Paulina Quintao – According to research by the Alola Foundation (FA), many female laborers in urban and rural areas are unaware of labor laws ratified in 2012.

FA Director, Alzira Reis said the objective of the research was to find out how the labor laws had been implemented and the conditions under which female laborers in the private sector. The research showed most female workers didn't know about the legislation designed to protect their rights.

"We will cooperate with the Secretary of State for Vocational Training Policy and Employment (SEPFOPE) to share more information, in particular, raising awareness of the labor lawsto the public," said Reis, at the research launch, at the FA's hall in Mascarenhas, Dili.

She said the research was conducted in Dili, Baucau and Bobonaro. The study compared how the labor laws had been implemented in urban and rural areas and evaluated the laborers' knowledge of the laws.

Secretary of State for Equality Promotion (SEPI), Idelta Maria Rodrigues said she appreciated the report and asked SEPFOPE to create a system to raise awareness of the legislation. She said both employers and employees were unaware of the laws, therefore an education campaign was very important.

"I think we must raise awareness of the labor laws and I also ask the organization that conducted the research to continue providing training for the laborers so they know their rights," Rodrigues said.

The Secretary of State, Elidio da Costa Ximenes, acknowledged an awareness campaign was needed. "The labor law was approved in 2012; in 2013 made the decision for us to raise awareness in every part of district and sub-district however some districts we have not achieved this," said Ximenes.

They passed on the information to people via SMS. He promised that by this year they would try harder to raise awareness of lawsrelevant to female laborers so they knew their rights under the law, such as maternity provisions and special protection for women.