Timor-Leste Readies its Human Rights Action Plan (July 20, 2004)

In their first two years of work, the Office of the Human Rights Advisor to the Prime Minister and the National Human Rights Working Group have helped establish a firm foundation for the protection and strengthening of human rights in Timor-Leste.

The process of drafting Timor-Leste's Human Rights Action Plan began in May 2002 with independence when Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri established the Office of the Human Rights Advisor, now headed by Isabel Ferreira. The prime minister appointed the special working group the following September. The working group, chaired by Ferreira, will submit its draft plan to the government later this year, and expect the final document to be launched on Dec. 10, 2004, International Human Rights Day.

The underlying assumption of a national human rights action plan is that improvements in human rights in any country depend on its government and people deciding to take concrete action to bring about change. Timor-Leste's National Human Rights Action Plan sets out the government's commitment to achieve a comprehensive set of human rights goals through specific steps, raising awareness of human rights standards, and strengthening relevant institutions. After a series of seminars, workshops, and field visits by the advisor and working group members, several components of the plan have been agreed. The proposed activities include:

• ratification of relevant international treaties
  
• passage of human rights legislation
  
• development of administrative steps to improve the justice system
  
• establishments of economic, social and cultural rights benchmarks and programs to achieve improvements
  
• creation and strengthening of national human rights institutions
  
• implementation of a human rights education program and a public awareness campaign
  
• formulation of specific measures to protect vulnerable groups and strengthen civil society.

The Office of the Human Rights Advisor to the Prime Minister and the Human Rights Working Group have received funding of more than $36,000 from USAID's small grants program, as well as support from other international organizations and the Timor-Leste government. The development of Timor-Leste's Human Rights Action Plan strengthens democracy, improves citizens' access to justice, and encourages participation in civic affairs.

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