§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects her Department are funding to improve women's rights in East Timor. [142216]
§ Clare ShortThe bulk of my Department's assistance for East Timor is channelled through trust funds established by the United Nations, for the Transitional Administration in East Timor, and the World bank, for reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes. UNTAET has a special gender unit and has set a target of 30 per cent. for the recruitment of women into the East Timorese public service.
In addition we fund a small Human Resource Development programme implemented by Oxfam. Through this programme we have funded research by East Timorese women's groups into the obstacles preventing their participation decision making processes; Oxfam are also implementing a small project which aims to improve women's literacy.