Paulina Quintao – The Chief of the Suku of Soba, in the Laga Administrative Post, Baucau Municipality, Francisca Monica said the government needs to strengthen training programs for women in rural areas including on financial management and accounting.

She said, from 2008 to 2015, the government through the Secretariat of State for Gender Equality allocated funds for women's groups in rural areas, with public funds, for economic activities but without giving adequate support such as training so many groups failed.

She added the government also did not monitor or control adequately the women's groups.

"We suggested the government needs to continue to allocate funds for women but it also needs to provide training for women on how to manage funds with transparency and accountability so they can strengthen their families' finances," she said via telephone.

She said it is ok when the government allocates funds through the NGO's or directly but the government also needs to monitor and control the progress of the economic activities.

Meanwhile, Member of the National Parliament, MP Antonio da Conceicao said it is not easy to talk about gender equality especially when women are still dependent on men financially, so it is important to encourage women in rural areas to be able to contribute to their family and to society.

"Gender equality means women are economically independent, but it is not easy talking about equality if women are still dependent on men," he said.

He also appealed to women, especially women in rural areas, to change their mindset that girls must stay at home and do house work because they need to go to school to receive knowledge that benefits their future and to change the perceptions of Timorese women.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of State for Equality and Inclusion (SEII), Maria Jose da Fonseca Monteiro de Jesus said the International Day of Rural Women is held every year to recognize and to value rural women's efforts and dedication to develop the country's economy.

She said rural women have contributed to Timor-Leste's economic development, but they continue to face many obstacles, such as lack of access to electricity, roads, education, clean water, jobs, and health services.

In 2015, rural women organized a meeting with the government that resulted in the Maubisse Declaration, which tasks line ministries to work together to find ways to strengthen rural women, to eliminate discriminations against rural women and to enable their participation in national development.

"In 2018, the government reaffirmed this commitment to implement the second Maubisse Declaration, focused on strengthening rural women economically, including young women and women with disabilities," she said.

She added, the VIII government gives importance to rural development and is a priority for the government program for the next five years of its mandate.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/16343-support-for-rural-women-needs-strengthening