A/HRC/20/25/Add.1
administration costs, as well as private costs to the beneficiaries in complying with
conditionalities. Resources may be better spent on extending the scope of the programme or
the level of benefits, than on the administrative costs associated with monitoring
conditionalities.
79.
The Special Rapporteur urges the Government to continue to expand the capacity of
the Bolsa da Mãe programme such that universal provision is ultimately achieved. In this
regard, and considering the scarcity of resources, the Special Rapporteur suggests TimorLeste re-evaluate whether the resources expended on the veterans’ pension could be more
efficiently allocated. Supporting veterans is an important part of the national cultural and
social fabric in Timor-Leste, and the country should be proud of the strong framework it
has put in place to address the needs of its veterans. However, the programme receives a
large percentage of the social protection budget, despite delivering benefits to only a small
fragment of the Timorese population. Furthermore, the programme has encountered
difficulties with regard to the identification of beneficiaries, despite various efforts by the
Government to verify data and eligibility. 85 The Special Rapporteur recommends that the
Government undertake an evaluation of the effectiveness and scale of the programme.
VII. Conclusions and final recommendations
80.
The Special Rapporteur recognizes the advances made by Timor-Leste and the
ongoing challenges it faces in order to consolidate peace and security and achieve
sustainable development. However, she is concerned that poverty persists despite
notable efforts and several successful programmes, and that economic growth and
development have not benefited all Timorese equally. The Government must
concentrate its efforts on social and economic policies which ensure inclusive and
equitable growth and development for all the population. To this end it must
strengthen efforts to diversify the non-oil economy, build sustainable industries, and
ensure the preservation of its natural resources for future generations.
81.
Although the report includes detailed recommendations in each of its sections,
the Special Rapporteur would like to urge Timor-Leste to take the following steps as a
matter of priority.
82.
With regard to the institutional and legal framework:
(a)
Ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced
Disappearance, the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights, and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights
of the Child on a communications procedure;
(b)
Finalize the adoption of a national plan of action on gender-based
violence and human trafficking, and dedicate sufficient resources to enable the
Secretariat of State for the Promotion of Equality, and key ministries, to implement
this plan;
(c)
Adopt a national plan of action for child rights and provide the National
Commission for the Rights of the Child with the necessary resources to enable it to
carry out its mandate. The Government should also consider expanding the mandate
85
World Bank, ―Defining heroes: key lessons from the creation of veterans policy in Timor-Leste‖,
2008; International Center for Transitional Justice, ―Unfulfilled expectations: victims’ perceptions of
justice and reparation in Timor Leste‖, 2010.
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