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Timor-Leste

'Timor-Leste woman proudly showing her marked finger after voting" (photograph by Chris Parkinson)

Timor-Leste (formerly known as East Timor), became an independent nation in 2002. Its road to independence has been a long one. A Portuguese colony for centuries, it came under Indonesian control in 1975. After a UN-sponsored vote for independence in 1999, the country was engulfed by conflict - an estimated 75 per cent of the population was displaced and nearly 70 per cent of all buildings, homes, and schools were destroyed by an orchestrated campaign of violence carried out by loyalist militia groups ¹.

 

The conflict was halted by an international peacekeeping force that led to the transfer of authority to the UN, and the establishment of a UN mission in Timor-Leste – the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). This peacekeeping operation was responsible for providing security, maintaining law and order, establishing an effective administration to provide civil and social services, coordinating humanitarian and development assistance, and laying the foundations for self-government and sustainable development ².

 

In 2001, voters went to the polls again, this time to elect a Constituent Assembly that would create a new constitution and establish a framework for future elections and a transition to full independence. The newly-elected Constituent Assembly and Council of Ministers formed a transitional government to lead the country in the interim period before becoming a fully sovereign state. In 2002, as the world looked on, the first constitution was signed into force, followed by the election of Xanana Gusmão as president and the swearing in of the very first government of Timor-Leste.

 

In the immediate post-independence period, the UN continued its involvement in the country, setting up a new mission called the UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) to ensure the security and stability of the nascent state. UNMISET completed its mandate in 3 years, ending in May 2005.

 

Timor-Leste is one of Asia’s poorest countries – its already weak infrastructure was almost destroyed by the conflict in 1999, and drought-prone conditions have led to serious food insecurity for its population. The Human Development Index ranks Timor-Leste 150th out of 177 countries, while the Human Poverty Index ranks it 95th out of the 108 countries the index has been calculated for. Life expectancy is low at 59.7 percent, and adult illiteracy is high at 49.9 percent. 42 percent of people live without access to an improved water source, while 46 percent of children are underweight for their age (ages 0-5) ³. Fertility rates are among the highest in the world. Compounded with poor health services, this has contributed to extremely high maternal and child mortality rates.

 

Date of Accession/ Ratification:      16 April 2003 (acceded) Reservations:    None Reporting Status: - Initial Report submitted May 2008. Report to be reviewed at the 44th Session, 2009 - 44th session (July 2009) - Combined 2nd and 3rd periodic reports due May 2013; - Written information on improving women’s access to education, and reducing maternal and infant mortality due 2011 Optional Protocol: 16 April 2003 (acceded) Coordinating Agency for CEDAW implementation: Secretary of State for the Promotion of Equality (SEPI)

According to the World Bank, Timor-Leste’s petroleum reserves are the key to the country’s prosperity. Yet, this is not being exploited, and almost all Timorese earn their incomes in the non-oil sector, where incomes have largely been stagnant since 2002. Youth unemployment is a major obstacle – half of the population is under 18, and youth unemployment is approximately 40 percent (2004). It is estimated that some 15,000 young people enter the labor market each year, while only 400 formal jobs are being created ⁴.

Poverty and high unemployment were critical factors leading to an outbreak of unrest in 2006. Riots, fueled by friction within the military and police forces, broke out in the capital, Dili, killing several people and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes. International troops were invited in to help quell the violence, but security and stability remain precarious in the country.

By invitation from the government and through Security Council Resolution 1745, the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) was established in 2006 to ‘support the Government and relevant institutions with a view to consolidating stability, enhancing a culture of democratic governance and facilitating political dialogue’. UNMIT would also coordinate with UN and other partners to deliver assistance within the post-conflict peace-building process ⁵. In mid-2007, presidential and parliamentary elections were held. They were largely credible and free of violence and resulted in former Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta winning the presidency and former President Xanana Gusmão leading a coalition government as Prime Minister.

The main challenges for women in Timor-Leste lie in overcoming deep poverty and the terrible impact of conflict, and in building capacity to participate in social, economic and political decision-making processes. Rape and sexual violence were widely used as a weapon of war in the conflict, and though some trauma counseling projects were initiated in the post-conflict period, women did not have sufficient access to these services. NGOs estimate that 45% of all married Timorese women were widowed as a result of the conflict. The heavy loss of working-age men has meant that many women have become heads of households and sole-providers for their families. Advocates for women’s human rights in Timor-Leste have generally focused on three main areas: service provision for those who suffered during the conflict, income-generation projects for poor women, and political participation and women’s rights.

Footnotes:

1. Country brief, Timor-Leste, The World Bank

2. United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET)

3. Human Development Report

4. The Labor Market Impact of Minimum Wage Policy: the Case of Timor-Leste in Comparative Perspective, World Bank, 2004

5. United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste

 

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