The East Timor Women’s Caucus, with support from the International Republican Institute (IRI), has launched a newsletter about Timorese women in politics. The premiere edition of "Caucus: Women in Politics" features an interview with Cipriana Pereira, the Dili District representative to Parliament.

The newsletter is written in Indonesian, one of the most commonly spoken languages in East Timor. It encourages women to take an active part in the political life of their young country and supports women members of Parliament by providing them with informationand examples of how women engage in and examples of how women

engage in political activities in East Timor and around the world. The first issue of "Caucus" also includes an article on Aung San Suu Kyi. An upcoming issue will include information on the proposed local government elections and feature women involved in politics at the local level.

The Women’s Caucus is a national NGO that encourages women’s direct participation in the political process through political parties and government, and indirect participation through other channels within civil society. The Caucus organizes monthly lunches for all women parliamentarians and key women activists to discuss current issues affecting women and their roles in the development of the country and how policy decisions affect women. The "Caucus" newsletter also promotes the work of the women in Parliament.

IRI supports the Women’s Caucus in its development of political leadership skills and advocacy training, support for women members of Parliament, and organizational management skills. Funding from USAID helps IRI create and implement programs that strengthen democratic institutions in East Timor.

Printer Friendly Version