Inequality in relationships between women and men was raised as a significant issue causing structural and cultural violence in Timor-Leste. Gender rights, participation, family and sexual violence and economic empowerment were all cited as concerns involving a complex clash
between Indigenous and modern systems. Despite the increased focus on gender equality by international practitioners and some areas of the Government, many participants said gender continued to be overlooked or marginalised. Participants also explained that ‘gender’ is a tricky issue to discuss because the word is now associated with a range of negative connotations by many East Timorese men, and some women. Not only is ‘gender equality’ strongly and negatively associated with the type of liberal peacebuilding pushed by the UN and many international practitioners, but it is also associated with an abrogation of the customary relationships between women and men. As a result, participants said that many East Timorese do not want to talk about gender equality.
Some participants explained that in Timor-Leste, women are viewed as divine. Customarily they hold authority and power in a sacred balance with men. However, participants also acknowledged that these Indigenous systems do not equate with the modern concept of gender equality. As a result of colonialism and modernisation, the customary lisan balance between women, men and the sacred/divine has often been ignored, causing men to dominate decision- making and modern governance processes. An NGO director described how gender
relationships had changed as a result of colonialism:
“In the time of our grandfathers’ grandfathers’, women and men could both access the land. When the colonialists came, they started to put limitations on what men and women could do. This started to undermine local culture” (TTA-1600-280910). A government adviser extrapolated further on the gendered changes to Indigenous culture:
“Power is [with the men]. Ritual and authority is with the woman and men cannot act without the authority of women…The symbol that we have on the sacred house represents these values. The pigeon represent the female values, the star represents the sacred core or values, the buffalo represents strength, the male values…Our society functions based on the balance between the three [pigeon, star, buffalo]. Now it has been ignored, we have been functioning with only the buffalo horn” (TG-1500-140910). He also observed that patriarchal colonialism and particularly the Catholic Church distorted Indigenous gender relationships:
“[The] Church came in and they introduced the idea of men as god. And they saw women as the sinner, and that changed Timorese’ minds when they saw all women as sinners. Which is not very good for gender at all. Before, we said ‘women are sacred’ ” (TG-1500-140910).
Gendered power dynamics in Timor-Leste create situations where women are confronted with both ideological and physical barriers to active participation. A senior UN adviser said that it was essential to establish a dialogue about gender equality and what that meant for changes to
“It was very challenging for us to talk to those traditional leaders…In their mind they do not think that women also have a human right, like the others – like men…They say are you coming to change our cultures and traditions?...So we are trying to explain to them that we are not trying to change the culture, but we are trying to bring something that will change our lives” (TA-1100-090910).
She added that there are long-term systemic and cultural barriers to achieving greater women’s participation:
“I think from the patriarchal point of view we have been living in this kind of cultural system for a long time. Normally women are placed as second-class citizens. They are given roles in the domestic sphere but not the public sphere…Men are the ones who hold the power and make the decisions. If the women want to run, for example as Suku
or village chief, or for an MP [Member of Parliament], then she has to sacrifice her family or children. If they don't have the support of the family or community then it is another challenge for them” (TA-1100-090910).
Many participants believed that gender inequality contributes to uneven and failed development in rural areas. As an NGO director confirmed, “In the rural areas in particular, women and mothers die because they cannot access health services” (TTA-1600-280910). A former politician agreed that women in rural areas experienced greater gender inequality and that this discriminatory culture must change for equal development to occur (TTH-0930-011010). A peace researcher argued that threats of violence prevented rural women in particular from participating in discussions:
“It is very hard for the women in rural areas to express what they feel and what they want for themselves and their families. They think everything that is decided by their husband or the father is the best thing for them…In the districts, the women will just say, ‘okay, okay my husband’, even though violence is happening in their houses” (TTG-1500-300910).
All female and many male participants agreed on the importance of taking the time and creating inclusive spaces to encourage women’s participation in discussions and decision-making. An NGO director explained that a simple method to encourage women’s participation in a culture dominated by men is to hold women’s only consultations:
“We need to give encouragement to women to participate. It is a patrilineal system. Men dominate. Often in meetings where there are both men and women, women don’t feel comfortable to participate. They think, ‘who is going to listen to me?’ One way is to have women only discussions” (TTA-1600-280910).
She also recognised the need to prioritise the education and inclusion of men to achieve gender equality:
“Often [men] do not give priorities and opportunities to women. Often our grandfathers will say, what is the point of a women to be educated if she is also going to come back and be in the kitchen? So part of it is also needing to [focus on] men too. So the men can cook and look after the kids while the women go to the consultation” (TTA-1600- 280910).
Participants highlighted education as the primary, long-term method that can achieve balance in the relationships between women and men and women’s engagement in decision-making. A former politician acknowledged that increasing women’s education is a long-term process (TTH-0930-011010). A government adviser agreed, noting:
“If the woman gets enough education then they will know what they have to do for themselves. They will become an independent person. It is very long-term” (TG-1500- 300910).
The complexity of gender inequality discussed by participants underscores that there is a need to find a new way of balancing relationships between women and men. This new relationship will need to be gradually negotiated, and should draw on Indigenous concepts of gender to examine how these concepts apply to today’s world (Hunt, 2015, pers. comm., 18 November).
7.3.5
Summary: Lisan
Much of the power and decision-making during Portuguese colonialism and Indonesian occupation was held by non-East Timorese. Elites were co-opted into the colonial system and supported the integration and domination of modern knowledge and development practices. My research indicates that these practices continue today.
Participants highlight that the process of rebalancing power has been clouded by international development interventions and elites who have not understood or respected the need to rectify existing power imbalances within the East Timorese community. Evidence shows that the complex processes, institutions and structures that create violence and imbalance are sometimes difficult for both insiders and outsiders to identify and address.
Dependency and economic and moral corruption are forms of structural violence, supported by institutions and cultural expectations that disempower and position East Timorese knowledge, skills and capacities as less worthy. Increased access to education and transparent information sharing was recommended to overcome these challenges. Creating balance in the relationships between women and men is vital in order for all East Timorese to benefit from development.
Policies and programs from international practitioners that do not act to empower local communities, compound these structures of inequality. It is important to re-frame these development and peacebuilding institutions and approaches to allow East Timorese to take control over all decision-making and reduce dependency. Even if mistakes are made, or change is slow, this shift is seen by East Timorese as being a fundamental condition for preventing international practitioners from perpetuating structural violence.
Participants highlighted that to continue to exclude Indigenous East Timorese governance systems from the broader governance of Timor-Leste will result in the continued
disenfranchisement of significant parts of the population who are committed to Indigenous East Timorese self-determined development.