In the social sector, UNFPA and UNICEF will continue to support the government's efforts to improve the living conditions of women, children and youth in Timor-Leste. UNICEF will support the government to provide children with the best possible start in life by focusing on reducing child mortality and malnutrition, improving basic education retention, completion and achievement rates, strengthening child protection, and developing child-centered and inclusive social policies.

Young women (15- 24 years olds) and other vulnerable and underserved groups will be the focus of UNFPA's initiatives with a particular emphasis on strengthening the human and institutional capacity of reproductive and health services, tackling gender-based violence, and mainstreaming population, gender and health concerns in government policy.

In the economic sector, UNDP will support the government to create jobs, particularly in agriculture and natural resource management. With its government and civil society counterparts, UNDP also aims to help build long-term resilience to climate change through disaster risk management programmes that will secure development gains and livelihoods.

UNICEF will also support the government to enhance water and sanitation facilities, and to promote better hygiene, which is a key component of the infrastructure sector.

In the governance sector, UNDP will build on its work to further increase access to justice for all Timorese, and will continue supporting the government's pre-deconcentration efforts to empower local communities to have control over their development projects.

Government representatives presented the contributions of the three agencies to each sector over the next five years. Those presentations not only illustrated the ongoing cooperation between the United Nations and the government; they also highlighted the complementarity between the planned interventions of the three agencies, to ensure inter-agency cooperation and create maximum impact.

During the meeting a broad agreement was reached among all stakeholders - representatives from government, NGOs, the United Nations and other development partners - on the need for strong coordination between the United Nations and the government, and among development partners.

For more information on the three country action plans, please contact the communication officer of each agency:

Ms. Felisberta Moniz Da Silva

UNDP Media and Communications Analyst

Email: felisberta.dasilva@undp.org

Mr. Fitsum Tesfaye

UNFPA Communications Officer

Email: ftesfaye@unfpa.org

Ms. Arifa S. Sharmin

UNICEF Communication Section Chief

Email: assharmin@unicef.org