The Director of the Women’s Group in the Political Caucus, Paula Corte Real said 54 intellectual women from the Municipalities of Dili, Ermera and Liquisa are ready to stand against male candidates during the suku election scheduled to be held in 2015.
She said the Caucus will continue preparing and motivating women to stand for the leadership roles for their local office.
“We have identified 54 women who are prepared to become candidates for the xefe sukus election this year,” Director Caucus Corte Real said in her office, in Dili.
Director Corte Real added that women are natural leaders as xefe suku because they are good managers, can control budgets and monitor projects which are the fundamental skills needed for suku development.
She said women’s participation in politics in the national level has already reached the 38% mark compared to the local level only at 2%.
The President of the Women’s Association, Ermera Municipality, Maria Exposto said her organization has already identified 15 intellectual women from 52 sukus from across the municipality who are prepared to stand for election.
She added that the female candidates need capacity building to enhance their knowledge on how they can contribute towards the development of their suku in order to gain the trust of the people.
“We are serious need of building the capacity of our female friends who we have already identified to stand for xefe suku and xefe aldeia in the 2015 suku election,” said Exposto.
vve Training, Sports, and Arts and Culture division of the 12 November Committee, Sergio F. Marques Amali, his team has been raising awareness to secondary school students about nationalism and patriotism.
His team in 2014 visited three schools in DiliZ: Cannosa, Eskola Secondaria 5 de Maio and the Becora Vocational Technique Centre.
“It is necessary to raise youth’s consciousness through socialization about youth participation in the struggle for national independence and that one day they will lead the nation,” said spokesperson Amali, in Balide,Dili.
He added that the youth in his time is different to the youth on today and that in his day youths came together to fight for the independence of Timor-Leste but the youth of today are more focused on creating conflict and are not united.
The 12 November Committee aims to be able to establish a partnership with the Secretariat of State for Youth and Sports (SEJD) and with the Ministry of Education to discuss the implementation of their program in all schools.
Escola 5 de Maio student Januario Pinto said he enjoyed the program because the youth got to understand how they can now contribute towards national development.
He hopes the 12 November Committee will be able extend the program to other schools across the country.
“The fight for independence is over but now it is our turn to done something that will improve the people’s lives,” said student Pinto.
The President of Commission F (for health, education, culture, sports and veterans affairs and gender equality) Member of Parliament MP Virgilio da Costa Hornai said this should be the responsibility of the Ministry of Education.
“I think this is not the responsibility of the 12 de November Committee. They have earned the title of martyrs and veterans of independence but that does not mean they can take over other people’s responsibility.”
