu atu hakotu forma hotu husi violénsia hasoru labarik to’o tinan 2030, iha Aliñamentu ho Objetivu Dezenvolvimentu Sustentável (ODS).

Ida-ne’e harii ho kompromisu 10 ne’ebé Governu Timor-Leste halo durante Konferénsia Ministeriál Globál ba dahuluk kona-ba Hakotu Violénsia Hasoru Labarik, ne’ebé hala’o iha kontestu katak liu tiha metade ba prazu ODS 2030, violénsia sai nafatin realidade ba metade labarik sira iha mundu. Kompromisu sira relasiona ho reforsu hosi ambiente lejislativu no implementasaun hosi inisiativa sira hodi proteje labarik sira, inklui iha uma, iha komunidade sira no iha eskola.

Timor-Leste nia adezaun ba Aliansa Globál Pathfinding, marka oportunidade pivotal ida atu intensifika liu tan esforsu sira hodi hametin sistema protesaun labarik no bem-estar sosiál hodi prevene no rezolve violénsia hasoru labarik sira.

Aliansa Globál Pathfinding, ne'ebé lansa iha Novembru 2024 iha Bogotá, Kolómbia, serve hanesan plataforma ida ba parseiru sira atu fahe informasaun, prátika susesu sira, no lisaun sira ne'ebé aprende ona.

Violénsia hasoru labarik sira – tantu fíziku, emosionál, ka seksuál – sai preokupasaun ne’ebé jeneralizadu iha Timor-Leste tomak. Maski estatístika atuál kona-ba prevalénsia violénsia hasoru labarik sira menus, dadus ne'ebé disponivel hatudu normalizasaun violénsia hasoru labarik sira iha uma, eskola, komunidade, no online.

Governu Timor-Leste introdús ona lei, polítika no asaun oioin hodi kria ambiente protetivu ba labarik sira. Hirak-ne'e inklui porezemplu promulgasaun Lei kona-ba Protesaun ba Labarik no Foin-sa'e sira iha Perigu (2023), reforma lejislativa ida ne'ebé signifikativu, ne'ebé garante direitu protesaun krítiku sira ba labarik sira no loke dalan ba dezenvolvimentu lei no regulamentu sira seluk ne'ebé presiza atu implementa ida-ne'e. SRSG husu ba parte interesada hotu ba ninia implementasaun tomak.

“Ha’u iha enkontru ida ho Prezidente Timor-Leste hodi informa ba nia kona-ba vizita hotu no atu destaka kompromisu nivel aas nasaun nian atu hakotu violénsia hasoru labarik sira iha ambiente hotu. Ami mós diskute kona-ba promesa ne'ebé halo iha Bogotá, no mós nasaun nia adezaun nu'udar líder globál ne'ebé buka dalan kona-ba hakotu violénsia hasoru labarik sira. Durante diskusaun, Prezidente repete ninia kompromisu maka'as atu investe iha protesaun labarik, labarik sira-nia moris-di'ak, no kuidadu atu asegura katak ita harii ambiente ida ne'ebé protetivu, inkluzivu, no seguru ba labarik hotu. Ne'e maka mensajen xave sira. Ha'u kontente tebes ho kolokiu horisehik nian, ne'ebé dezenvolve planu asaun ida ne'ebé sei implementa iha munisípiu hotu,” dehan Dr. Najat.

"Sasukat ba efikásia hosi lei sira hodi halakon violénsia hasoru labarik sira ne'e obrigatóriu, lahó kondisaun sira ne'ebé maka tau hamutuk. Buat hotu iha abut iha valór fundamentál sira hodi proteje labarik, no ida-ne'e la'ós negosiável. Parabéns ba timoroan tomak, tantu iha rai-laran no iha rai-li'ur, ba sira nia kompromisu ba labarik sira. Adisionalmente, parabéns ba ajénsia nasionál sira hotu no ba sira nia parseria sira ne'ebé iha valór ho nasaun ida ne’e.Lori Primeiru-Ministru nia naran, ha’u apresia SRSG nia vizita no kontaktu ne’ebé la’o hela atu avalia ita la’o tuir dalan loos ka lae,” dehan Vise PM Assanami reprezenta PM Xanana Gusmão.

Durante nia vizita loron tolu iha Timor-Leste, Dra. Najat hasoru malu ho labarik sobrevivente husi abuzu, defensór labarik no joven sira, no hala’o diálogu ho Prezidente, Primeiru-Ministru, Vise-Primeiru-Ministru ba asuntu sosiál, Ministru prinsipál sira Governu nian, Prezidente Komisaun A no F, Prokuradór Jerál, Provedór, Komandante Polísia VPU, Parseiru Dezenvolvimentu, Organizasaun SosiedadeSivil sira, durante ne'ebé, partisipante sira repete katak proteje labarik sira tenke sai nafatin prioridade sentrál iha nivel sosiedade nian no parte interesada sira tenke aumenta asaun sira hodi rezolve forma hotu violénsia nian hasoru labarik sira.
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