Details
Mission and objectives
Timor-Leste (or East Timor) became an independent nation in 2002 after centuries of Portuguese colonial rule, followed by Indonesian occupation and devastating conflict which left most of the population displaced and 70 per cent of the infrastructure decimated.
Currently, the main challenges for women remain deep poverty, frequent cases of domestic violence and lack of recognition of women’s contribution tothe political, economic and social spheres. Political participation and economic empowerment are particularly crucial as the conflict left nearly half of Timorese women widowed and sole providers for their family. Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and domestic violence are critical issues for women in post-conflict Timor-Leste. Domestic violence is the most reported case to the Vulnerable Persons Unit of the National Police, a unit set up with assistance from the UN specifically for vulnerable people including women, children and the elderly. Timorese women have described domestic violence as normal and sometimes, a daily occurrence.
Other legislative measures have come into effect as well, such as the Law against Domestic Violence Law, passed in 2010 naming domestic violence a public crime, and the National Action Plan on Gender-based Violence, a strategy of prevention and provision of services for survivors of gender-based violence and domestic violence.
UN Women established a presence in Timor-Leste with an initial needs assessment in 2000, and opened a project office in 2001. Currently, UN Women works in the following areas:
Gender-Responsive Planning and Budgeting
Women in Politics
CEDAW Implementation in Timor-Leste
Women , Peace and Security
Currently, the main challenges for women remain deep poverty, frequent cases of domestic violence and lack of recognition of women’s contribution tothe political, economic and social spheres. Political participation and economic empowerment are particularly crucial as the conflict left nearly half of Timorese women widowed and sole providers for their family. Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and domestic violence are critical issues for women in post-conflict Timor-Leste. Domestic violence is the most reported case to the Vulnerable Persons Unit of the National Police, a unit set up with assistance from the UN specifically for vulnerable people including women, children and the elderly. Timorese women have described domestic violence as normal and sometimes, a daily occurrence.
Other legislative measures have come into effect as well, such as the Law against Domestic Violence Law, passed in 2010 naming domestic violence a public crime, and the National Action Plan on Gender-based Violence, a strategy of prevention and provision of services for survivors of gender-based violence and domestic violence.
UN Women established a presence in Timor-Leste with an initial needs assessment in 2000, and opened a project office in 2001. Currently, UN Women works in the following areas:
Gender-Responsive Planning and Budgeting
Women in Politics
CEDAW Implementation in Timor-Leste
Women , Peace and Security
Context
Under the leadership of the IX Constitutional Government, Timor-Leste officially adopted its second-generation National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2024-2028 (NAP 1325) (2024-2028). This comprehensive five-year strategy is designed to advance gender equality and women's leadership in areas of conflict prevention, peacebuilding, post-conflict recovery, and humanitarian response efforts across Timor-Leste, ensuring a multi-stakeholder and gender-responsive approach to sustainable peace and security. The NAP 1325 approval signifies a robust commitment of the IX Constitutional Government of Timor-Leste to plan, develop, implement and invest in its national WPS agenda in the context of post-COVID-19 recovery, and its integration into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). To advance the national WPS agenda in Timor-Leste, UN Women has been providing technical support to line ministries in strengthening institutional capacities to plan, implement, finance, monitor, and report the national WPS commitments. UN Women has been providing support to the Government of Timor-Leste to promote gender mainstreaming and Gender-Responsive Budgeting in policies and programmes, and advance women’s meaningful leadership in decision-making processes at all levels towards accountable policy implementation, gender-responsive conflict prevention and peacebuilding, and to promote services that meet the security needs of women and girls in Timor-Leste.
Besides, as Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) stands as a core pillar of UN Women’s programmes in Timor-Leste, it supports government partners through knowledge exchange, research and capacity-building to strengthen gender-responsive policies and address the discrimination and structural barriers that limit women’s participation in the economy and income-generating activities. UN Women works with civil society organizations and women entrepreneurs to build the skills, knowledge, and networks needed to access decent work and sustainable livelihoods. In partnership with government partners, UN Women provides technical assistance in generating and sharing evidence to advance gender-responsive policy making in line with CEDAW Concluding Observations, for example, promoting unpaid care work, addressing discriminatory policies and practices affecting women (particularly women with disabilities) in economic participation, and promoting inclusive social protection.
The UNV Programme Support Associate will work with UN Women Timor-Leste’s Women’s Economic Empowerment and Governance, Peace and Security Programme Teams to promote implementation of national commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment in Timor-Leste, and to work with women leaders and local communities in strengthening women’s meaningful participation and decision-making across all spheres of life.
Besides, as Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) stands as a core pillar of UN Women’s programmes in Timor-Leste, it supports government partners through knowledge exchange, research and capacity-building to strengthen gender-responsive policies and address the discrimination and structural barriers that limit women’s participation in the economy and income-generating activities. UN Women works with civil society organizations and women entrepreneurs to build the skills, knowledge, and networks needed to access decent work and sustainable livelihoods. In partnership with government partners, UN Women provides technical assistance in generating and sharing evidence to advance gender-responsive policy making in line with CEDAW Concluding Observations, for example, promoting unpaid care work, addressing discriminatory policies and practices affecting women (particularly women with disabilities) in economic participation, and promoting inclusive social protection.
The UNV Programme Support Associate will work with UN Women Timor-Leste’s Women’s Economic Empowerment and Governance, Peace and Security Programme Teams to promote implementation of national commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment in Timor-Leste, and to work with women leaders and local communities in strengthening women’s meaningful participation and decision-making across all spheres of life.
Task description
Under the direct supervision of the Women’s Economic Empowerment and Women, Peace and Security Programme Manager, and under the overall guidance of the UN Women Head of Office, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
• Support the implementation of UN Women’s programme activities, events, trainings, and workshops to promote women’s leadership in peacebuilding, and women’s participation in economic activities in Timor-Leste.
• Contribute to the development of training materials and implement innovative training programmes to strengthen government and civil society partners’ capacities in promoting gender equality in Timor-Leste.
• Contribute to WEE and WPS-related knowledge building, advocacy, and communication efforts. Provide assistance in developing background documents, briefs, and presentations related to WEE and WPS.
• Contribute to monitoring, reporting, and documentation of WPS and WEE knowledge products, such as reporting, case studies, impact stories, articles, and newsletters.
• Provide assistance in preparing relevant documentation such as project summaries, conference presentations, briefing notes, speeches, and minutes as requested.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking an active part in UNV activities (for instance, in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
• Support the implementation of UN Women’s programme activities, events, trainings, and workshops to promote women’s leadership in peacebuilding, and women’s participation in economic activities in Timor-Leste.
• Contribute to the development of training materials and implement innovative training programmes to strengthen government and civil society partners’ capacities in promoting gender equality in Timor-Leste.
• Contribute to WEE and WPS-related knowledge building, advocacy, and communication efforts. Provide assistance in developing background documents, briefs, and presentations related to WEE and WPS.
• Contribute to monitoring, reporting, and documentation of WPS and WEE knowledge products, such as reporting, case studies, impact stories, articles, and newsletters.
• Provide assistance in preparing relevant documentation such as project summaries, conference presentations, briefing notes, speeches, and minutes as requested.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking an active part in UNV activities (for instance, in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
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