Timor-Leste is a small country located on the island of Timor in the Indonesian archipelago, 400km north of Australia. Since its independence from Indonesia in 2002, the country has made great gains in terms of development, with help from its main economic partner Australia. It remains a developing country however, with most of the population living in rural areas and relying on agricultural production to earn and living. Agriculture, along with natural gas deposits, constitute the majority of Timor-Leste’s economy.

There are high rates of violence in Timor-Leste, particularly SGBV, with an estimated 40 to 60 percent of women and girls having suffered some form of violence in their lifetime. Patriarchal structures and beliefs which reinforce gender inequality are entrenched within Timorese society, and there is widespread belief among both men and women that acts of domestic violence are acceptable within intimate relationships. While laws are in place to act against such violence, lingering societal perceptions of SGBV as mostly a private issue see lenient sentences and responses from law courts within Timor-Leste.

As well as SGBV, there are high levels of crime and violence around the few urban centres in the country, most notably in the capital Dili. There is a large youth bulge in the capital, with young people moving to Dili for employment opportunities, but the city’s infrastructure cannot keep pace with the increased rural to urban migration occurring in the country. This circumstance, along with a myriad of other factors, has seen a rise in violence between gangs and martial arts groups in Dili. These groups offer youth, particularly young men, protection, status, and companionship with other likeminded individuals disillusioned with their prospects of employment. Organised crime has also capitalised on the growing youth population, recruiting them to carry out illegal activities such as theft, prostitution, and various violent acts.

These types of violence have been a priority for Belun and the work it undertakes through its EWER System. APPAP W.A.R.N will augment these efforts by specifically targeting rates of SGBV within local communities by providing monitoring and effective response options.