The National Parliament (NP) will this year allocate $260,000 to the Secretariat of State for Women’s Socio-economic Support (SEM) to help women’s groups to run their businesses and support their family.
Secretary of SEM Veneranda Lemos said the current government had a clear policy to increase women’s economic position and therefore SEM had been established to focus specifically on women’s issues.
“We focus on improving women’s economy through a specific budget,” said Lemos at the Tower Hall in Fatuhada, Dili.
SEM has received 125 proposals from women’s groups, which it is in the process of reviewing and verifying.
Successful groups will be given training before receiving funding to run their business activities.
“After training, capacity building on how to manage a business and a budget plan will be provided,” said Lemos.
Between 2008 and 2014, the government provided $700,000 to support 399 women’s groups across the country through the Secretariat of State for Equality Promotion, now known as SEM.
However, not all groups were actively engaged in business activities despite receiving funding.
President of Commission F (responsible for health, education, culture, veteran affairs and gender equality) MP Virgilio da Costa Hornai said Parliament allocated funds annually through a budget to help women’s groups.
“After receiving the money, business activities are not run and it’s a waste of money,” he said.
The MP therefore suggested SEM channel the funding through the National Commercial Bank (BNCTL) to ensure groups were accountable for the money they borrowed and that the businesses were sustainable.
