As a part of the celebrations of International Day of the Girl the Government participated in the “Girls Takeover”, an initiative of Plan International supported in Timor-Leste by Rede Feto.
Girls from Timor-Leste joined hundreds of girls in over fifty countries around the world in an initiative to “takeover” leadership roles, where leading figures in political and intergovernmental spheres “stepped aside” for a day so the girls could take charge.
On the 10th of October Olinda [18] and Elfia [18] “took over” the role of the Vice Minister of Education, H.E. Dulce Jesus Soares and discussed the rehabilitation of schools, managing the teacher’s training budget and implementation of supplementary feeding program.
Clara [16] and Sidaglia [14] took over the role of the Secretary of State Youth and Sports, H.E. Leovigildo Hornay.
A “Girls Takeover March” in Dili on International Day of the Girl, the 11th of October, ended at the Office of the Secretariat of Youth where the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports and some of the girls involved in the “takeover” initiative spoke to those gathered. 
Prime Minister, H.E. Dr. Rui Maria de Araújo, noted in the 2015 UN Global Leader’s Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment that “the position of women and girls a key test of development progress” and “we must improve the situation of women and address pervasive gender discrimination if we are to meet our development goals.”
Plan International’s Deputy Country Director, Dillyana Ximenes said “The ‘Girls Takeover’ has provided an important opportunity for girls to shadow leaders and understand the skills they require to become future leaders.”
Plan International welcomed the Government’s support and engagement with the initiative. The Deputy Country Director underlined that “Gender Equality in Timor-Leste will only be possible if girls and boys, women and men, work together for gender equality, so that girls and women play an equal role in decision making.”
The Government Spokesperson noted that the Government was committed to implementing the new Sustainable Development Goals including Goal 5 “To achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.” He went on to say “this means we need to do all we can to make sure girls are given opportunities to learn and lead. Only when our girls are able to grow up in an environment that helps them thrive and achieve their potential, will our nation thrive and achieve its full potential.”
The Government congratulated Plan International and Rede Feto on the “Girls Takeover” initiative and their activities to promote women’s rights and equality for girls in Timor-Leste.
Images: Tom Hill, Plan International