Paulina Quintao – An exploratory research report on local market facilities conducted by the Australian Government's Program To'os Ba Moris Diak (Farming for Prosperity) and by UN Women, in Bobonaro and Baucau municipalities, showed that most conditions in local markets are not gender sensitive, because they lack electricity, toilets, water and rubbish bins, which limits women's participation in socio-economic development.

TOMAK's Gender Specialist, Cecilia Fonseca, said the research was conducted in the Atabae and Maliana Vila markets, in Bobonaro municipality, and in the Baucau Vila and Venilale markets, in Baucau municipality, and women vendors expressed concern with the poor conditions of basic infrastructure at their markets so they can conduct their business activities.

She added that the lack of basic infrastructure is a major concern for women and their participation in business activities in rural areas.

"The major problems for them is that there isn't electricity, there are no toilet facilities, there is no access to clean water, no security and there is no transport for them from their rural homes to the urban centres," she said during a National Seminar about Urban Planning and Development and gender sensitivity held in Dili recently.

She said the government must consider these recommendations and insert them into the action plans for change.

Meanwhile, a female market vendor from Atabae Administrative Post, in Bobonaro municipality, Judit Mendes, said the poor conditions at the market has caused her trauma because despite being afraid to conduct business at the market, she is forced to do it so that she can generate an income to support her family.

She said if the conditions for women and girls are to change, the government needs to prioritize basic infrastructure developed that supports women so they can feel safe and are free to conduct their business activity."We do not ask the government to support us individually, but to support everyone's needs, for example of the vendors. We ask that there is security, transport and adequate sanitation in the markets. Now, it is not safe for us as women," she said.

She also expressed concern with the bus route from Maliana to Dili that always operates in the night and that it this also poses a risk for women.

On the other hand, the Secretary of State for Equality and Inclusion (SEII), Maria Jose da Fonseca Monteiro de Jesus, said the research is very important to determine the real conditions of the markets and their safety for women to conduct business activities.

She acknowledged that many markets, local and national markets, are not gender sensitive, because there they do not offer adequate conditions for women, including security and basic sanitation.

"We all know that, most people who sell goods needs to go to the market early in the morning, and they need electricity, toilets, clean water and a safe environment," she said.

She added the government in recent years launched the Maubisse Declaration, a document that gathered the commitment from all 16 institutions of the government to improve basic infrastructure that guarantees women's involvement and participation in society and so they are the beneficiaries of all programs provided by the government to the citizens.

She added that SEII will continue to provide advocacy to other line ministries to implement the commitments of the Maubisse Declaration and to promote women's participation in socio-economic development.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/16873-local-markets-are-not-gender-sensitive