Dili, 19 April 2021

Crises such as pandemics and natural disasters can greatly increase communal and familial stress and tension. The emotional and social repercussions of these pressures can worsen the situation of people at risk of gender-based violence (GBV) and abuse. 



To respond to the changing circumstances and heightened risk of (GBV), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) yesterday signed new low-value grants (LVGs) with two civil society organisations (CSOs) addressing GBV in Timor-Leste – ALFeLa (Asisténsia Legál ba Feto no Labarik) and JSMP (Judicial System Monitoring Program). This support is part of the ongoing EU-UN Spotlight Initiative to Eliminate Violence Against Women and girls in Timor-Leste.

In Timor-Leste, the worsening Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing recovery from the devastating April 4^th floods, which displaced over 10,000 people, have demanded extra attention and resources to support the prevention and response to GBV, especially for the most vulnerable in society.



The grants will support ALFELA and JSMP to improve access to justice for survivors of GBV; to campaign against domestic violence in remote areas; and to enhance cooperation with referral actors including the Vulnerable Persons Unit (VPU) of the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL).

The Spotlight funding will also enable JSMP to produce and broadcast a national TV talk-show on preventing GBV, while ALFELA will collaborate with PNTL to improve its work on responding to and preventing GBV.

This support also enables both CSOs to provide food and non-food items for survivors of GBV in safe houses in Dili Municipality. In addition, the grants include essential personal protective equipment (PPE) to enable both organisations to carry out Covid-safe activities during the pandemic. 


The UNDP Resident Representative Tuya Altangerel stated: “The renewal of this partnership is a testimony to the crucial work provided by both civil society organizations under the Spotlight Initiative’s Pillar 4 on providing essential services and access to justice for survivors of gender-based violence, even in the most remote areas. These new LVGs will expand our partnership to two additional Spotlight Initiative pillars – Pillar 2 on institutional strengthening and Pillar 3 on prevention. The UNDP remains committed to supporting the elimination of violence against women and girls with the crucial support of JSMP and ALFeLa.”

The European Union Ambassador Andrew Jacobs stated: “The COVID19 pandemic has further exacerbated vulnerabilities and made access to essential and legal services even more challenging for survivors of violence. The severe floods that hit Timor-Leste has also increased the challenges and risks, particularly for women and children. I’m delighted that the Spotlight Initiative, through the renewal of these two grants, will help to provide better services to women and children and improve access to justice for victims of abuse. The European Union stands firm against violence to women and girls.”

“This support is essential for us to continue combatting gender-based violence by raising community awareness. This support will enable us to provide legal support to GBV survivors, as well as food, face masks and other basic needs to survivors who were affected by the recent floods through intermediary safe houses in Dili”, said JSMP Executive director, Ana Paula Marcal.

ALFeLa Executive Director, Antoninho Marques stated: “The rates of GBV are increasing in our communities and negatively impacts the development and sustainability of our communities.”

In Timor-Leste the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative is a USD 15 million programme being implemented through five UN agencies (UN Women, UNFPA, UNDP, UNICEF, and ILO), in support of the Government, and in close collaboration with the civil society, the World Health Organization, International Organization for Migration, and the UN Human Rights Advisor’s Unit.

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Tetum

Dili, 19 Abril 2021

Crize hanesan pandemia no dezastre naturais bele aumenta maka 'as estrese no tensaun iha familia no komunidade. Impaktu emosional no sosial hosi presaun hirak ne'e bele muda ema nia situasaun iha risku ba violénsia bazeia ba jéneru (VBJ) no abuzu. 



Atu responde ba situasaun mudansa no risku aas (VBJ), Programa Nasoins Unidas ba Dezenvolvimentu (UNDP) horisehik asina ona fundu ho valór ki 'ik (LVGs) ho organizasaun sosiedade sivíl rua (OSS) ne' ebé responde ba VBJ iha Timor-Leste – ALFeLa (Asisténsia Legál ba Feto no Labarik) no JSMP (Judicial System Monitoring Program). Apoiu ne 'e halo parte ba kontinuasaun husi inisiativa Spotlight husi EU-ONU atu Elimina Violénsia Hasoru Feto no labarik-feto sira iha Timor-Leste

Iha Timor-Leste, pandemia Covid-19 ne 'ebé aat liu no rekuperasaun ne'ebé kontinua husi inundasaun ne 'ebé akontese iha loron 4 fulan-abríl, ne' ebé ema dezlokadu liu 10,000, ezije atensaun adisionál no rekursu atu apoia prevensaun no resposta ba VBJ, liuliu ba sira ne 'ebé vulneravel liu iha

 sosiedade. Apoiu ne'e sei apoia ALFELA no JSMP atu hadi 'a asesu justisa ba sobrevivente sira husi VBJ; atu halo kampaña kontra violénsia doméstika iha área remotas; no atu hametin kooperasaun ho autór referál sira inklui Unidade ba Ema Vulnerável sira (VPU) husi Polísia Nasionál Timor-Leste (PNTL). Fundu Spotlight ne'e mós sei permite JSMP atu prodús no transmite talas TV nasionál ida kona-ba prevensaun VBJ, enkuantu ALFELA sei kolabora ho PNTL atu hadi 'a nia servisu hodi responde no prevene VBJ.

Apoiu nee mós fó dalan ba OSS sira atu fornese ai-han no sasán la 'ós ai-han ba sobreviventi VBJ sira iha uma mahon sira iha Munisipiu Dili. Aleinde ne' e, subsídiu ne 'e mós inklui ekipamentu protesaun pesoál esensiál sira (PPE) nian hodi permite organizasaun rua ne' e hala 'o atividade sira ne' ebé seguru ba COVID-19 durante pandemia ne'e.


Reprezentante Rezidente PNUD Tuya Altange afirma katak: “renovasaun parseria ne' e hanesan testemuñu ida ba servisu importante ne 'ebé organizasaun sosiedade sivíl rua ne' e hala 'o iha Pilár Inisiativa Spotlight nia okos, Pilar 4 kona-ba presta servisu esensiál sira no asesu ba justisa ba sobrevivente sira husi violénsia bazeia ba jéneru, liuliu iha área remota sira. LVGs foun sira ne' e sei alarga ita-nia parseria ho pilar rua tan, hanesan Pilár 2 kona-ba kapasitasaun institusionál no Pilár 3 kona-ba prevensaun. UNDP kontinua iha kompromisu atu apoiu halakon violénsia hasoru feto no labarik feto sira ho apoiu importante husi JSMP no ALFeLa.”

Embaixadór Uniaun Europeia nian Andrew Jacobs hateten: “Pandemia COVID19 ne'e sai piór liután no halo ema vulneravel sira hetan asesu ba servisu esensiál no legál sira ne' ebé susar liu ba sobreviventes violénsia nian. Bee sa 'e maka' as ne 'ebé halo Timor-Leste mós aumenta dezafiu no risku sira, liuliu ba feto no labarik sira. Ha' u haksolok ho inisiativa Spotlight, liuhosi renovasaun fundu rua ne 'e, bele ajuda fó servisu ne' ebé di 'ak liu ba feto no labarik no hadi ' a asesu justisa ba vítima abuzu sira. Uniaun Europeia firme hasoru violénsia hasoru feto no labarik-feto sira.”

Apoiu ne 'e esensiál ba ita atu kontinua kombate violénsia bazeia ba jéneru liuhusi hasa' e konxiénsia komunidade nian. Apoiu ne 'e sei fó apoiu legál ba vítima VBJ sira, inklui ai-han, máskara no nesesidade báziku sira seluk ba sobrevivente sira ne' ebé afetadu hosi inundasaun ne 'ebé akontese foin lalais ne' e liuhosi uma mahon sira iha Dili ”, dehan Diretór Ezekutivu JSMP, Ana Paula Marcal.

Diretor Exekutivu ALFeLa, Antoninho Marques hateten:“ Tasa VBJ aumenta iha ita nia komunidade no impaktu negativu ba dezenvolvimentu no sustentabilidade iha ita nia komunidade. ”

Iha Timor-Leste, Inisiativa Spotlight ONU nian ne'e maka programa ida ho valór USD 15 millaun ne'ebé implementa ona liuhusi ajénsia ONU nian lima (UN Women, UNFPA, UNDP, UNICEF no OIT), ho apoiu husi Governu, no ho kolaborasaun di 'ak ho sosiedade sivíl, Organizasaun Mundiál Saúde nian, Organizasaun Internasionál Migrasaun, no Unidade Asesora Direitus Umanus Nasoins Unidas nian.