Today, UNDP and the Conselho de Imprensa de Timor-Leste reaffirmed their commitment to preventing, addressing, and eliminating violence against women and girls in Timor-Leste with the signing of a Letter of Agreement under the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative.  

The EU-UN Spotlight Initiative aims to support transformative change on the ground to end violence against women and girls and harmful practices, in numerous countries globally. In Timor-Leste, the overall vision of the Initiative is that women and girls enjoy their right to a life free of violence, within an inclusive and gender-equitable Timor-Leste.

This partnership will see the development of National Guidelines for journalists and reporters on gender-based violence-sensitive and survivor-centered reporting, forming the first national guidelines of such a nature in Timor-Leste. Media plays an important role in influencing how we think, understand, and talk about violence within our communities, which is why it is critical that the reporting is survivor-centered and respectful.

UNDP and the Conselho de Imprensa de Timor-Leste have mobilized a team of three consultants to lead the participatory development of the guidelines, whom over the next couple of months will carry out research and consultations to inform the drafting of the guidelines, drawing on national experiences and context, as well as international best-practices and recognized frameworks.

Once the guidelines are developed, the Conselho de Imprensa de Timor-Leste will carry out dissemination, awareness raising, and socialization including training of key stakeholders.

UNDP was represented by Ms. Lazima Onta-Bhatta, the Officer in Charge, while the Conselho de Imprensa was represented by H.E. Virgilio da Silva Guterres, the President of the Conselho de Imprensa de Timor-Leste. The signing ceremony was witnessed by key members of staff of both UNDP and the Conselho de Imprensa de Timor-Leste.

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For more information, or media interviews please contact:

UNDP Head of Democratic Governance Unit, Youngchan Kim, youngchan.kim@undp.org,

UNDP National Project Manager, Livio Xavier, livio.xavier@one.un.org