10 February 2010

Law against Domestic Violence a top priority for the East Timor National Parliament

Press release of National Parliament - Committe A: Law against Domestic Violence on top of the Parliamentary Agenda

Parlamento Nacional

Komisaun Asuntu konstitusional, Justica, Administrasaun Publika, Poder Lokal no Ligislasaun Governo nian.
(Komisaun A)

Gender Resource Centre of the National Parliament of Timor-Leste Law against Domestic Violence on top of the Parliamentary Agenda - (4 February, 2010, Gender Resource Centre of the National Parliament of Timor-Leste) -- Deputada Fernanda Borges and members of Committee A of the National Parliament of Timor-Leste held a seminar on domestic violence on 3rd February. "We need to better understand the situation of Timor-Leste in terms of domestic violence so that we can pass a law that is grounded on our reality," she said at the seminar at the Novo Horizonte Hotel in Metiout, Dili.

Ms Borges noted that the draft Law Against Domestic Violence the, which was received by Parliament from Government in January 2010, has been through extensive consultations."But Parliament needs to conduct its own consultations in order to have a better feel of the needs of the people," explained Ms Borges.

Many of the participants noted to making domestic violence a public crime required a very specific and clear definition of domestic violence. In the current draft, domestic violence is defined as any act or series of acts committed in a family situation by one member against another which result in physical, sexual, and psychological harm or suffering. Economic abuse, intimidation, battery, assault, coercion, harassment and arbitrary deprivation of liberty are other acts that the draft law considers as domestic violence.

At the seminar, members of Parliament observed that there are important elements still missing in the current draft. Of particular concern was a provision to empower authorities to issue a protection order even before a case has been tried. Julia Davey, Legal Adviser of UNMIT, explained that a protection order is critical to ensure the safety of the victim while the case is still being investigated and tried.

President of the Women's Parliamentary Caucus (Grupo das Mulheres da Parlementares Timor-Leste) Maria Paixao reminded the NGO representatives that this was their "final opportunity to input into the law." She acknowledged that civil society organizations such as FOKUPERS and Rede Feto had been involved in SEPI's five year consultation and drafting process of the law.

Two Vice-Presidents of the National Parliament, Maria Paixao and Vicente Gutteres, members of Parliamentary Committees A and E, and members of the GMPTL attended the seminar. Secretary of State Idelta Rodrigues spoke on behalf of the Government and Vice-Chair of the Provedor of Human Rights Silverio Pinto addressed the crowd. Representatives of non-governmental organizations, UNMIT and UN Agencies were also present.

"What we are doing today is rather revolutionary," noted Mr. Gutteres. The law on domestic violence, once passed, will change in Timor-Leste society to one that fully respects the human rights of women and children. We are proud of our culture but there are elements in it that need to be change, he explained. Mr Gutteres reminded the participants that Parliament has an important role to play to protect and promote women's rights.

Secretary of State Idelta Rodrigues appealed to the Parliamentarians to pass the law in time for International Women's Day on March 8.

End

For more information, please contact:Reinaldo Borges, National Media Officer,The Gender Resource Centre on 7333611. reiborges2003@yahoo.com, reinaldo.borges@unifem.org

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Centru Estudo de Generu, Parlamentu Nacional Timor-Leste

Lei Kontra Violencia Domestica Sai Nudar Agenda Prioridade husi Parlamentu Nacional

(Loron 4, fulan febreiro, 2010, Centru Estudo de Generu, Parlamentu Nacional Timor-Leste) - - Deputada Fernanda Borges, Presedenti Komisaun A, Parlamentu Nacional Timor-Leste, hamutuk ho nia membrus Komisaun A, halao seminario ba loron ida hodi hare kona ba Proposta Lei Violencia Domestica nebe halao iha loron 3 fulan febreiru. Ita presiza atu hatene no kompriende diak liu tan situasaun iha ita nian rai Timor-leste, intermus kona ba violencia domestica ho nune ita sei halo duni lei ida nebe tuir duni realidade . Deputada hatoo lia meno ida ne'e iha seminario nebe halao iha hotel Novo Horizonte,Metiout, Dili.

Deputada Borges, nota katak, proposta Lei Kontra Violencia Domestica nebe Parlamentu Nacional simu husi governo iha fulan Janeiru 2010 liu ba, halao liu husi konsultasaun ida nebe barak no naruk. Maibe Parlamentu Nacional presiza duni halao konsultasaun tuir knar nebe ami iha, atu nune ami bele duni sensivel no iha komprensaun ida nebe diak atu responde duni ba nececidade povo nian." Deputada Borges Hateten

Tuir observasaun husi participantis barak, katak atu halo Lei Violencia Domestica sai hanesan crimi publika, presiza duni iha definisaun ida nebe specifiko no klaru kona ba saida mak violencia domestica. Tuir proposta Lei nebe iha hateten katak violencia domestica hanesan kualker hahalok ne'ebe komete iha kontekstu familiar, husi membru familia ida kontra ida seluk ka entre membru familia sira, ka ho ema ne'ebe iha relasaun intimu ho ida seluk, ne'ebe rezulta ka bele rezulta estragus ka sofrementu fiziku seksual, ka psokologiku, abusu ekonomiku, inklui amiasas hanesan hahalok intimidatotorius, inklui amiasas hanesan hahalok intimidatorius, ofensas korporais, agresaun, koersaun, assediu no bandu atu espresa liberdade

Durante seminario ne'e, membru parlamentu mos nota katak iha elementu importante barak nebe sei dauk mosu iha proposta lei ida ne'e, Partikularmente provisaun kona ba oinsa atu fo kbiit ba authoridade sira atu fo protesaaun, antis wainhira kazu ida lori ba julgamentu. Advogado. Julia Daveys, Legal Adviser husi UNMIT,iha nia esplikasaun hateten katak orden kona ba protesaun ne'e kritikal tebes atu fo protesaun ida nebe seguru ba vitima wainhira kasu ne sei kuntinua hela halao investigasau o halao hela julgamentu

Presedenti Grupo das Mulheres da Parlementares Timor-Leste (GMPTL) Deputada Maria Paixao, fo hanoin ba representante husi NGO sira katak, 'Ne'e imi nia oppurtunidadi atu tau hamutuk imi nia hanoin iha Lei ne'e . Deputada Paixao hatoa mos katak organizasaun non governancia feto nian hanesan FOKUPERS no Rede Feto nebe involve hamutuk SEPI durante tinan lima nia laran halo konsultasaun hodi prepara prosposta lei ne'e.

Partisipa iha seminario ida ne'e, Vice Presedenti Parlamento Nacional, Deputada Maria Paixao ho Vice Presedenti Parlamento Nacional, Deputadu Vicente Gutteres, membrus Komisaun A no E Parlamentu Naciona hamutuk ho membru GMPTL. Secreatario Estadu Promusauan Iguldade Idelta Rodrigues nebe mos nudar reprezentante husi governo hamutuk ho Adjunto Provedoria Direitu Humanus, Silverio Pinto. Reprezentante husi sociadade civil, UNMIT no agencia nacoes unidas mos marka sira nia prezensa.

"Saida mak ita halao iha loron ohin ne'e hanesan Revolusaun bo'ot ida," Vice Presedenti Parlamentu Nacional, Deputadu Vicente Gutteres hateten. Wanihira lei violencia domestica passa, ita sei halo mudansa boot ida iha Timor-Leste nia sociadade ida nebe respeitu tebes dereitu humanus lu-liu dereitu feto no labarik, " Ita orgulho ho ita nia cultura maibe ita mos nota katak iha elemtus balu nebe presiza atu hadi'a." Deputadu Gutteres mos fo hanoin ba participantes sira katak parlamentu nacional iha knar importante atu hodi fo proteja no promove dereitu feto nian.

Ramata

Atu bele hetan informasaun liu tan bele contacto : Reinaldo Borges, National Media Officer,
Iha Centru Estudo de Generu, iha 7333611. reiborges2003@yahoo.com, reinaldo.borges@unifem.org

Image added by ETLJB

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