Timor-Leste Reaffirms Commitment to Gender Equality at the 69th Session of the CSW

Thu. 13 of March of 2025, 09:48h

On the first day of the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), held on March 10^th, 2025, the Secretary of State for Equality, Elvina Sousa Carvalho, took part in the High-Level Interactive Dialogue on the results of the regional reviews of the Beijing+30 Process. During her speech, the Secretary of State highlighted the challenges and progress made by Timor-Leste in promoting gender equality and women's empowerment in the context of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action. The event, which took place at the United Nations headquarters in New York, brought together government representatives, international organisations, and civil society. 

The debate, chaired by Cambodia's Minister of Women's Affairs, Ing Kantha Phavi, included the participation of Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, the Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Vice Minister and Deputy Head of the National Labour Commission for Children and Women of the State Council of China, Lin Yi, and civil society and youth representatives.

During her speech, the Secretary of State for Equality congratulated ESCAP and UN Women for their joint work in leading the process of evaluating the implementation of Beijing+30 and for the success of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference in Bangkok in November 2024. She also emphasised that the Beijing+30 review provided relevant data on progress and persistent challenges in promoting gender equality. “Many countries in the region stress that gender equality is a fundamental pillar for development and is integrated into their national policies, legislation and programmes,” she said.

Among the main challenges requiring priority attention, the Secretary of State highlighted five essential areas: the economic empowerment of women, the prevention of and response to gender-based violence, the participation of women in leadership positions, the involvement of youth in promoting equality and the implementation of gender-responsive budgets. “Accelerating women's economic empowerment requires removing barriers to accessing the labour market, credit and social protection. It is also essential to encourage female participation in the science, technology, engineering, and maths sectors,” she stressed. 

The Secretary of State also emphasised the need to improve the prevention of and response to gender-based violence through effective institutional mechanisms and adequate funding for victim support services. Regarding women's participation in politics, she said that Timor-Leste has adopted affirmative measures, such as electoral quotas, which have boosted female representation in the National Parliament. “However, it is necessary to continue investing in the political empowerment of women and the civic education of the population to guarantee equitable representation,” she added.

The Secretary of State also defended the importance of involving young people in promoting gender equality and protecting children's rights and emphasised the need to implement a gender-integrated approach in the state budget. “The institutionalisation of gender-responsive budgets is essential to ensure the inclusion of women in development policies and the effective accountability of the Government in the implementation of national and international commitments on gender equality,” she stressed.

At the same event, UN Women's Executive Director, Sima Bahous, recognised the progress made in the 30 years since the Beijing Conference but warned of persistent challenges. “Despite progress, women continue to face structural obstacles that hinder their full participation in society. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action remain key documents to guide our efforts,” she said. 

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the leading global intergovernmental body dedicated exclusively to promoting gender equality and women's empowerment. The 69th session is held to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a historic milestone in the defence of women's rights worldwide. Representatives of member states, United Nations entities and civil society organisations accredited by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) will attend the event.

The national delegation to the 69th session of the CSW also includes the Vice Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Céu Brites, the President of Commission F of the National Parliament, Maria Goru-Mali Barreto, the Permanent Ambassador of Timor-Leste to the UN, Dionísio Babo Soares, and technicians from the Office of the Secretary of State for Equality.