Dili, December 17, 2024 (Média Democracia) – The Secretary of State for Equality (S.E.I.) holds regular meetings of the inter-ministerial gender working group at national and city levels to actualize the progress and work challenges faced by the working group.
In her speech, S.E.I. Elvina Sousa Carvalho said that this meeting was the first meeting in 2024 to introduce the gender group working mechanism based on government resolution number 35/2017 which was established at the national and city levels.
“The working mechanism of this gender group is very important, because the leadership of the Director General, President of the Authority and the Municipal Authority, all of you are leaders and decision makers to fight for gender equality, in your institutions, in your institutions you are the ones who fight for gender equality by supporting women to sit at the decision-making level or at the management level.” Said SEI Elvina Sousa in the Maubara Room, Timor Plaza, today.
Therefore, give women the opportunity to take part in training to improve their capacity and leadership skills, that means you have a good mind, have the dedication to encourage and motivate women to get the same opportunities as other men.
She said that an important task of the Gender Working Group is to ensure the implementation of an approach that integrates gender integrally into politics.
“The Program and Funds of each institution, to carry out these tasks, at the municipal level has a SEI focal point who provides support to the Chair of the Gender Working Group to carry out their duties based on the requested resolution, because the new head of the municipal authority and administration is also at the National level, there is a change in the position of the head so that SEI wants to hold this meeting to see together the mechanism of the Gender Working Group guidelines and also identify the challenges that arise in its implementation.” She said.
Meanwhile, SEI stated that there has been progress demonstrated from state institutions at the municipal level and RAEOA has integrated OJE by 2025, although the financial allocation for Gender Equality is still small and also in PNTL institutions have had a second gender strategy, have promoted and recruited female police officially and promoted women.
Therefore, she invited all parties to work together to fight against violence against women and girls, strengthen women, encourage women’s participation in decision-making, and ensure that women can get scholarships to continue their education to a higher level, and so on.
As the representative of the President of the Covalima Authority, the Secretary for Social and Community Organizations, Filomeno Cardoso continued that today’s meeting was an interesting discussion of the gender working group, because it discussed women’s participation related to decision-making.
“I feel very interested because this program talks about strengthening women’s participation especially in decision-making related to all work related to our government,” He continued.
He said that the Covalima Authority will strive to ensure that women can take part in decision-making at the political level related to development, especially political decision-making to build society and this country well.
In Covalima itself which promotes gender equality, there are four female Directors who fit the work of the Municipal Authority and also the Local Authority as village and sub-village heads, that is why the Covalima Municipal Authority also promotes women in all parts related to the existing sector.
In addition, this meeting was also attended by representatives from the ranks of the Ministry and representatives from the President of the Municipal Authority and also PNTL.
Reported by : Estefania
Picture by : Estefania