ADVOCACY PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES 2007- JUNE 2008

One-day workshop on the preparation for the Third National Women’s Congress

Rede Feto conducted a one-day workshop with its members to discuss about the roles and functions of its members in preparing for the district conferences in the 13 districts and the 3-day Third National Women’s Congress (NWC) in Dili. As decided during the workshop, the members who will compose the organizing committee will include FKSH, OPMT, APSC-TL, Alola Foundation, Fokupers and ET-WAVE. The organizing committee will be responsible in helping and ensuring that activities for the NWC are well-designed, organized and understood by all the members of the Committee. The workshop was held at Audian Hotel which was facilitated by the Rede Feto Advisor with 22 Rede Feto members as participants.

Lobby with donors to support the congress

After preparing the NWC proposal, the Executive Body and Advisor of Rede Feto conducted meetings with donors who could possibly provide support to the Third National Women’s Congress. During two and half months, Rede Feto received confirmation for funding from the Royal Norway Embassy Section, GTZ, UNIFEM, UNFPA, Caritas Australia, Trocair, the Government of RDTL through SEPI, Irish Aid, Oxfam Australia, the Asia Foundation. The Executive Director of APSC-TL also helped the Executive Body of Rede Feto to look for funding by contacting a friend from Australia such as the Blue Mountain Sisters and ETWA to support the conference.

Regular meeting on the preparation and drafting internal regulation on district and national congress.

The NWC Organizing Committee conducted weekly meetings to discuss about all the necessary preparations for the district conferences including the regulation for the district conference, the activities for the 3-day district conference, its theme, the speakers and the Advisors who should provide support to Rede Feto in the preparation for the district conferences, analyze results, prepare for the final 3-day national congress and review of the final draft report of the NWC and other relevant issues. The meetings also discussed problems and difficulties encountered by the NWC Organizing Committee and other members of the team and discuss ways on how to resolve them.

Selection of Advisors to assist in analyzing and finalizing results of district conferences and the NWC

Having realized the need for support to analyze the results of the Platform Of Action (POA) from the Second National Women’s Congress and the new issues and recommendations, the NWC Organizing Committee identified several Advisors to compose the team. Rede Feto recommended for the Advisors to come from the SEPI, the National Parliament, a representative from the government line ministries and UNIFEM. These offices were represented by Ms. Monica Costa, Gender Advisor to SEPI, Ms. Endah Agustiana, Gender Advisor of UNDP at the National Parliament, Ms. Kanchan Lama, Gender Advisor at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAP) and Ms. Dianne D. Arboleda, Programme Manager of UNIFEM. The Advisors agreed and committed themselves to provide the necessary support to the Rede Feto NWC Organizing Committee and team.

TOT on Facilitation

Before the conduct of the district conferences, Rede Feto organized a five-day workshop held on 30 April 30 – 4 May 2008 to discuss about the guidelines in facilitating the conferences in the 13 districts. The workshop was attended by 30 participants representing members of Rede Feto such as APSC-TL, Alola Foundation, FKSH, FOKUPERS, FMF, GFFTL, Caucus: Feto Iha Politica, OMT, OPMT and Sta. Bakhita. The workshop enabled the members to understand the objectives of the district conference, processes and techniques in facilitating the conference with the support of at least 20 local facilitators who will be identified in collaboration with the Rede Feto members responsible for the district conferences. A module for facilitators was likewise developed to ensure that national and local facilitators were able to follow the guidelines vis-à-vis set objectives. The 5-day TOT was facilitated by Mr. Alex Gusmao from Timor Aid, a national NGO. The participants appreciated the inputs provided by the facilitator as he introduced more enriching and innovative methods and techniques on facilitation.

Two days workshop on the orientation of national facilitators for the district conferences

After the 5-day TOT, the NWC Organizing Committee of Rede Feto conducted a follow-up orientation and practicum with the national facilitators to prepare them for the conferences in the 13 districts. The follow-up orientation and practicum was held on 12-13 May 2008 at ETDA. The NWC Organizing Committee reviewed the conference module for facilitations and provided the necessary feedback to all facilitators and facilitating members of the Rede Feto team. After the workshop, the national facilitators from each member NGO of Rede Feto proceeded to their respective district of assignment and trained 20 local facilitators who will be part of the district team for the NWC district conferences.

Lobby with Ministries and State Secretariats to participate in the district conferences

The NWC Organizing Committee and Rede Feto Executive Body conducted a meeting with partners at the Ministries and State Secretariats that were pre-selected by the committee. Most of the Ministers and State Secretaries indicated their commitment to participate in the district conferences.

Conducted pre-NWC conferences in 13 districts

From 9 to 27 June, 2008, Rede Feto with its members conducted pre-NWC conferences in all 13 districts of Timor-Leste. For the first round, it were the Alola Foundation in the district of Manufahi on 9-11 June, OMT in Aileu on 9-11 June, OPMT in Oecussi on 9-11 June 2008 that organized and coordinated the district conferences. The second round was by Caucus: Feto Iha Politica in Ainaro on 11-13 June, FKSH in Ermera on 11-13 June and APSC-TL in Maliana on 10-12 June. The third part was by FMF in Liquica on 17-19 June, OPMT in Baucau and Viqueque on 18-20 June, PAS in Lospalos on 19-21 June, APSCTL in Suai on 23-25 June and PAS in Dili on 25-27 June 2008. The participants from each district were around 100-150 based on the number of sub-districts and villages of the 13 districts.

The objectives of districts conferences were: a) to assess the achievement of the 2^nd National Women’s Congress; b) to gather new women’s issues and concerns; c) to ensure that the stakeholders are committed in the implementation of the 3^rd POA; and d) to establish a monitoring group that will ensure the POA is implemented as planned.

The district conferences, first of its kind since the National Women’s Congress was initiated in 2000 (former conferences were held in regions), were successfully conducted in the 13 districts with the team of national and local facilitators. It was an important event that gathered women who revisited and shared their different experiences and issues/concerns affecting them. For most of the women delegates to the district conferences, it was a rewarding occasion for them to meet other women leaders again, discuss the issues and problems that affect them and agree on solutions to resolve them. They all agreed that holding the NWC every after 4 years

Organized TVTL coverage of NWC district conferences

The Information and Communication Officer of Rede Feto worked closely with a TVTL Officer in carrying out the video documentation of Rede Feto’s activities related to the NWC especially the district conferences and the 3^rd National Women’s Congress to be held on September 2008. The TVTL coverage is aimed to promote Rede Feto’s activities, its impact to women, and broadcast the realities of women’s situations in the districts through the discussions and sharing of the problems and needs that affect them especially those in remote areas to ensure government’s support through programmes and budget allocation.

Preparations for the Third National Women’s Congress

The NWC Organizing Committee conducted several meetings in preparation for NWC that will be held on 10-12 September (earlier scheduled for 23-25 July 2008 but postponed). The team also lobbied for President of RDTL, H.E. Jose Ramos-Horta and the Prime Minister, H.E. Ray Kala Xanana Gusmao to participate during the NWC.

Meeting with Prime Minister or RDTL

The Executive Body and members of the Board of Rede Feto and the Director of FKSH met with Prime Minister of RDTL to invite him to the opening ceremony of the Third NWC on July 2008. Rede Feto also thanked the Mr. Prime Minister for his attendance during the district conference in Bobonaro along with other members of government. The meeting was broadcasted on TVTL.

Comment on martial arts law

On April 2008, Rede Feto was invited to provide comments on the draft Martial Arts Law at the National Parliament. Before comments were provided, the Executive Body conducted a meeting with the Advocacy Working Group to discuss the gender perspective of the law. The Executive Director represented Rede Feto at the National Parliament in the discussion about the law. The National Parliament, through Commission H appreciated Rede Feto’s comments and agreed to review them. The law was discussed by the National Parliament and is currently waiting for approval.

Comments on the policy paper on the draft New Penal Code

The Advocacy Working Group of Rede Feto conducted a meeting to discuss its comments on the policy paper of the New Penal Code. It has requested the National Parliament to allow government to draft the new penal code for Timor-Leste considering the available human and financial resources that it has to review said important law. Rede Feto requested the government to consider the importance of consultation with the civil society on the Penal Code considering its value towards regulating and preserving human lives.

Reviewed some items of the draft Law on Domestic Violence

The Advocacy Team of Rede Feto conducted regular meetings to discuss the draft law of Domestic Violence. Rede Feto worked closely with other NGOs such as JSMP, PRADET, the media and other government agencies to discuss and review comments on the draft domestic violence law that considers it as a public crime and in describing some responsibilities of Government after its approval. The team also met with the Minister of Justice and State Secretary at SEPI to discuss the possibility of conducting a one-day national consultation to discuss the issues. The Minister agreed and the team will organize the workshop by first week of July 2008.

Comments on the decision to stop/capture operations in bars, restaurants and hotels in Dili by the Police

Rede Feto with the Gender Affairs Unit of UNMIT, questioned the objectives of the operations of PNTL on bars and restaurants in Dili capital which resulted for foreigners who have the required official visa to be held to their work in said bars and restaurants. Rede Feto and UNMIT viewed the decision and action as unfair and requested for PNTL to stop said operation.

Discussions on the involvement of a priest in an abandonment case

The Working Group on Advocacy also worked with other NGOs regarding the involvement of a priest in an abandonment case that caused the victim’s pregnancy and the priest did not take any responsibility over the girl and her baby. The church only decided to remove the priest from the parish where he was based and transferred to another parish. The family of the victim was asked to withdraw the case from the court and a mediation process was conducted to resolve the case. Rede Feto viewed the decision as very discriminatory towards the victim because there was no form of responsibility by the perpetrator and it was so easily settled. It was realized that this situation can always happen considering that women have limited access to information particularly on the judicial system in the country. Rede Feto, through its member Fokupers, is still in the process of looking for any others cases where women in Timor-Leste do not want to speak up and at the same follow-up and request the church to come out with a policy to give sanctions to priests who are involved in similar cases that discriminates and abuse women.

Press conference on sexual violence that involved a high school teacher in Dili

The Advocacy Working Group of Rede Feto conducted a press conference on a case of sexual violence involving a high school teacher in Dili. A follow-up of the case was done and relevant sectors were requested to respond immediately to the case. The case has brought one member of the National Parliament blaming the student victim because she would wear mini skirts in school that allegedly provoked the sexual assault. Rede Feto directly responded to the situation to inform and educate the community or parties involved not to immediately blame the victim but to investigate the case and establish how best it should be resolved.

Attended one-day workshop on Gender and Land Rights

SEPI and USAID worked closely to provide information on gender, land rights and the law to be integrated into the civil law that will be drafted by the Ministry of Justice. As a result, the one-day workshop was able to set up a working group to discuss about issues on land rights and ensure how they will be integrated into civil law. The workshop was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Justice, civil society and other international agencies.

Commemoration of International Women’s Day 2008

The annual celebration of the International Women’s Day involved 5 members of Rede Feto that are based in the districts namely; FMF in Liquica, OMT/Finhada in Lautem, GFFTL in Baucau, Hari Aumetan in Dili, Sta. Bakhita in Manatutu, OPMT in Dili ( Metinaro and Hera). Rede Feto, in collaboration with SEPI and other stakeholders, celebrated the day in Dili with several activities as described below. On the other hand, the celebration in the districts went well because it were well participated in by the community leaders and people in the communities were the activities were held. More…………………..