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By the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste Dr José Ramos-Horta
Women show strength and compassion in bringing peace to Timor-Leste,
30 October 2006
While there are many challenges facing our young country in the
future there is one thing that we all agree we have to have now,
and that is peace.
For without peace and security our children cannot learn. They
cannot play. They will not grow up to be the beautiful young people
we want them to be. They will never have families of their own.
We will never see and love our grandchildren.
November 3 (Friday) is Timor-Leste's National Women's Day and
it is a day when we should all recognize the important role that
women play in society, but particularly in our society.
During the fight for freedom many women, particularly those in
regional areas, were left alone as their husbands were murdered.
They were forced to raise families, often entirely on their own
and they faced incredible difficulties and sadnesses.
Now, just when I prayed that Timor-Leste's time of killing and
violence had ended, we must once again turn to our women and ask
them for help. Because women are capable of being peace-makers.
They have the strength and the compassion to encourage reconciliation.
They can forgive and welcome back neighbors and advise children
to stay away from gangs and drugs.
A special report Women in East Timor, written in April of 2002
and funded by Ireland Aid, said this: No enduring solution to
any society's social, economic and political problems can be found
without the full participation and empowerment of women.
I totally agree.
The Timor-Leste Office of Women is part of the Prime Minister's
Department, recognizing its importance and the necessity of the
Prime Minister to be closely involved at all times. My Government
will continue to concentrate on the issues so important to women:
health; education; violence against women; reducing poverty by
improving the family's income; and a much greater representation
in public employment and decision-making.
I urge women, particularly those from rural and regional areas,
to take advantage of the opportunities being presented for borrowing
small amounts of money to help with business development. These
"micro finance" programs offer genuine hope for reducing
poverty and one of my future columns will be devoted to explaining
how they can help you borrow money (and save money) to improve
the lives of your loved ones.
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