Timor-Leste - Universal Periodic Review

UPR 40, January 24, 2022

Recommendations by Canada

Recommendation

Check against delivery

Thank you, Mister President.

Canada welcomes the democratic values that Timor-Leste continues to uphold, and looks forward to another successful, free and fair election in 2022.

Canada recommends that Timor-Leste:

1. Fully implement and adhere to the National Action Plan against Gender-Based Violence, including committing the required financial resources to provide core services for victims and strengthening legal institutions in order to ensure appropriate prosecution of cases of violence against women and girls.
2. Strengthen child protection by improving access to secondary education, particularly for girls, and strengthen labour laws by including a list of prohibited hazardous work and increasing protections for children working in rural and family-owned farms and businesses.
3. Recognize and permit same-sex marriage, develop legal measures to protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and ensure that appropriate gender awareness training is offered in all Ministries and law enforcement.
4. Ensure that the proposed Criminal Defamation Law, Cyber Crime Law, and Data Privacy and Protection Law do not unduly restrict the right to freedom of expression, both online and offline.