The Women’s Communication Forum Timor-Leste asked Members of Parliament to reinforce the monitoring work of government institutions, because the Domestic Violence Law is not being implemented properly.
Director of the Women’s Communication Forum Timor-Leste (FOKUPERS), Marilia da Silva Alves said many women and children continue to become victims of violence in public and domestic spaces.
According to her, women and children became victims a second time through the judicial process, as judicial officials do not prioritize domestic violence cases that are covered by the Domestic Violence Law approved in 2010.
“We must further intensify monitoring work, to ensure government institutions can implement constitutional principles related to the Domestic Violence Law well and consistently,” said Director Alves in Farol, Dili.
She said some communities, especially women in remote, rural areas, did not know how to hand over a complaint when facing domestic violence.
On the other hand, the President of Parliamentary Women’s Group Josefa Alvares acknowledged the implementation of the law wasn’t good enough because awareness campaigns hadn’t reached people in rural areas.
“We’ve advocated and monitored and we’ve seen that only Dili do people understand the Domestic Violence Law, in rural areas people are totally uninformed about the law,” said MP Alvares.
Meanwhile, the Acting Director General at the Secretariat of State for the Promotion of Equality promised to strengthen the collaboration with civil society on how to raise awareness about the domestic violence law in the community.
“We believe that the work of partners will be maintained and further developed, we also continue to encourage our friends at FOKUPERS to advocate and take care of vulnerable women, even if they face various obstacles,” said Acting Director da Costa.
