Experts of the Committee on the Rights of the Child Commend Timor-Leste on Child Protection Measures, Raise Questions on Children in Street Situations and Birth Registration
The Committee on the Rights of the Child today concluded its consideration of the fourth periodic report of Timor-Leste under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, with Committee Experts commending the State party on new child protection measures, while raising questions on what the State was doing to help children living and working in street situations and to address the low rates of birth registration.
Juliana Scerri Ferrante, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, congratulated the State on the national action plan against gender-based violence 2022–2032, and recognised recent child protection measures, including the 2023 law on the protection of children and youth in danger, child protection case-management procedures, capacity building for the social service workforce, the launch of Primero and Timor-Leste’s joining of the Pathfinding Global Alliance on Ending Violence against Children in March 2025.
Ms. Scerri Ferrante asked what concrete steps were being taken to assess the number of children living or working on the streets and to ensure that they were promptly referred to appropriate child protection services? Were children without parental care, including orphans, brought under the protection of the State and provided with appropriate care and support?
Rinchen Chopel, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, said despite efforts by the State party to ensure universal birth registration, the Committee remained deeply concerned that the actual registration of birth was still very low, with only 34.5 per cent of children under the age of five having a birth certificate. What was the exact situation in the country and what specific measures were being undertaken to review and strengthen the systems in place to tackle the fundamental issue of birth registration?
Introducing the report, António Da Conceição, Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said that in recent years, Timor-Leste had made important progress in strengthening its legal and institutional framework for children. Social protection had expanded through programmes such as the Mother’s Grant, Bolsa da Mãe, including enhanced support for children with disabilities. Timor-Leste had used a child budget marker since 2021. Between 2023 and 2025, approximately 13 per cent of the national budget was classified as directly benefiting children. However, funding and implementation capacity remained challenging.
The delegation said support was provided to children living in street situations who did not attend school, with most of them now attending school. Their families were provided with resources to create small businesses at home to support their children to go to school. Work was being done with civil society and the police to make sure there were no more children living in street situations. Regular monitoring was undertaken of children in certain municipalities who were living in the street, with plans developed to reintegrate them with their families and provide them with continued support.
The delegation said there were challenges regarding birth registration due to geography demographics, limited coverage and the lacking technical capacity of personnel. There was a process already in place to ensure children born in hospitals were immediately registered with a name. However, the country’s topography was mountainous, which brought challenges. As a Catholic country, children often received a baptism certificate, which they used in lieu of a birth certificate. Many people living in rural areas had the mentality that birth certificates were only required for things like travel, which they did not have the money to do. Many schools were putting requirements for documents such as baptism and birth certificates in place for school entry.
In closing remarks, Ms. Scerri Ferrante said the Committee acknowledged the important progress made by Timor-Leste in strengthening the protection and promotion of children’s rights. The dialogue highlighted areas where challenges persisted and the Committee recognised the challenges faced by the State party.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Da Conceição emphasised the commitment of Timor-Leste to upholding the rights of all children, which was a key investment in the future of the nation. The State was committed to working closely with the Committee, United Nations mechanisms, civil society and children themselves to address the challenges which remained.
The delegation of Timor-Leste consisted of representatives from the National Institute for the Defence of the Rights of Children; the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion; the Ministry of Social Affairs Coordination; and the Permanent Mission of Timor-Leste to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of Timor-Leste at the end of its one hundred and first session on 28 September 2026. Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, and webcasts of the public meetings can be found here. The programme of work of the Committee’s one hundred and first session and other documents related to the session can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public on Thursday, 3 September at 3 p.m. to begin its consideration of the sixth periodic report of Tanzania (CRC/C/TLS/4)
Report
The Committee has before it the fourth periodic report of Timor-Leste (CRC/C/TLS/4)
Presentation of Report
ANTÓNIO DA CONCEIÇÃO, Permanent Representative of Timor Leste to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said that in recent years, Timor-Leste had made important progress in strengthening its legal and institutional framework for children. However, the central challenge was ensuring that children experienced these rights in practice, particularly those in rural and remote areas, children with disabilities, those affected by poverty or violence, and children in contact with the justice system.
Timor-Leste was working to prevent unnecessary family separation and support safe reunification. Between 2023 and 2025, 645 children had passed through alternative care facilities following experiences including abuse, domestic violence and abandonment. Strengthening family-based care and improving data on foster care and informal adoption remained priorities.
Health and nutrition were also central. Investments in community-based healthcare, immunisation, maternal and child health and nutrition focused particularly on the first 1,000 days of life. The 2024–2030 national action plan to combat stunting and the national nutrition programme addressed malnutrition through coordinated action, recognising its links to poverty, food insecurity, sanitation, climate change and healthcare access.
Social protection had expanded through programmes such as the Mother’s Grant, Bolsa da Mãe, including enhanced support for children with disabilities. However, disability inclusion remained a significant challenge, with shortages of specialist teachers, inaccessible infrastructure and insufficient equipment. Children with disabilities needed to be able to access inclusive education, healthcare and community life on an equal basis.
Education remained a key priority. Net preschool enrolment had increased from 27 per cent in 2023 to 40 per cent in 2026, reaching almost 50,000 children. The Government continued to expand infrastructure, teacher training and community-based preschool services, while promoting mother-tongue and multilingual education in areas, including Lautém, Manatuto and Oecusse-Ambeno. Nevertheless, rural areas continued to face teacher shortages, infrastructure gaps, limited learning materials and challenges in the transition to secondary education.
Juvenile justice required further reform, with the proposed framework aiming to establish child-sensitive procedures, specialist training, rehabilitation and reintegration, while promoting alternatives to detention. Timor-Leste had used a child budget marker since 2021. Between 2023 and 2025, approximately 13 per cent of the national budget was classified as directly benefiting children. However, funding and implementation capacity remained challenging.
Looking ahead, the priorities were clear: to implement pending legislation and action plans; strengthen child protection, health, education and social services; improve disability inclusion; address violence and juvenile justice; improve birth registration; and develop reliable data to identify children at risk of being left behind. Most importantly, children must remain at the centre. The consultation of 702 children in developing the national action plan was a positive example, and their participation should continue throughout policy development and implementation.
DINORAH GRANADEIRO, President of the National Institute for the Defence of the Rights of Children, said since its last periodic report, the Government had continued to strengthen the national child-rights framework and follow up on the Committee’s recommendations, while recognising challenges that remained. Significant progress included the enactment of the 2023 law on the protection of children and youth in danger, which strengthened protection against violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. The National Institute for the Defence of the Rights of Children coordinated the implementation of the Convention across the Government and other institutions. In developing a new national action plan for children, the Institute drew on monitoring data and consulted 702 children, alongside parents, communities, civil society and public institutions.
Timor-Leste had also strengthened child-focused budgeting and data systems. Since 2021, the Government had used a child budget marker to track allocations benefiting children, while the National Institute for the Defence of the Rights of Children participated in the Budget Review Commission. The Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion had launched Primero CPIMS+, a digital child-protection case-management system for vulnerable children, although continued capacity-building and coordination were needed.
Legal protections against discrimination had been strengthened through legislation covering grounds, including disability, gender, race, religion, nationality, ethnicity and sexual orientation. A child’s right to be heard was also recognised through the 2023 law on the protection of children and youth in danger, and the law on the regulation of the adoption processes, where children aged 12 and above, and younger children according to their maturity and capacity, must be given an opportunity to express their views.
Universal birth registration remained a challenge, particularly because of geographical isolation, limited awareness and technical capacity. A draft Civil Registry Code was currently before Parliament.
Since 2004, the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion and the National Centre Chega! had focused on the social implications for families involved in hostilities during the State party’s armed struggle for independence. The National Centre had worked to identify children affected by the 1974–1999 conflict and had facilitated family reunification, with approximately 150 disappeared children identified and reunions with families organised. Former child soldiers and their families also received support.
Timor-Leste’s national law criminalised online fraud, including the improper use of data. Further measures to protect children’s right to access safe and appropriate information in the digital environment were provided for in the draft cybercrime bill, which was under discussion by the Council of Ministers of the Government.
Questions by Committee Experts
JULIANA SCERRI FERRANTE, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, said that since gaining independence in 2002, Timor-Leste had made significant progress in consolidating peace, building institutions and improving public services. The Committee also welcomed important advances in the protection and promotion of children’s rights, including the national action plan for children 2016–2020 and its rights-based approach, grounded in the guiding principles of the Convention, as well as the proposed new action plan for 2026–2030. The Committee congratulated the State on the national action plan against gender-based violence 2022–2032, and recognised recent child protection measures, including the 2023 law on the protection of children and youth in danger, child protection case-management procedures, capacity building for the social service workforce, the launch of Primero and Timor-Leste’s joining of the Pathfinding Global Alliance on Ending Violence against Children in March 2025.
Despite these achievements, challenges remained, including around the justice system, which had been rebuilt in a complex post-conflict context. Therefore, access to justice and remedies, including reparations for victims of past human rights violations, remained a concern and would be discussed during the dialogue.
HYND AYOUBI IDRISSI, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, asked if civil society and children were involved in preparing the State party’s report to the Committee? What resources had been provided to ensure the implementation of the 2023 law on the protection of children and youth in danger? What measures had been taken to align the other laws affecting children with the provisions of the Convention? Had the previous national action plan been evaluated and what had been identified as the plan’s strengths and weaknesses? Had these been taken into account when drafting the new plan?
Ms. Ayoubi Idrissi congratulated the State party for the National Institute for the Defence of the Rights of Children. What were the powers of the Institute which would allow it to better coordinate the implementation of the Convention? Did it have enough resources to discharge its mandate?
What measures had been taken to improve data collection across all domains and categories of children? What was the impact of the web application established in 2025 which aimed to collect data on children under State care? What had been the impact since the child marker was introduced to the budget? Since the establishment of the Institute to Combat Corruption, had there been any tangible measures taken? Did the Office of the Ombudsman have a confidential mechanism to take in children’s complaints? What measures had been taken to ensure access to justice for children? Had the Government reflected on whether it would sign up to the third Optional Protocol which regulated the communications procedure?
Did the Government have oversight of the private sector and how it upheld children’s rights in areas such as tourism? Were children from families linked to the former occupying power still facing discrimination? What steps had been taken to address this concern? What measures had been taken to establish whether children under 12 had the necessary resources to have their voices heard? Was corporal punishment banned in all settings? What had been the impact of positive parenting education to do away with corporal punishment? What was being done to combat child pornography and prostitution?
RINCHEN CHOPEL, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, said some reports indicated that the Government of Timor-Leste had made efforts to ensure that every child was registered with civil registration authorities and received a birth certificate, with birth registration systems functioning in all municipalities for many years. However, the Committee remained deeply concerned that the actual registration of birth was still very low, with only 34.5 per cent of children under the age of five having a birth certificate.
What was the exact situation in the country and what specific measures were being undertaken to review and strengthen the systems in place to tackle the fundamental issue of birth registration? What steps were being taken to eliminate the stigmatisation faced by children of unmarried parents and their mothers? Had the Government considered the possibility of conducting a nationwide and thorough assessment of stateless children in the country? Was there any consideration being taken to ratify the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons of 1954 and the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness of 1961? When would the draft Civil Registry Code be approved?
What was the situation in the country regarding the right to privacy, and how was the right to privacy of children being ensured? Were there any plans to develop regulations and safeguarding policies for the media and in the digital environment to protect the privacy of children? What measures were being taken or considered to improve digital inclusion for children, particularly for children in disadvantaged situations and remote areas? What policy and programmatic interventions were being implemented to strengthen or enhance digital literacy and skills of children, teachers and families, and protect children from information and materials harmful to their wellbeing?
JULIANA SCERRI FERRANTE, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, asked when specific regulations on foster care, kinship care and independent living would be adopted so that these measures could be implemented in practice? Could it be clarified whether current support still favoured an institutional model through funding residential facilities, rather than strengthening families and family-based alternative care? Was there a deinstitutionalisation or reintegration plan? Was there an inspection system to assess the quality of childcare in institutions? Had the State considered establishing a standards authority to assess and monitor childcare institutions?
What progress had been made towards the approval and implementation of the child protection law, and which body was responsible for its implementation?
How did the State prioritise family-based care over institutional care? Were next-of-kin assessments carried out, and if so, what procedures and criteria were applied? Were alternative-care placements reviewed regularly to ensure that the child remained safe? What forms of support were provided under the family welfare system policy?
Did the State have a foster care system, with trained foster carers, and how was it regulated and monitored? Did the law provide for other child protection orders, so that out-of-home care was used only as a measure of last resort? What measures were in place to prevent the separation of children from their families due solely to poverty, disability, lack of housing or limited access to social services? How were children heard and their views taken into account before decisions were made on placement in alternative care, family reunification or changes of placement? What support was provided to children leaving alternative care? Did the State collect disaggregated data on children in alternative care? What complaint mechanisms were available to children in alternative care?
The Committee welcomed the adoption of law no. 5/26, expected to enter into force in January 2027. How would the State ensure the effective implementation of this law in practice? What further steps were being taken to strengthen the adoption framework to ensure its full alignment with the Convention? Were informal adoption or informal care arrangements regulated?
How were informal guardians or extended family caregivers assessed to ensure that they were suitable to care for children? What safeguards were in place to prevent children from being moved voluntarily between households without proper oversight or control? What was the situation regarding judicial review and ongoing monitoring of these placements?
The Committee understood that Timor-Leste had adopted the migration and asylum law in 2017, which retained the 72-hour time limit for filing asylum applications. Additionally, it was understood that appeals against the rejection of an asylum application did not have automatic suspensive effect. Did this time limit and the absence of automatic suspensive effect on appeal remain in place? What bilateral agreements had the State concluded with neighbouring countries to facilitate the safe return of children who had been unlawfully removed or retained? Had the State considered acceding to the 1954 and 1961 statelessness Conventions? What legal remedies were available to a foreign parent seeking the immediate return of a child unlawfully retained within Timor-Leste?
In the absence of a full child-protection framework, how were children safeguarded when their primary caregivers came into contact with the formal justice system? Were appropriate care infrastructure available for infants and young children in correctional facilities? What happened to impoverished mothers who had no external childcare options? What procedures were in place to identify children affected by parental incarceration and ensure their immediate referral to child-protection and social-welfare services? How did the State ensure that children could maintain regular, safe and child-sensitive contact with an incarcerated parent? Were prison visits, communication arrangements and visiting spaces adapted to children’s needs?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the State provided training on the law of the protection of children and young people in danger for frontline providers, child-protection professionals, the judiciary and police officers, among others. A child-protection case-management standard-operating procedure had been developed to guide all social service interventions. The number of reported cases of violence against children had increased from 435 cases in 2023 to 759 cases in 2026. Despite the challenges of limited resources, Timor-Leste continued to establish decree-laws to implement key measures under the law on the protection of children and young people in danger.
In December 2025, Timor-Leste legislated a decree-law establishing the solidarity hotline for handling cases of gender-based violence and violence against children and young people. The purpose of this helpline was to provide information and guidance regarding the rights of victims; ensure that victims were referred to the appropriate services; and enable authorities to receive requests for assistance related to gender-based violence and violence against children and young people.
The National Institute for the Defence of the Rights of Children had 45 staff who were responsible for monitoring violence against children, working on legal issues and focusing on public promotion. The Institute was well resourced and worked with Government stakeholders and police officers to ensure the protection of children in the country.
In 2024, the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion launched Primero CPIMS+, a digital child-protection case-management system for vulnerable children. The State planned to instigate deinstitutionalisation by preventing the separation of children from their families. Monitoring of children who remained in institutive care would be strengthened to ensure their safety and uphold their rights.
A programme had been created to enable children with disabilities to access primary education and basic secondary school. Teacher training was conducted on inclusive education. There were limitations, including the lack of availability of qualified teachers in this regard, and limited availability of technical equipment. There were also challenges regarding birth registration due to geography demographics, limited coverage and the lacking technical capacity of personnel.
The law on immigration and asylum established the special regime for the entry and exit of unaccompanied minors into Timor-Leste, and guaranteed the right to asylum for persons who were being persecuted. Laws had been passed during the period of 2023-2026, including the law on breast milk substitutes.
When the new national action plan was developed, consultations were conducted with children and civil society. It was ensured that the national action plan would be used by the line minister of each ministry when developing their own national action plans.
Questions by Committee Experts
HYND AYOUBI IDRISSI, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, asked follow-up questions, including whether the hotline to combat violence was fully operational and if children knew of its existence; national measures taken to combat gender-based violence; and if the Optional Protocol had been disseminated throughout the country, and if there had been training in this area.
RINCHEN CHOPEL, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, asked what the macro-economic development plans looked like and whether they mainstreamed strategies for fulfilling children’s rights in the development of the poverty and vulnerability framework? It was understood that the Bolsa da Mãe programme enabled poor households headed by women to address hardships by providing cash benefits on the condition that the identified child attended and successfully completed each level of schooling; this programme also covered single mothers, widows and orphans.
How effective had this programme been in achieving its intended purpose? What impact had been seen in improving the standard of living of rural populations and in particular reducing child poverty? What type of review and monitoring process was in place to ensure that the Bolsa da Mãe programme delivered adequate coverage of social protection services for children living in poverty, particularly targeting rural areas?
Climate change directly threatened the survival, health and education of children in Timor-Leste, where half the population was under 25 years old. With education disruption, health and nutrition risks and increased vulnerability, many of these children were growing up in remote rural and mountainous areas where landslides, droughts, flash floods and water scarcity could threaten their daily life.
What steps were being taken to counter these issues? Was there any consideration to develop a national plan to monitor children’s environmental health, applying child-rights impact assessments with a focus on their impact on children’s health? What specific measures were being considered to protect children and families in the case of forced displacement due to the impact of El Niño and rising sea levels?
JULIANA SCERRI FERRANTE, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, asked how the State would ensure that the detention of asylum-seeker, refugee and migrant children was used only as a measure of last resort? What steps had the State taken to amend the 2017 asylum act so that all children had access to child-sensitive asylum procedures? How did the State ensure that child asylum seekers were not denied access to asylum procedures because of procedural barriers?
What measures were in place to guarantee child-sensitive appeal procedures for children whose asylum claims were found inadmissible? How was it ensured that children were not exposed to refoulement or denial of protection on overly broad grounds? What training was provided to all relevant stakeholders on children’s rights, child-sensitive asylum procedures and the principle of non-refoulement?
What steps had the State taken to establish a statelessness determination procedure, including for children? How was it ensured that all children had their births registered, received birth certificates and could acquire Timor-Leste nationality if they would otherwise be stateless?
Had the national action plan for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour 2024–2029 been approved and adequately resourced? What legal instrument would be used to prohibit hazardous work for children? How did the State intend to strengthen labour inspection mechanisms and collect updated child labour data? How would the root causes of child labour be addressed?
What measures were being taken to ensure that existing legal provisions fully protected all persons under 18 from exploitation, including prostitution, pornography, involvement in illicit activities and begging? What concrete steps were being taken to assess the number of children living or working on the streets and to ensure that they were promptly referred to appropriate child protection services? Were children without parental care, including orphans, brought under the protection of the State and provided with appropriate care and support?
Timor-Leste acceded to the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography in 2003. Why was there still no stand-alone legislation in this regard? Was the National Commission to Combat Human Trafficking established, and had it drafted the national action plan on human rights? Had the national action plan on human trafficking been approved?
How would the State ensure the adoption and implementation of comprehensive child-protection and juvenile-justice legislation in alignment with the Convention? How would it be ensured that the deprivation of liberty for children was used only as a last resort? How would the State ensure that any juvenile detention facility operated in line with child rights standards and focused on rehabilitation and reintegration?
What concrete steps and timelines had been set to adopt and enforce specific legislation on online child protection, as well as minimum age for access to alcohol and tobacco, together with appropriate prevention and treatment services?
When did the State intend to clarify and strengthen the criminalisation of the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, and to establish appropriate penalties in line with the Optional Protocol?
Did the State exercise extraterritorial jurisdiction over offences involving the recruitment or use of children in armed conflict? What measures were in place to ensure the physical and psychological rehabilitation of children affected by armed conflict? What concrete progress had been made in identifying and locating the children who disappeared during the 1975–1999 conflict? According to the State report, approximately 300 children were estimated to have gone missing during this period. What rehabilitation measures had been taken, and what reparations had been provided to child victims?
BENYAM DAWIT MEZMUR, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, said the issue of stunting was of particular concern to the Committee. To what extent was the implementation of the national action plan on stunting helping the State party address this issue? The latest information showed that routine immunisation had improved over the past five years. What were some of the main interventions being introduced and were they providing the correct results? Could information be provided on the so-called “zero dose” children? What were some of the main challenges to ensure this group of children was prioritised in routine immunisation?
There had been a decline in neo-natal mortality over the past 10 years. However, under-five mortality had almost stagnated. What were the reasons for this stagnation? The amount the State was investing to boost the capacity of health professionals was recognised, but what were some of the technical challenges? Timor-Leste should be commended for the new policy being implemented around breastfeeding. However, figures showed that 19.4 per cent of newborns consumed sweet beverages. What was the progress made in this regard? What interventions were being undertaken by the State to reduce the number of anaemic mothers? Were electronic cigarettes an issue in Timor- Leste?
A new law aimed to ensure greater equality and inclusion in formal education; how would this be achieved in practice? How did the Government ascertain the target figure for the number of children to enter preschool education? Around 20 languages were spoken in Timor-Leste; as a result, many children started school without the required language. How would the new law help address this challenge? How many children in the country were at the preschool level? What did the decentralisation of education mean in reality, including for funding?
Responses from the Delegation
The delegation said information on the second Optional Protocol was disseminated to the community, including children. Support was provided to children living in street situations who did not attend school, with most of them now attending school. Their families were provided with resources to create small businesses at home to support their children to go to school. Work was being done with civil society and the police to make sure there were no more children living in street situations. Regular monitoring was undertaken of children in certain municipalities who were living in the street, with plans developed to reintegrate them with their families and provide them with continued support.
Timor-Leste had established a solidarity hotline, focusing on preventing gender-based violence and violence against children and young people. The Bolsa da Mãe programme covered more than 35,000 families, including more than 70,000 children. Monitoring of the programme was undertaken to ascertain how families used this grant and to ensure that eligible school children had access to the programme.
Timor-Leste was still a developing country, and therefore asylum seekers were not a highly prevalent issue, but the State had prepared laws to monitor this situation. Tobacco was a major issue for the State, and the importation of tobacco had been prohibited. Customs authorities monitored this closely at the borders.
The country relied on its resources, including the sovereign fund, which had been reduced, and subsequently oil. The national budget had been decreased, which limited the amount of social work which could be undertaken in the State, including in rural areas. The amount allocated to education was eight per cent, which was predominantly to support salaries, as well as a separate fund which had been allocated for scholarships. Infrastructure for the schools was included in the infrastructure budget, so in reality, there was more money allocated to education. This was the same situation for health.
Education and healthcare were free in Timor-Leste. However, as the country was mountainous, the infrastructure situation was challenging. Geographic challenges also had an impact on the country’s clean water and sanitation. However, the Government was gradually building systems in this regard.
Stunting was a problem in Timor-Leste due to the situation of food insecurity. Many products came from abroad and were typically not very healthy. Parents often went to work in agriculture and left their children with relatives, which could not be monitored. This was culturally typical in the country and was usually not well organised. The State recognised the importance of raising awareness around this issue but acknowledged that the low socio-economic situation made this difficult. The President had an initiative which provided a meal per week for children at the presidency.
The Government was active in the area of immunisation. Doctors were present in all districts, as well as ambulances, which was an improvement on the previous situation. Neo-natal mortality was an issue of awareness; people often did not have the knowledge to seek assistance in the hospital. This issue was gradually decreasing, due to the increased presence of healthcare providers, particularly in rural areas.
There were issues with language in Timor-Leste. Portuguese and Tetum had been recognised as the official languages under the Constitution. The State had only become independent in 2002 and had previously been occupied, with people learning Indonesian for 24 years. This was part of the reason that many people could not speak Portuguese fluently, as well as the lack of access to books, materials and television programmes. School was the only place they could learn.
All the teachers who had graduated spoke Indonesian but were now trying to learn Portuguese while teaching students. Teachers’ salaries were low in Timor-Leste, which was also an issue. The State wanted all children to have access to school, but many living in remote areas spoke their own language, which was not the one spoken at school. A programme had been created to ensure a meal at school for children to encourage attendance.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Anti-Corruption Commission regulated the national budget. Under the Constitution, children had a right to protection from all forms of discrimination, including from the State and their family. Whether children were born inside or outside the country, they all enjoyed the same kinds of protection. Under the basic law of preschool education, students had the right to a safe, healthy school environment, free from all forms of discrimination.
The draft law on the Civil Registration Code was currently in front of the national parliament, pending approval. Timor-Leste continued to work with humanitarian agencies and civil society organizations to undertake family tracking and reunification for stolen children. Since 2018, the National Centre Chega!, the public institution dedicated to preserving the historic memory of the conflict which occurred between 1974 and 1999, had established several initiatives, including working groups and trusts, which had located 150 children and reunited them with their families.
Training had also been provided on the law on the protection of children and youth to police officers and other frontline workers. In collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund, a standard operating procedure for case management had been developed. The international and national adoption processes were governed by the law, with provisions brought in line with the Convention.
Under the law, all decisions taken within the adoption process needed to be guided by the best interest of the child. Children above 12 had the right to have their voices heard before any decision regarding adoption was made. From 2025, the Minister of Health had implemented a nutrition subsidy for pregnant and breastfeeding women, or those in a situation of vulnerability. The law on migration and asylum guaranteed the right for foreign or stateless persons facing persecution to apply for asylum.
Children with different dialects used the traditional mother tongue at school. The State recognised the need to strengthen education opportunities for children with disabilities. The limited availability of specialist technical teachers continued to be a challenge, as was the lack of technical equipment. In 2026, the Government had created a new legal framework for the operation of the education system, aiming to ensure greater equality in formal education. Since 2023, the Government had established a formal national preschool system for all children aged between three to five years.
There was a need to increase the availability of learning materials in local languages for all grades, especially in rural areas. There was also a need to strengthen the link between education, technical and vocational training and the labour market, to ensure students could graduate with the required skills to gain employment. A mother tongue multilingual education programme had been implemented to support children in remote and rural areas to strengthen language learning in the early years of schooling.
The Ministry of Health used a mobile application to provide information to parents regarding child nutrition, during pregnancy and post-partum. The Ministry also continued to address challenges linked to mothers and children living in remote areas with limited access to health services, including by providing regular follow-up for children at risk of malnutrition and ensuring sustainable resources to nutrition. Counselling and education were provided to parents in the first six months of life on the benefits of breast feeding.
In collaboration with the World Health Organization, a programme was being implemented to promote a tobacco-free healthy lifestyle. Immunisation, nutrition and community health services continued to be strengthened. Attention was also paid to water and sanitation, and access to a healthy and clean environment for children. The Government continued to disseminate information to children and adolescents in school on climate change to increase their knowledge on how to protect the environment. The tobacco control regime was being implemented within the municipalities through advocacy in social media, as well as signs prohibiting smoking.
While the juvenile justice law was pending approval, a judicial ruling had been adopted, and bills had also been adopted for juvenile offenders. Juvenile offenders were allowed to have contact with their parents and continue their education.
The Government programme promoted Timor-Leste’s history and culture as an important part of education. Social assistance to vulnerable families helped families not to have to depend on child labour. When child victims were identified, they were referred to school services, health and education.
The Government had prevented and reduced the number of children in a street situation and ensured their safety, health and reintegration into the community. Research and data collection were undertaken on street children to identify the reason they were in the street, usually poverty, lack of education or violence. Vulnerable families were provided with support to ensure that children would not return to the street, and that these children had access to school.
Awareness raising programmes were conducted to teach children about the signs and the dangers of trafficking. The police, social services and non-governmental organizations were involved in these programmes.
Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions, including on how people were recruited into the military; if children could only be enlisted in the army if they were above the age of 18; why the standard age of majority was not 18, including for marriage; if a father needed a signed authorisation of the mother to travel alone with a child; reasons for the low level of birth registration; whether the country was preparing for the impending El Niño; the status of the country’s mental health plan; interventions taken to improve access to information on sexual and reproductive health; how maternity leave was regulated in the State party; privacy and data sharing; how children were actually heard in adoption proceedings, including prior to and during the placement; what was being done to address child marriage, particularly for children aged 16 to 17; how children born in refugee camps were provided with birth registration; if young people had access to contraceptives; what was being done to stop smoking in schools; and what was being done to combat poverty in the country.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there were only 1,500 active military personnel in the country. Those entering the military were required to complete high school and speak one of the national languages, either Portuguese or Tetum. Many people were looking for jobs and saw the civil service, the army or the police as a solution. This was a challenge and was why there was a multi-step application process which was strictly monitored.
For many people in Timor-Leste, going abroad meant going to Indonesia, Portugal or Australia for studies, and this was strictly monitored. There needed to be authorisation by the embassies, which had also been used to control trafficking and ensure children were not travelling without the permission of their parents.
There was a process already in place to ensure children born in hospitals were immediately registered with a name. However, the country’s topography was mountainous which brought challenges. Despite this, a policy stated that when a child was born, they were required to have a name. As a Catholic country, children in Timor-Leste often received a baptism certificate, which they used in lieu of a birth certificate. Many people living in rural areas had the mentality that birth certificates were only required for things like travel, which they did not have the money to do. Many schools were putting requirements for documents such as baptism and birth certificates in place for school entry.
The country was fragile around the issue of El Niño. Many roofs in agricultural areas were still constructed with grass, which was an issue in times of drought.
The State was taking stock of the situation in the country, with the aim of establishing early warning systems.
Mental health was a problem in Timor-Leste due to the long struggles the country had. Many people had lost family members and were awaiting reparations. There needed to be increased capacity to provide assistance in this regard.
As Timor-Leste was a Catholic country, when girls became pregnant, they were not allowed to go to school. This was an issue which needed to be addressed; girls should be able to finish school regardless of whether they were pregnant. It was important to handle the situation delicately to ensure the young girl could finish school. Many people in the country were still very conservative, so early pregnancy was not a hugely common issue, but it did happen sometimes.
Having people living in refugee camps was not really an issue in Timor-Leste; people mostly had their own houses and in cases of temporary displacement, they were assisted by the Government. Travel authorisation was required for both mothers and fathers if one of them was travelling with their child. A national policy enabled girls who were pregnant to eventually return to school.
The National Institute for the Defence of the Rights of Children received cases from parents who needed support for their children, and referred them to the correct institution.
The delegation said the Government continued to strengthen gender-responsive education planning and social protection. Particular attention was given to early pregnancy which could interrupt girls’ education. The Government continued to promote exclusive breast feeding for the first six months, including immediately after birth.
The Government had made several positive strides to implement mental health into its broader public agenda. Funding had been allocated for mental health treatment for children. The Government had a national health priority to control the spread of HIV/AIDS. Targeted initiatives had been rolled out in this regard, including a targeted national plan. A child’s standard of living could not be improved through one programme alone, and so the Government’s social protection strategy was increasingly moving towards a life cycle approach. Programmes such as Bolsa da Mãe were being strengthened, particularly for vulnerable mothers.
Closing Statements
JULIANA SCERRI FERRANTE, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, said the Committee acknowledged the important progress made by Timor-Leste in strengthening the protection and promotion of children’s rights. The adoption of national action plans, child protection reforms, disability inclusion initiatives and measures to address violence against children reflected the State party’s continued commitment to the Convention. Looking ahead, effective coordination, adequate resources and regular follow-up would be essential to ensure that laws and policies translated into tangible and sustained improvements in children’s daily lives. Continued attention to child protection systems, family-based care, access to justice and support for children in vulnerable situations would be central to this work.
The dialogue highlighted areas where challenges persisted, including birth registration, protection from abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and exploitation, harmful practices, adolescent health and nutrition, and children’s standard of living. The Committee recognised the challenges faced by the State party. Continued cooperation with United Nations agencies, humanitarian partners and civil society would remain particularly important. The Committee welcomed the State party’s openness and constructive engagement throughout the dialogue, and the opportunity to reflect on both achievements and remaining challenges.
ANTÓNIO DA CONCEIÇÃO, Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the United Nations Office at Geneva, emphasised the commitment of Timor-Leste to upholding the rights of all children, which was a key investment in the future of the nation. The State was committed to working closely with the Committee, United Nations mechanisms, civil society and children themselves to address the challenges which remained. It was hoped the dialogue would turn into tangible action, and the State would continue efforts to ensure that all children in Timor-Leste could grow, learn, develop and achieve their full potential. Mr. Da Conceição thanked the Committee for the dialogue.
SOPHIE KILADZE, Committee Chair, thanked the State party for the dialogue. The Committee fully understood the difficulties faced by the country after achieving independence in the early 2000’s. The Committee saw and appreciated Timor-Leste’s efforts and was there to support the country in its endeavours. The Committee conveyed its best wishes to all the children in Timor-Leste.
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