Giving youth a voice in Timor-Leste
UNICEF is engaging with youth groups to support their skills, abilities, and wellbeing
Ermera, 26 July 2024 - In Timor-Leste, people with disabilities face daily challenges that inhibit them from meaningfully engaging with their community. There is often a lack of accessibility in public spaces, and many will face discrimination because of their disability. This is especially the case in Ermera, a municipality with one of the highest recorded numbers of people with disability in the country. Marcos, a Youth Group coordinator for Forum Joventude Defisiensia Ermera, established in September 2019, is looking to change this situation for youth with disability.
Many youths with disability in Timor-Leste are marginalized, leaving them feeling as though they cannot contribute to their society. These same youths also face exclusion from social services because of inaccessible spaces. This often leads to many youths missing out on education because education spaces are often inaccessible, and the youth who do manage to access education often face discrimination from their peers. Because of this, many families make the decision to keep their child at home.
“Youth with a disability face discrimination, as well as a lack of safe spaces, and a lack of access to information and key messages,” says Marcos, who is not deterred by this but empowered to make a change: “I believe in the importance of youth influencing decision-makers and having a voice in decision-making.”
Marcos’ belief stems from the Timor-Leste Government’s ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Marcos’ youth group is working on debunking the myth that people with disabilities cannot contribute meaningfully to society. Further, the youth group has supported people with disability to generate income and advocate for their rights, which Marcos believes will ultimately contribute to the overall development of Timor-Leste.
The 2022 Population and Housing Census reported 2,023 individuals identifying as having some form of disability in Emera municipality. As Ermera is a very rugged municipality, strewn with steep hills and prone to heavy rainfall, it is an unforgiving natural environment for people with disability.
Marcos attended a youth selection workshop in Ermera, a workshop that showcased youth organizations in the municipality, resulting in several youth groups being selected to undertake a mentoring programme. This is a key activity of the Adolescents and Youth Driving Change in Timor-Leste Programme. This programme is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) and implemented by UNICEF in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Art and Culture. The programme aims to build the capacity of youth groups, helping them become sustainable organisations that can effectively contribute to their communities.
“I appreciate the opportunity, as many of the activities and opportunities for youth often exclude youth with disabilities. There is often a discrepancy between inclusive discourse and the actual practices of some organisations who run programmes in my municipality.”
Marcos believes that youth with disability can be change-makers in Timorese society. “I hope that from this workshop, my youth group will be selected for the programme’s mentoring programme which will support my youth organization, equipping us with the appropriate tools necessary to empower youth with disability in our community.”
He also hopes that with this support, they can have just as much of a voice as other youth in the community. Through strengthening advocacy work and calling on the local government to act, Marcos believes that change can happen for those marginalized in society.
Marcos believes the power of community youth-led initiatives can result in the empowerment of all youth in his community. Through the skills gained through programmes like this, Marcos wants to continue to help youth with disability engage more meaningfully in society.
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