Secretary of State for Promotion of Equality (SEPI) Idelta Maria Rodrigues says SEPI intends to build a gender centre in every district. 
She said gender labor groups will provide guidance on how to overcome problems facing women in rural areas.
“We intend to build gender centres in all districts so we hope gender labor groups to be trainers for each center in the district,” Rodrigues said.
National University of Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL) Faculty of Social Policy student Angelina asked SEPI to make gender studies a university subject.
“If there are no gender studies courses in universities, how can academics play a role in contributing to gender equality?” she asked.
She urged SEPI to hand over the responsibility of gender training to UNTL.
SE Rodrigues said UNTL offered gender studies courses as well as a gender studies centre.
Men with New Vision (MVF) NGO representative, Marcelina Soares voiced concerns that the media did not give coverage to the issues of women in rural areas.
“We often have activities in rural areas and invite the media outlets to cover but their participation was very poor,” she said.
She said stories about women were often relegated the last pages of newspapers and were not given adequate air time on television.
She asked media outlets to prioritize women’s issues.
