Of 200 potential female candidates who have received political training, only 100 have said they are ready to run for the position of xefe suku (village chief) in this year’s elections.
The Director of the Patria organization, Laura Pina, said 200 potential candidates in every municipality had attended training provided by the organization and 100 women were now ready to run in the election.
“One hundred women are ready to participate in the suku election, win or lose it depends on the result,” she said at the press conference at theEast Timorese Women’s Communication Forum (FOKUPERS) in Dili.
“We are expecting women candidates to be included in the 442 sukus (villages) in Timor-Leste because it is guaranteed by the law,” she said.
The sukus elections are due to be held in September.
According to articles 44 and 65 in law no. 9/2016, of the two candidates running for village chief and sub-village chief one must be a woman.
In addition, the law stipulates that there must be women delegates from all 2225 sub-villages appointed to the suku council and one female youth representative from each of the 442 sukus.
Meanwhile, spokesperson of the I am 100% Ready commission Yasinta Lujina said the support of all entities was needed to identify and encourage women at suku level to participate in the elections.
“As the commission cannot cover all areas, therefore the support of all entities is needed to encourage women to participate,” she said.
“According to the law, we need 442 people, but we only have 100 so we need to put a lot of effort to increase that number over the next month,” she said.
She said the number of female candidates prepared to contest the election remains low due to existing cultural and patriarchal attitudes in the sukus.
“It means that the title is handed down to the next [male relative] in line, even though other generations are skilled and capable to lead,” she said.
However, Celestra Fatima, a potential candidate for Seloi Kraik suku in the Aileu municipality, said she was ready to take a part in the elections, with the objective to make positive changes in her suku.
“My suku has tourism potential, but some leaders do not take it into consideration,” she said.
Ana Rosaria, a resident of Maumeta suku in the Bazartete administrative post in Liqica, said she was also wanted to run for suku chief because she wanted to contribute to development in her region.
“I want to give my ideas and my energy to develop our suku in the future,” she said.
Rede Feto President Judit Ximenes also called on communities to support female candidates in their region.
“For example, in the Soba and Fahi-Soi sukus development is making significant progress because it is led by women and they focus on children’s education and health, while men just focus on roads and bridges,” she added.
