Mainstreaming protection, gender and inclusion (PGI) into humanitarian actions is crucial for impact, accountability and effectiveness within Cruz Vermelha de Timor-Leste (CVTL). In practice, it means transparently identifying and training the needs of those most vulnerable to the effects of disasters, climate change, pandemic in communities, and consistently ensuring human dignity, equitable access to services, community participation and beneficiary safety (including from sexual and gender-based violence) underpins all work.
The approach taken by CVTL, for inclusive, accountable, and effective programming is outlined in the IFRC Strategic Framework on Protection, Gender and Inclusion 2021 – 2025. It provides guidance by sector on programming centered on the dignity, access, participation and safety of all people.
The Southeast Asia PGI Network was first developed in 2015 and consists of 11 National Societies located in the in Southeast Asia: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam. became a member at that time.
In 2016, CVTL started a Gender Working Group and began developing Gender Policy and on April 10 2017, made a presentation to the National Governing Board and obtained approval. CVTL embraced this and brought together all facilitators related to disability, child protection, child safeguarding, gender in emergencies and sexual gender base violence and formed the PGI team. CVTL started to train and provide internal training, using existing resources from IFRC like the PGI minimum standards. Other resources came through the Gender SEA Network and the Asia Foundation. CVTL is also a member of the gender network in Timor-Leste together with the Government of Timor-Leste, international, national and UN women organizations.
With more and more people needing information, capacity building and organizational requests regarding legal bases, CVTL identified the
need to have Training of Trainers to build on the knowledge and strengthen the PGI team, so that they can expand PGI issues internally, externally and everyone. Gender differences are taken into account and dealt with in core programs as defined in the CVTL’s 2020-2024 Strategic Plan, such as disaster relief, disaster preparedness, health and promotion of humanitarian values. Other intersecting factors such as disability, age, health status, migration status, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression must also be taken into consideration.
The aim of the CVTL PGI is to strengthen protection, gender and inclusion outcomes through enhanced cooperation, coordination, and knowledge building among CVTL staff, members and volunteers. The Training of Trainer course aims to build understanding of how-to mainstreaming principles of PGI in emergency preparedness and response among CVTL staff, members and volunteers.
The training was led by Ms. Jane Munro, Protection, Gender and Inclusion Technical Lead from Australian Red Cross (ARC); Mr. Hendriyadi, PGI Specialist from IFRC CCD Jakarta; and CVTL’s PGI team: Agapito (Gender Focal Point), Vicente (Child Protection and Child Safeguarding Focal Point), Emidia Belo and Martina (Gender Facilitators). This three-day Training of Trainer was on 2-4 October 2023, in Dili and had 28 participants (staff and volunteers) from all 13 CVTL Branches. Through this training CVTL hopes to create a pool of PGI champions across CVTL with as strong understanding of PGI in preparedness and response. These champions will be equipped to deliver PGI training. A plan will be developed for training to expand the delivery of PGI training.
Funding was provided by funding from Australian Red Cross.
