02 August 2010

UNDP Parliament Project Flash News #15

Flash News #15 July 2010

National Conference on Reproductive Health

A National Conference on Reproductive Health took place in Dili from 11 to 13 July. Experts from the region and UN headquarters in NY and from in-country including the churches, woman organizations and national and international NGOs shared their insights and experiences in overcoming high maternal and infant mortality, high fertility, high teenage pregnancy, and promoting effective family planning.  Sex education, effective service provision including the proper training of health professionals and community health workers, respecting women’s rights and active involvement of youth and men, were recommended as key strategies in increasing positive reproductive health outcomes. 

The participants declared that the Government, Parliament, civil society and general community must work together to guarantee positive outcomes for the people of Timor-Leste.

Josefa Pereira, the newly elected President of the Parliamentary Womens’ Caucus (Grupo das Mulheres Parlamentares de Timor-Leste, or GMPTL) who led the conference, said that prompt actions on these issues must be taken.

“The number of maternal and infant deaths in this country is unacceptable.  Travelling around the country and hearing the voices of the men and women in rural areas has made it clear that this is an issue that is of high priority to everyone, and crucial for the future of our nation.”  Ms. Pereria highlighted.

The conference was the joint collaboration of the GMPTL, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Rede Feto, Fundasaun Alola , Marie Stopes International, Health Alliance International, Timor-Leste Asistencia Integradu Saúde (TAIS), the Dioceses of Dili and Baucau, the Cannosian Sisters (Balide), UNFPA, UNIFEM, UNDP, WHO, UNICEF, and UNMIT and  the Gender Resource Centre, National Parliament.

3rd World Conference of Speakers of Parliament

The third World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, whose broad theme was Parliaments in a world of crisis: securing global democratic accountability for the common good, focused on democracy, the role of legislative institutions and their relationship with the United Nations.

The President of the National Parliament of Timor-Leste, Mr. Fernando La Sama de Araujo,  participated in the conference that took place in Geneva from 19 to 21 July.

During his intervention, which was praised by IPU Secretary as one of the best five among more than 150 speeches, President La Sama stressed how Timor-Leste finds itself “In the struggle to develop its own natural resources in order to retain the added value for our population, so that both present and future generations can profit”, how important it is “the need to strengthen and preserve its national identity, making it an essential priority".

La Sama spoke about the importance of the Portuguese language expressing his hope that “Portuguese will in the near future be recognized as one of the United Nations official languages, and why not, of the Inter-Parliamentary Union” as well as of the “urgency to reform the United Nations, so that it is truly possible to materialize the concept of “family of nations”.

The 3rd World Conference of Speakers of Parliament closed with the adoption of a declaration on the need to secure global democratic accountability. Over 130 Speakers of Parliament gave their assent to a text that affirmed how accountability and representation lie at the heart of democracy.

Secretariat Leadership of the National Parliament took part to a RBM training in Bali

From 26 to 30 July, Directors and Head of Division of the National Parliament took part to a  Results-Based Management (RBM) training in Bali organized by the Secretariat of the Parliament.

The objective of RBM is to provide a coherent framework for strategic planning and management based on learning and accountability. Introducing a results-based approach aims to improve management effectiveness and accountability by defining realistic expected results, monitoring progress toward the achievement of expected results, integrating lessons learned into management decisions and reporting on performance.

This five-day course will provide the participants with a set of RBM tools and skills to apply in their daily work and to help the Parliament’s staff to plan new projects, create performance indicators for their projects and their area, run the project or evaluate a project that has already ended.

A part from a good capacity building opportunity, this will be the occasion of interaction among the newly appointed leaders and the divisions of the Secretariat, with the objective of consolidating the integration of the different areas through the interaction of the people.

Legal Drafters Training Program

The legal drafters training program that commenced in early October 2009, has entered its second semester. A report of the First Semester of training has been developed in three languages: Portuguese, Bahasa Indonesia, and English. It highlights the course contents delivered, the results achieved and feedback of participants on the implementation of the course. The course contents covered the legal drafting concepts, norms and practices, Portuguese language classes, and the field research.

During this second half of the academic year the trainees are focusing on drafting three bills on:

    * the hierarchy and content of Timorese laws;
    * protection of culture;
    * Cultural heritage.

The draft bills will now be discussed and revised with the help of the Parliament Project’s Legal Advisor, to be submitted in September to the relevant Parliamentary Standing Committees.

Please Remember to Tune In:

Parlamentaria - the radio program of the National Parliament produced in cooperation and coordination with RTL. Parlamentaria is a 30-minute program in Tetum with news about the National Parliament and interviews with its Members. The program is broadcast every Sunday at 6h30 pm on RTL.

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