Dili,June 7, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The Secretary of State for Equality (SEI), in collaboration with TAF-Nabilan, held a forum aimed at strengthening collaboration with development and technical partners through a critical dialogue on the influential role of effective primary prevention practices, backed by evidence, to end violence against women and children. The forum took place at Suai Room, Timor Plaza, on Thursday this week.
The Secretary of State for Equality, Elvina Sousa de Carvalho, stated that today’s activity is one of the forums on gender-based violence (GBV) prevention organized by SEI and TAF-Nabilan, as part of a program supported by the Australian Embassy through the international NGO USAID.
“We all know that Timor-Leste has a high rate of GBV cases. That’s why we are holding this forum, with a strong focus on prevention to avoid problems and eliminate acts of violence against women and children in Timor-Leste. Today, we are working together with development partners from abroad through this forum to discuss the recurring issue of violence in the country,” said Elvina Sousa de Carvalho.
The Secretary emphasized that the partnership between the Australian Government and SEI has been very positive, receiving both technical and financial support for preventing gender-based violence, especially violence against women and girls. She believes this collaboration will lead to a better future.
“Even though violence continues to occur, the State of Timor-Leste is making strong efforts to combat gender-based violence happening in the country. We have a national action plan for GBV based on the mandate of the law and the plan itself, which stands on three pillars: prevention, access to justice, and victim assistance,” she explained.
She also encouraged all journalists to acquire knowledge about the National Action Plan on GBV prevention to inspire their journalistic work to be sensitive to gender-based violence and the policies related to equality initiatives in Timor-Leste.
Australian Deputy Ambassador Edward Wilkinson, in his speech, stated that the forum discussed the prevention of violence against women and girls, particularly perpetrated by men within families, which remains a global and recurring issue.
“In Australia, we see that two in five women aged 15 and above experience violence, mostly physical assault, sexual harassment, and sexual violence, often committed by people they know rather than strangers,” said Edward Wilkinson.
The Deputy Ambassador reiterated the Australian Government’s commitment to preventing violence both domestically and internationally, working hand-in-hand with development partners to address ongoing challenges faced by women and girls.
“This year we launched Australia’s international strategy for gender equality, reaffirming our commitment to gender equality and advancing the human rights of women and girls. Gender equality benefits everyone’s lives,” he stated.
He further highlighted that their work focuses on ending sexual and gender-based violence and protecting women’s sexual and reproductive health rights as a top priority across five key areas.
“We are also committed to increasing investment in primary prevention of sexual and gender-based violence. Through our platform for GBV prevention in Southeast Asia, we support countries in the region with evidence-based approaches to prevent sexual and gender-based violence,” he informed.
He emphasized that this platform connects civil society with regional and international organizations to develop transformative programs and policies aligned with the ASEAN regional action plan on GBV against women and girls.
He elaborated on the Australian Government’s commitment to eliminating violence against women and girls, showing solidarity with Timor-Leste’s partners and development actors from 2025 to 2030, committing to continue partnering with the Government of Timor-Leste to implement GBV prevention initiatives.
Report: Nelfiano
Photo: Nelfiano