Women’s economic empowerment

Taking Steps: empowering rural women to access sustainable livelihoods

Mana Celestina da Conceicao, also of Grupo Haburas Goronto in Timor-Leste. Photo: Glenda Lasslett.

Timor-Leste

Partners: Friends of Suai, City of Port Phillip, Covalima Community Centre and Organisasaun Haburas Moris

Funding source: Trust Fund (anonymous)

Issue: Following 25 years of violence and trauma during the Indonesian occupation and its immediate aftermath, the majority of Timorese women still struggle with widespread poverty and discrimination. Gender inequalities are consistently observed in income levels, participation in the labour market, access to resources and food, rights to land and property, and access to education, health, civil and political participation and justice.

Outline: The Taking Steps project is increasing rural women’s access to economic opportunity and sustainable livelihoods by developing a network of groups of rural women building micro-businesses.

Impact: This year, the Taking Steps project worked with around 200 women in twelve locations in Bobonaro and Covalima districts. This saw women taking on leadership and training roles, often for the first time, identifying new markets and products, and generating small but useful amounts of income. Groups of women in each area are establishing savings and loans funds that provide a much-needed safety net in a vulnerable environment. Women are finding a voice and a space for support and advocacy.

This latest report from the project team in Suai in the district of Cova Lima tells in words and pictures of the first steps that are being made, building on the strengths of local women and their desire to take their place in community and national development: