The Secretary of State for the Promotion of Equality (SEPI) Idelta Maria Rodrigues will hold a dialogue with potential women candidates from all 13 districts in order assess their preparation and hear their thoughts on the upcoming municipal elections.
The dialogue, which will involve partners committed to improving women’s capacity to take part in the elections, is planned to wrap up in September.
“I myself will hold the dialogue with the women in the districts in order to see their preparation and the difficulties that they face,” SE Rodrigues said in Kaikoli, Dili.
She encouraged women not to be lazy but to participate directly in the nation’s development.
Rodrigues called on her female national parliamentary colleagues to return to their districts to attend the National Congress for District Women and think about women’s contribution to their communities.
Women’s Parliamentary Group president Member of Parliament Josefa Alvares Pereira Soares said support and encouragement were important to ensuring women have the confidence to lead ministries
MP Alvares said many district women had the capacity and education to be successful but leaders needed to give women the opportunity to prove themselves capable of leading departments.
“Women have the capacity to lead directorates but the problem is that people do not give women priority when they are in contention for director or chief positions,” she said.
