Dili, October 6, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The Secretariat of State for Equality (S.E.I), through the National Directorate for Gender Equality Development, in collaboration with the Nabilan Program, held an important training for students from the Dili Institute of Technology (DIT). The training information was accessed through the S.E.I page today (06/10/2025).
In her opening remarks, the Secretary of State for Equality, Elvina Sousa Carvalho, emphasized that violence against women and girls remains a global concern and problem. She noted that in the Timorese context, nearly one of three women experiences violence in their lifetime, either from intimate partners or spouses. Violence against women occurs not only at home but also in public spaces.
“Based on data collected between 2020 and 2023 from the PNTL’s Vulnerable People Unit (VPU), S.E.I found that cases of domestic and sexual violence remain high. In 2023 alone, the total number of gender-based violence (GBV) cases recorded reached 1,335, including 1,076 cases of domestic violence and 259 cases of sexual violence, including incest, reported across the 12 municipalities and RAEOA,” said Secretary of State Elvina Sousa Carvalho.
She added that the 2023 Women’s Safety Audit Report conducted by Rede Feto with the support of UN Women revealed that 70% of female respondents felt unsafe in public spaces, 39% found public spaces intimidating, and 33% felt uncomfortable.
“The Women’s Safety Audit assessed 16 public spaces and 8 public institutions across Dili, Baucau, Covalima, and RAEOA between October 2022 and October 2023, including the UNTL campus. Participants included students, lecturers, patients, health workers, vendors, marketgoers, public transport users, and community members,” she added.
According to Secretary Elvina, the National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence (NAP-GBV) envisions a Timor-Leste where all women and girls live free from all forms of violence. Therefore, GBV prevention efforts must include engaging students and educators to raise awareness, promote healthy and respectful relationships, and ensure adolescents have accurate knowledge about sexual and reproductive health. She also emphasized the importance of equipping teachers with the skills and knowledge to implement gender equality and GBV prevention curricula.
“The CEDAW Committee’s 2023 recommendations for Timor-Leste urge the State to intensify public awareness of gender-based crimes within a two-year implementation period (2023–2025),” she stated.
She further explained that training sessions addressing gender-based violence, including domestic violence, sexual violence, and marital rape are aim to encourage survivors to report cases without fear of stigma or shame.
“These discussions are essential for university students, including those at DIT, to enhance their understanding of GBV and the Government’s ongoing efforts, through S.E.I and in partnership with national and international institutions, including universities is to prevent, eliminate, and combat all forms of violence against women and girls in Timor-Leste,” she emphasized.
The Secretary of State also highlighted that such problems affect female students in pre-secondary, secondary, and higher education, and stressed the need to ensure they can learn free from sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of abuse. She also underscored the importance of establishing internal support mechanisms for victims and reporting systems for campus-related cases.
Secretary Elvina expressed gratitude to the Rector, academic staff, and students of DIT for hosting and participating in the training. She urged students to continue being agents of transformation, promoting a society free from violence and discrimination against women and girls in Timor-Leste.
The training covered key topics on Gender Equality, Prevention of Gender-Based Violence, and Sexual Harassment, and was attended by the Secretary of State for Equality, the National Director for Gender Equality Development, the Nabilan Program team, as well as the Rector and Deans of DIT.
Report by: Nelfiano
Photo: S.E.I Media