Dili, 22-11-2021 The Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, in partnership with UNFPA in Timor-Leste through its EU Funded Spotlight Initiative and KOICA Funded Together for equality (T4E) project, provides training of trainers on Sexual and Reproductive health for 40 Young people from 11 Municipalities.

At the opening Ceremony, UNFPA Country Representative in Timor-Leste Mr. Ronny Lindstrom said: “We are very proud that this Healthy Relationship Manual that took a long time in the discussion and we are able to launch and roll-out with this Training of Trainers (ToT) today.

 “The Manual of Healthy Relationship was started in 2017 and we have had very productive discussion with all parties, from the Government, the Church and all partners. This Manual is contextualized with Comprehensive Sexuality Education guideline in the Timorese cultural setting for young people, especially, for out-of-school youths’’.

“I promise you that by participating in this program and help to train the young people you will help improve the quality of life for young people in Timor-Leste” he added.

General Director for Corporate Services of SSYS said that the Government of Timor-Leste is committed to addressing Health Education Policies and helping all young people to learn about sexual and Reproductive Health to tackle the issue of early pregnancy in adolescence.

“This Training is useful for young people to be able to respect their bodies and transform their mentality, contributing to a positive and prosper life. The Training is also intended to disseminate knowledge in the areas of SRH and the prevention of Sexual Transmitted Infections disease such as AIDS”, said João dos Santos at the opening of Training.

The president of the Catholic Youth Commission, of Archdiocese of Dili, Father João Soares, said that “Early marriage is one of the factors that can contribute to disunity within a family and we hope that this training will improve knowledge on healthy relationship and transform mindset of young people about sexuality and Youth and it will help them to have positive thinking and to live in healthy and prosperous’’.

UNFPA will keep providing support to SSYS in dissemination of Healthy Relationship to youths in communities, especially for those in vulnerable situations, to empower them to realize their health and well-being and ensure the protection of their rights throughout their lives.