Empower for Change – Reducing violence and discrimination against women and children with disabilities in Timor–Leste

Start DateOngoingEnd Date

2 Aug 201828 Feb 2021

Programme Status

Closed

Programme Budget

US$ 342,505

Financial Information

Thematic focus: Access to Health, Awareness Raising, GBV & Sexual and Reproductive Health, Inclusive education, OPDs capacity building, Statistics and Data Collection

Implementing Partners

UN Agencies

WHO
UN Women

Government Organizations

Ministry of Social Solidarity
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Health
Ministry of Justice
Secretary of State for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (SEIGIS)
National Human Rights Institution

Organizations of Persons with Disabilities

Association for Disability Timor-Leste
Ra’es Hadomi Timor Oan (RHTO)

The Programme

This project worked towards enhancing the rights of persons with disabilities to live free from discrimination and violence, and advancing the equal rights of women and girls with disabilities facing multiple forms of discrimination. The UNCT in Timor-Leste leveraged UNPRPD support to prevent and address violence, in particular gender-based violence (GBV) against persons with disabilities, with a focus on women and children.

Approach

The project partnered with DPOs to reduce harmful attitudes that perpetuate tolerance of gendered discrimination against persons with disabilities.

Capacities of service providers to refer and deliver coordinated, inclusive and accessible services were strengthened, in particular the coordinating Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS), the Ministries of Education and Health and the Judiciary.

Capacity for better disaggregation and use of data and for disability and gender-responsive budgeting in institutions and DPOs will be strengthened.

The project called attention to the urgent need for ratification of the UN CRPD to reinforce various national and international commitments of Timor-Leste around disability and gender-based violence.

The project strengthened the capacity of institutions and DPOs for legal and policy analysis in line with the rights of persons with disabilities. The capacity of DPOs and State Institutions were built for implementation and monitoring of the rights of persons with disabilities, including CPRD and other treaties ratified by Timor-Leste as well as relevant recommendations from UN treaty bodies and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).