There is no doubt that much is being done politically to tackle gender inequality in Timor-Leste. The government is redressing the power imbalance with a quota system that sees more women in parliament than anywhere else in south-east Asia, though whether this has any impact on policy remains to be seen. And even at a village level, foreign and local NGOs are helping women set up their own advocacy groups to champion specific rights and needs.
In the village of Estada, there are three women on the council. Nevertheless, they are indignant that their voices are still not heard. "It is good that we are at last represented in the council," says Luciana Pereirra, 32. "But the men send us outside to make tea when it's our turn to speak because they don't take us seriously."
Progressio is among several international NGOs helping women group together to tackle such deeply ingrained prejudice, teaching them the necessary skills to lobby local government for better acknowledgment of their needs.
Read more at The Guardian, published 26 November 2012.
There is no doubt that much is being done politically to tackle gender inequality in Timor-Leste. The government is redressing the power imbalance with a quota system that sees more women in parliament than anywhere else in south-east Asia, though whether this has any impact on policy remains to be seen. And even at a village level, foreign and local NGOs are helping women set up their own advocacy groups to champion specific rights and needs.
In the village of Estada, there are three women on the council. Nevertheless, they are indignant that their voices are still not heard. "It is good that we are at last represented in the council," says Luciana Pereirra, 32. "But the men send us outside to make tea when it's our turn to speak because they don't take us seriously."
Progressio is among several international NGOs helping women group together to tackle such deeply ingrained prejudice, teaching them the necessary skills to lobby local government for better acknowledgment of their needs.
Read more at The Guardian, published 26 November 2012.