Promotion of Gender Equality through the Media
The Secretary of State for Social Communication (SECOMS), Merício Juvenal dos Reis "Akara", held a meeting with representatives of the "100% Hau Prontu" campaign (100% I am ready) that brings together various women's rights organizations such as Fundação Rede Feto, Caucus and Ba Futuru. The meeting took place on September 6, 2018, at the Government Palace in Dili.
The "100% Hau Prontu" campaign was created in 2014 by Fundação Pátria and rapidly received a wide participation of several national and international civil society representatives. The "100% Hau Prontu" campaign aims to encourage and prepare women for leadership positions, particularly with a view to increasing the number of female candidates in municipal and suco elections.
The Secretary of State for Social Communication said that the "meeting served to discuss ways to collaborate to promote their inspirational ideas through the media and ways to raise awareness of journalists on gender equality issues."
Merício Juvenal dos Reis "Akara" also added that he will "invite Rede Feto to be part of the team of trainers in training for journalists, promoted by the Secretary of State for Social Communication, as it is a priority of SECOMS to encourage women to participate in institutions and be part of the editorial boards, so as to be able to verify the balance of the content of the news regarding the issues of gender equality".
Laura Menezes Lopes, Director of Fundação Pátria and coordinator of the "100% Hau Prontu" campaign stated that "the meeting with the Secretary of State for Social Communication had as its main objective to discuss ways of collaboration to raise the awareness of journalists to deepen their knowledge on gender equality and the participation of women in national development".
The Director of the Fundação Pátria added that "this cooperation now initiated with SECOMS hopes to achieve the maximum possible involvement of the media in the Municipal Conference of Women of Timor-Leste," organized by Rede Fero.
Laura Menezes Lopes also said that "we need a lot of media participation in disseminating the vision for the national development of women from the municipalities, sucos and villages".
