Dili, July 2, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The National Institution for the Defense of Children’s Rights (INDDICA), together with UNICEF Timor-Leste, in collaboration with the government through the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture (MJDAK), officially launched a newly developed youth capacity-building module. The launch event took place at Hotel Timor in Dili, on Tuesday.
In an interview, the President of INDDICA I.P., Dinorah S. X. Granadeiro, stated that the launch of this module represents the joint efforts of INDDICA and UNICEF, along with government stakeholders like MJDAK, in preparing a strategy to build adolescents’ and young people’s capacity and help them understand their rightful roles.
“Together with our three institutions and both international and national partners, including civil society and existing organizations, we recognize the importance of beginning to raise awareness among youth about the state budget. Development has a significant impact and benefits the public, our census shows that nearly 70% of Timor-Leste’s population consists of children and young people. This means national development must target them, as they are the principal beneficiaries of this nation,” said INDDICA President Dinorah S. X. Granadeiro.
She added that the objective of launching this module is based on the belief that young people must be empowered with the necessary knowledge to actively participate in discussions within ministerial lines, especially regarding budget planning that is appropriate and responsive to their needs. It’s essential that youth are not merely treated as passive subjects but become active participants in the nation’s development process.
The newly launched module serves as a guide for young people to understand the work of ministerial lines, especially related to the state budget. Discussions about the state budget are often limited to high-level actors, but with this module, there is hope that young people can develop the initiative and creativity to monitor and engage in the budgeting process in Timor-Leste.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture (MJDAK), Nelio Isaac Sarmento stated that MJDAK collaborated with INDDICA and UNICEF to develop this module to strengthen youth capacity. Current census data shows that around 70% of Timor-Leste’s population consists of youth, which is why the government believes that their involvement in national development is extremely important.
“MJDAK worked together with UNICEF and INDDICA to develop this module, which is a key material for training young people, equipping them with basic knowledge on how the state budget is prepared. Through this, they can better understand how the government plans its budget and what programs are relevant to them as partners in development. They can also evaluate and provide input on the annual budget prepared by the government,” said MJDAK’s Nelio Isaac Sarmento.
This module includes methodologies aimed at training young people to monitor the state budget and conduct research in rural areas, helping identify core issues affecting youth in Timor-Leste. Through their research, they can present data to government officials to advocate for policy changes or improvements based on the problems they have found.
“Another issue we observe is that although young people are aware of social problems, especially those affecting their access to education or entrepreneurial opportunities, they often don’t speak up or give enough importance to the good programs that could ensure their sustainability,” said the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture.
He reaffirmed that this module serves as a reference manual for organizations and civil society groups involved in youth training. While it is currently available for youth in the capital, Dili, there are also plans to expand its use for training young people in municipalities and some rural areas.
The launch event was attended by representatives from MJDAK, UNICEF Timor-Leste, INDDICA, both national and international partners, environmental groups, civil society organizations in Timor-Leste, and journalists.
Reporting by : Domingas
Photo by : MJDAK Media Officer