Enabling Child-Centric Innovation in Timor-Leste
Mapping the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
Highlights
"Enabling Child-Centric Innovation in Timor-Leste: Mapping the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem’
The report "Enabling Child-Centric Innovation in Timor-Leste" presents an analysis of the country's emerging social innovation ecosystem, with a specific focus on opportunities for child- and adolescent-centred impact. Developed as a complementary analysis to UNICEF Timor-Leste's broader stakeholder mapping exercise, the report serves as a critical first step in shaping the Country Office’s Innovation Strategy. It aims to identify key actors, challenges, and potential interventions that can foster a supportive environment for innovation that benefits children and young people, particularly in a context where resources are limited and coordination among government bodies, UN agencies, and civil society is essential.
Findings highlight that while Timor-Leste's innovation landscape is still in its early stages, with limited private sector participation and constrained digital infrastructure, there is notable potential for growth, particularly through youth engagement and cross-sector collaboration. Barriers such as a lack of financing for entrepreneurs and underutilized digital tools are identified, but so too are opportunities: a youthful population eager to engage, growing interest in entrepreneurship, and new infrastructure initiatives like expanded broadband access. The report emphasises the strategic role of Digital Public Goods (DPGs), such as open-source technologies and real-time data systems, in improving public service delivery and fostering scalable, inclusive innovation.
The report concludes with actionable recommendations for UNICEF and its partners. These include strengthening digital literacy among adolescents, promoting public-private partnerships to enhance infrastructure, and designing innovative financing models to support youth-led ventures. By building on these insights and coordinating efforts across sectors, Timor-Leste can not only overcome current constraints but also leapfrog into more sustainable development pathways, unlocking child-centric innovations that protect rights, expand opportunity, and empower future generations.
