Youth participation in Suco decision-making
Youth participation in Suco decision-making
Highlights
The population of Timor-Leste consists mostly of adolescents and youth, who are an essential resource for the country's economic growth and peace. With proper support and engagement, this young population has the potential to contribute even more to the country's economy and social capital through increased productivity and participation in the workforce.
The Suco (village) consultations were conducted through a partnership between UNICEF Timor-Leste and the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Art and Culture (MoYSAC) as part of the "Adolescent and Youth Driving Change” Project in Timor-Leste. The project aims to promote and strengthen adolescent and youth civic participation, explicitly focusing on enhancing youth involvement in governance at the suco level.
The findings from the consultations captured in the report underscore a pressing issue-the lack of strong youth civic engagement and participation in decision-making within communities. The reasons for this appear to be insufficient funding, budgetary support, and a lack of awareness among youth and cultural attitudes, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
