The Search For Common Ground (SFCG) NGO partnering with the National University UNTL, through its Political Sciences Faculty (FASPOL) launched a study to create a data base of indicators on youth, democracy and peace building in Timor-Leste.
The Director of SFCG, Jose Vicente de Sousa, said the results of the study are very important for them as they provide a measure that will ensure programs being implemented by the NGO correspond to the needs in the community, in particular the needs of the youth.
He said, SFCG has two youth programs, the Democratic Action for Development Through the Media and Capacity Building (DAME) Program and the Youth Participation to Promote Stability (YEPS) Program financed with funds from the United States and funds from the European Union.
The programs are being implemented by SFCG in partnership with the UNTL who supported conducting a research to identify the needs of the young people and their contribution to peace building.
“We didn’t have a strong data base, so we did not know whether we were responding to the needs of the community, in particular the needs of young people. We conducted this study so we can have good indicators that SFCG can use to adequately respond to the needs of the community,” said Director Sousa.
He added the study took six months to complete and the research was conducted in six districts: Aileu, Manatuto, Baucau, Dili, Ermera and Liquisa Districts.
The research focused on youth’s participation in the democratic and development process, the collaboration between the government and civil society, the media’s role to provide information to the community and to contribute for peace building and the democratic process in the country.
The report launched indicates 22 percent of young people in the six districts are involved in activities that contribute to the peaceful resolution of conflict through training, mediation and dialogue between young people groups and others.
Meanwhile the Director of the Institute for Peace, Conflict and Social Studies (Peace Center) at UNTL, Antero Bendito da Silva, said on their part they only supported the researchers, who were students from the university.
He said UNTL lecturers will review the report carefully and incorporate finding to the teaching process and will discuss results with students.
“We conducted this research not just for teaching purposes but also to contribute to society so that we can influence public policy,” he said.
Aileu’s District Administrator, Martinho Magno, who attend the launch of the report thanked SFCG and UNTL for conducting their research and said the results will help local leaders pay attention to young people in their districts.
“I called the organizers to give me a copy of the report to take back with me to Aileu District, so I can add it to my district annual action plan and to help me prepare young people to take part in the affairs of the district.”
