Dili, May 13, 2025 (Media Democracia) – The Ministry of Justice (MJ) has disseminated information to judicial authorities regarding the law on the protection of children and youth in situations of risk.
In an interview, the Representative of the Vice-Minister for Institutional Strengthening, Dinora Granadeiro, explained that the seminar aimed to inform judicial authorities and relevant institutions about Law No. 6/2023 of March 1st, which provides protection for children and youth in danger.
“The objective of this seminar is to raise awareness and foster discussion so that our judicial authorities and institutions that hold the competence and responsibility for implementing the law on the protection of children and youth in danger can better understand and apply it effectively in their judicial practices,” said Dinora to journalists following the opening of the seminar at the Judicial Training Center Hall in Caicoli on Monday (May 12, 2025).
She further explained that upon the conclusion of this seminar, a new module will be developed focusing on the law for the protection of children and youth in danger. This module will be integrated into the curriculum at the Judicial Training Center as formal content for training judicial actors.
“This law has been anticipated for many years, and we finally achieved it in 2023. However, institutions responsible for its implementation and those with the authority to act still lack a full understanding of it,” she added.
The seminar participants included representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the courts, the Prosecutor’s Office, MSSI, UNICEF, judges, prison guards, and other relevant entities.
On the other hand, the President of the Court of Appeal, Afonso Carmona, emphasized that the main goal of the seminar was to fully understand the content of the law to benefit children and youth who are exposed to risky situations.
“In Timor-Leste, children and youth constantly face risk situations. Through this seminar, we aim to gain insights from the content of the law and potentially propose necessary amendments to make its application more practical and effective,” said PTR Afonso Carmona.
The overall objective of the seminar was to create an opportunity to bring together key actors in the justice system and the protection network to deepen their understanding of the Child and Youth Protection Law (LPCJP), promote coherent application, and strengthen inter-institutional cooperation.
“The main goals of the seminar are to clarify and systematically present the content and scope of Law No. 6/2023 of March 1st, explain key procedural and substantive measures essential for effective protection of children and youth at risk, discuss practical implementation challenges, share good practices, identify common solutions, and develop a roadmap for training and operational coordination among institutions through a joint action plan,” said Afonso Carmona.
He elaborated that the seminar brought together 40 participants, including judicial authorities, police representatives, public authority officials, child protection actors, and civil society organizations.
Report: Domingas
Photo: Domingas