The Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and The Asia Foundation, launched on 18 July 2024 two Standard Operating Procedures for the protection of children and young people and for the coordination response to gender-based violence. The event took place in the Conference Room of the Hotel Novo Turismo, in Dili. 

The new procedures are practical tools aim to improve the management of child protection and gender-based violence cases in Timor-Leste, both in regular and emergency contexts.

During the launch ceremony, the Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Verónica das Dores, emphasised the importance of these procedures to ensure effective and appropriate management of child protection and gender-based violence cases in our country. 

UNICEF Representative in Timor-Leste, Patrizia DiGiovanni, emphasised the relevance of procedures for managing child and youth protection cases, saying that this is a practical tool in the hands of the social service workforce, which can follow each step with confidence and clarity, until the child is safe. DiGiovanni also emphasised the importance of standard operating procedures for coordinating and responding to gender-based violence, contributing to the full implementation of the Law on the Protection of Children and Young People in Danger, enacted in 2023.  

During the event, UNICEF handed over 36 laptops and two printers to the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, intended for social service workers to enable them to fully utilise the digital child protection case management system Primero, adopted earlier this year. This donation aims to strengthen the training of child protection agents, gender-based violence focal points and child protection departments. 

This collaborative effort has the financial support of the Government of Australia and USAID’s Office of Humanitarian Assistance.