UPR Sexual Rights Database

"UN Compilation: Para 44) The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women welcomed the
adoption of Law No. 7/2011 establishing electoral lists of standing and alternate candidates,
which must include at least one woman in each group of three candidates. It was,
however, concerned that women in Timor-Leste continued to face persistent barriers to gain
access to decision-making positions, and that women’s representation in government decision-making positions remained low at 20 per cent and the proportion of female village chiefs was extremely low at 2 per cent.
Para 47) The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women welcomed the adoption of the Labour Code (Law No. 4/2012) guaranteeing equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and prohibiting verbal, non-verbal and physical sexual harassment"

"National Report:
Para 8) The State of Timor-Leste is carrying out efforts to comply with its commitment to international human rights instruments as stated in its national reports and is currently preparing resources (human and financial) and is endeavoring to increase their institutional capacity to ensure that these international instruments are implemented in the future when the CRPD and its Optional Protocol is signed and ratified, as recommended by the United Nations Human Rights Council

Para 9) Based on the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (C-RDTL) Article 95.3 (f) on ratification, it is the competence of the National Parliament, to approve and denounce agreements and ratify international treaties and conventions. A concrete example relates to the ratification of the Convention on Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol as recommended by the Committee and UN Human Rights Council, whereby the National Parliament is waiting for a proposal from the Government, because the Government has a policy of creating favorable conditions and examining and considering all of the circumstances relating to human rights, including the financial impact and the contents of the conventions that are to be ratified, to see if they are going to be ratified partially or fully, depending on the policy and capacity of the Government to sign and ratify these conventions and to assume all of the consequences and responsibilities and to comply with its implementation obligations

UN Compilation:
Para 1) The United Nations country team in Timor-Leste noted that, during the first universal periodic review, Timor-Leste had indicated that it planned to ratify CRPD, but that it had not yet done so."

National Report:
Para 22) Timor-Leste acknowledges that it has not yet ratified the CRPD, however now it is making preparations for the ratification process. The Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion (MSSI), Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MFAC) has established a team to make preparations for ratification.

UN Compilation:
Para 27) The Special Rapporteur noted that, in terms of access to justice and compliance with human rights standards, there were shortcomings in both the formal justice system and the customary justice system. In the customary justice system, hearings were commonly conducted in public, which was clearly unsuitable for crimes relating to emotionally vulnerable victims of domestic violence and child abuse. Some customary justice practices might entail physical punishments, in contravention of international human rights law.
Para 30) … the Committee [against Torture] expressed concern about the absence of any concerted efforts to bring to justice those responsible for the killing or disappearance of an estimated 18,600 people and the more than 11,000 allegations of torture and over 1,000 allegations of sexual violence, including rape and sexual slavery, documented by the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 64) JAI … also noted that Timor-Leste had responded to recent criticisms of de facto discrimination against women by affirming its ongoing commitment to ending gender discrimination, promulgating laws to require female representation at the local government level, and approving a new National Action Plan on Gender-based Violence aimed at preventing violence and increasing women’s access to support services and the justice system.
Para 65) AI noted that reports of gender based violence remained high in Timor-Leste, with the last reliable data source being a baseline survey (2015) showing that 59 per cent of women experienced some physical or sexual violence. Accessing justice through the courts system, judicial officers providing lenient sentences and a lack of suitable remedies were cited as ongoing and systemic challenges.