Dili, November 27, 2024 (Média Democracia) – The Secretary of State for Professional and Personnel Training (SEFOPE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UN Women to collaborate with SEFOPE especially in empowering women to prepare them for training to become employees. The activity was held at the SEFOPE hall, Caicoli, on Tuesday.
According to SEFOPE, Rogério Araújo Mendonça said that UN Women is working together on how to empower women, because as we see that the number of taxpayers who send their workers to work abroad, such as in South Korea, is only a small number of women.
“The number of taxpayers who send workers to work abroad like South Korea is small, compared to Australia and Japan, South Korea is small. So how do they want to strengthen the labor mobility program so that the number of women who participate in labor mobility can be balanced with the number of men who must be equal, how to support women to become entrepreneurs and how they can open businesses anywhere like in rural areas. Therefore, we did a public consultation with UN Women and we got benefits for SEFOPE. However, in this signed Memorandum of Understanding, we still have not mentioned the amount or funds that we need to carry out the cooperation. That is why I continue to ask the Director General of Cooperatives and also the Director of Human Resources who is responsible for this gender equality issue. I think continue to work with UN Women, especially empowering women, how to strengthen competent women in rural areas.” SEFOPE, Rogério Araújo said in Caicoli
She added to continue working with UN Women and DNEE continues to be in touch with UN Women to see labor mobility, this is very important and has the same balance.
“Earlier I said that the percentage of women who participate in overseas labor mobility programs is still small, so how can we strengthen women’s competitiveness so that they can access training, access to labor at in the country and abroad,” he said.
He added how they can also provide for women who run small businesses in their rural areas, so this part of DNEE should contact to work with UN Women who have a high commitment to want to support SEFOPE especially in the areas that I have mentioned before.
On the other part, according to UN Women in Timor-Leste, Amy Nishtha Satyam said, today marks a significant milestone in our collective journey towards gender equality and women’s empowerment. The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) is a testament to our shared commitment to creating a more equitable and inclusive Timor-Leste.
“Through this partnership, we aim to: Empower Women Economically: by providing women with access to more vocational training, entrepreneurship opportunities, we will empower them to contribute to our nation’s economic growth. Promote Gender Equality: we will work together to challenge gender stereotypes and discrimination, ensuring that women and girls have equal opportunities in all aspects of life. Strengthen Labor Force Participation: by investing in women’s skills and capabilities, we will increase their participation in the labor force and contribute to a more productive and resilient economy. This MoU outlines a comprehensive framework for collaboration, focusing on areas such as: Care Economy, we will work to recognize and value care work, a sector dominated by women, and promote policies that support caregivers.” Amy Nishtha Satyam said in Caicoli
She continued, Vocational Training will expand access to quality vocational training programs for women, equipping them with the skills needed to succeed in the workforce.
“Seasonal Work and Labor Mobility, we will ensure that women have equal opportunities to participate in overseas employment programs, while safeguarding their rights and well-being. Policy Advocacy, we will advocate for policies that promote gender equality and women’s economic empowerment, both at the national and international levels.” She said
She futher explained that by working together, they can create a brighter future for all Timorese women and girls. This partnership is a powerful tool to drive positive change and build a more just and equitable society. She also wanted to express her sincere gratitude to UN Women for their unwavering commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment. Together, we will make a lasting impact on the lives of countless Timorese women and girls.
Reported by : Tomas
Picture by : Tomas