This report presents findings from a study on social norms in Timor Leste, 2021. The study is part of the Spotlight Initiative to Eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls. The Spotlight Initiative is a global joint European Union (EU) and United Nations (UN) program.
This qualitative study relates to attitudes to violence under Result Area 3 of the Spotlight Initiative concerning the prevention of violence. The study also responds to interest from the Ministry of Education over the possible impacts of pornography on young people. The Ministry raised concerns to the Spotlight team over pornography being increasingly available and accessible to young people via digital information communication technologies (ICTs), including smartphones.
Data collection for this study was completed in-country by Belun in Bobonaro, Ermera, and Viqueque, Spotlight Timor-Leste’s three municipalities of focus. A total of 24 focus group discussions (FGDs) were completed with women and men with and without disabilities. FGDs with older female and male community members explored issues concerning household finance and sexual relations. FGDs with female and male youth focused on pornography. Data analysis was conducted by the Nossal Institute team in Melbourne. In this report, we describe the approach used in the study, including limitations, and present key findings from the analysis.