MINISTRY OF SOCIAL SOLIDARITY

PRESS RELEASE

19 December 2008

Minister of Social Solidarity provides update on work of MSS during 2008

On 19 December 2008, the Minister of Social Solidarity, Maria Domingas Fernandes Alves, provided an update about the work of the Ministry of Social Solidarity during 2008. The Minister said “during 2008 the MSS has worked hard to improve the lives of many of the vulnerable groups within Timor-Leste, including: veterans, widows, people with disabilities, orphans, ex-prisoners, IDPs, and victims of natural disasters.”

Under the National Recovery Strategy, Hamutuk Hari’i Futuru, MSS has assisted more than 11,000 families to return to, and rebuild, their homes. The Ministry has assisted IDPs from 49 camps to return home (14 camps remain open in Dili and Baucau). More than $25.5 million has been distributed by MSS for recovery/reintegration packages. In the past two weeks MSS has assisted IDPs to return home from Igreja Becora, Canossa Lecidere, and Igreja Motael. It is anticipated that the remaining 14 camps will be closed by mid February 2009.

Since they commenced work in July 2008, the MSS/UNDP Dialogue Teams have organised 14 community dialogues in Dili, Ermera and Baucau. The MSS/UNDP dialogue teams promote dialogue as a means to addressing community conflict. They have also conducted more than 200 mediations in support of IDP reintegration and return.

On 15 July 2008 MSS commenced payments to veterans and ex-combatants of the National Liberation. These pensions are the first monetary recognition of the contribution of these people to the independence of Timor-Leste. The value of the pensions ranges from $85 to $550 per month depending on the number of years served in the resistance. Widows, orphans, parents or siblings of those who died due to participation in the struggle are also entitled to receive a monthly pension of between $120 and $200 per month. The total budget to pay the pensions in 2008 is USD 18,810,420.00. These pensions are of great economic assistance to the veterans, former combatants and their families. They show that the government values the contribution these veterans and ex-combatants gave to the independence of this country, and continue to give to the peaceful development of a stable nation.

A Decree Law on Support Subsidy to Aged and Disabled Persons was approved by the Council of Ministers in April 2008. The total budget available for the support subsidy to aged and disabled persons in 2008 is $16.8 million. As at December 2008, DNSS had received 71,894 application forms from elderly and people with disabilities. In August 2008, 29,363 elderly received the first payment during the first implementation phase for the 6 month period from January to June 2008. The second phase was from July to December 2008. Each beneficiary receives $20 per month for six months, so, in the first and second phases they received a payment of $120. From 2009 the payments will be made on a monthly basis. The objective of the support subsidy to aged and disabled persons is to provide a basic level of subsistence to those aged and disabled persons living in the national territory and to recognize and value their contribution to the country. The subsidy also aims to improve their living conditions and assist them to deal with their daily difficulties.

The Minister explained that besides the assistance provided to internally displaced people, and pensions for veterans, elderly and disabled, MSS has also provided assistance to other vulnerable groups. For instance, the bolsa da mae program is designed to support the neediest widows, assisting them to feed and educate their children by providing a monthly subsidy. Under this program the Directorate of Social Reintegration provided financial and other support to more than 4,645 widows and their families in 13 districts. The amount given so far has totalled $85,520. There have been 1,942 primary school beneficiaries, 1,069 middle school beneficiaries, 167 University beneficiaries, and 47 beneficiaries studying overseas. The DNRS has also developed integrated child protection networks from village to national level, and now has a Child Protection officer in each of the 13 Districts.

According to the Minister of Social Solidarity, Maria Domingas Fernandes Alves, “during 2008, the Ministry of Social Solidarity has worked hard to provide social protection and assistance to the many different vulnerable groups within Timor-Leste. We have been able to assist many people, thanks to the cooperation of other government departments, donors, UN agencies, NGOs and other partner agencies. ” The Minister thanked all of MSS's partners who have helped MSS to achieve such good results, in particular: the Chefe Sucos and Chefe Aldeias, PDHJ, IOM, UNDP, WFP, UNPol, UNICEF, CARE, CRS, Concern, Belun, Austcare, NRC, Triangle, Oxfam, Plan, JRS, Caritas Australia, Pradet, and ASSERT. The Minister said, “I look forward to continuing to work hard in 2009 to provide further social protection and solidarity. By doing so, I sincerely hope we can help improve the lives of all vulnerable people in Timor-Leste.”

MINISTÉRIO SOLIDARIDADE SOSIAL

KOMUNIKADU DE IMPRENSA

19 Dezembru 2008

Ministra Solidaridade Sosial fo informasaun kona ba MSS nia serbisu durante 2008

Iha loron 19 Dezembru, Ministra Solidaridade Sosial, Maria Domingas Fernandes Alves, fo update kona ba Ministerio Solidaridade Sosial nia serbisu durante 2008. Ministra hatete “durante 2008 Ministerio Solidaridade Sosial serbisu makaas at improva vida ba grupu vulneravel iha Timor-Leste, inklui: veteranus, feto-faluk, defisientes, joven ne'ebe la iha serbisu, orfanato, ex-prisoneiros, dezlokadus no vitimas ba disastres naturais.”

Tuir Estratejia Rekuperasaun Nasionál, MSS ajuda familia deslokadu 11,000 resin atu fila no mos, hadia fail sira nia uma. Ministerio ajuda dezlokadu sira husi kampu IDP 49 atu fila ba uma. Kampu 14 sei loke iha Dili no Baucau. MSS fó tiha ona $25.5 miliaun (juta) resin iha pakote rekuperasaun ka pakote reintegrasaun. Durante semana rua kotuk, MSS ajuda familia dezlokadu husi Igreja Becora, Canossa Lecidere, no Igreja Motael atu fila ba uma. MSS sei serbisu makaas tan atu ajuda IDPs sira atu fila ba sira nia uma husi kampu 14 ne'e to'o fulan Fevreiro 2009.

Desde sira komesa serbisu iha fulan Jullu 2008, MSS/ UNDP nia Equipa Dialogu organisa tiha ona dialogu komunidade 14 iha Dili, Ermera no Baucau. MSS/UNDP nia equipa dialogu promove dialogu nudar dalan atu resolve konflitu iha komunidade. Sira mos halo tiha ona mediasaun 200 resin atu apoiu deslokadu sira nia reintegrasaun no fila ba uma.

Ministeriu Solidariedade Sosiál liu hosi Sekretáriu Estadu Asuntu Veteranu no Antigu Kombatente Libertasaun Nasionál no Komisaun Omenajen ofisialmente iha loron-15 fulan-Jullu 2008 halo pagamentu primeiro ba veteranu no kombatente Libertasaun Nasionál sira. Pensaun ba veteranus ne’e hanesan istória ida ba Timor-Leste hahú valóriza luta-na’in sira ne’ebé fó sira-nia kontribusaun ba Timor-Leste nia ukun-an. Valor ba pensaun komesa husi $85 to'o $550 per fulan, depende ba tinan hira ne'ebe veteranu luta iha resistensia. Mártire nia faluk, oan-kiak inan-aman, feton-nan. Bele mos simu pensaun mensal komesa husi $120 to'o $200 per fulan. Total orsamentu ba pensaun iha 2008 maka USD 18,810,420. Pensaun hirak-ne’e sei fó asisténsia boot ba veteranu, eis-kombatente nomos sira-nia família nia ekonomia. Pensaun hirak-ne’e hatudu katak governu fó valór ba kontribuisaun ne’ebé veteranu no eis-kombatene sira fó ona ba rai ida-ne’e nia ukun-an, no sei kontinua kontribui ba dezenvolvimentu nasionál, dame no estabilidade.

Iha fulan Abríl 2008, Konsellu-Ministru aprova Dekretu-Lei ida kona-ba Apoiu Subsidiu ba Ema sira Bahen no Defisiente. Orsamentu ne’ebé prevee ba programa subsidiu tulun ba ferik-katuas no invalidu sira ba tinan sivil 2008 maka ho montante US$ 16.8 juta. To'o fulan Dezembru, DNSS simu tiha ona formualriu aplikasaun 71,894 husi idosos no defisientes. Iha fulan Agostu 2008, hala’o ona pagamentu ba primeiru faze ba totál benefisiáriu hamutuk 29,363 idosos ne’ebé simu ho referénsia ba fulan 6 hahú hosi fulan Janeiru 2008, ho totál osan maka hamutuk US$3,523,560. Iha pagamentu primeira faze benefisiáriu sira simu fulan neen nian konta hosi Janeiru 2008 to’o Juñu 2008, no pagamentu faze segundu realiza iha Dezembru 2008 konta hosi Jullu 2008 to’o Dezembru 2008. Benefisiáriu ida iha direitu hetan orsamentu ho valór USD $ 20 (dolar ruanulu) fulan-fulan ho nune’e iha pagamentu primeira faze benefisiáriu ida hetan USD $ 120 ( dolar atus ruanulu) no iha tinan 2009 pagamentu sei hala’o fulan-fulan. Objetivu hosi apoiu subsidiu ba bahen no defisiente sira mak mak atu haraik nivel bázika subsisténsia ba hirak be ferik-katuas no defisiente sira be hela iha teritóriu nasionál no atu rekoñese no valóriza sira-nia kontribuisaun ba nasaun. Subsidiu ne’e mós ho hanoin atu hasa’e sira-nia kondisaun moris no tulun sira hasoru ka lida ho sira-nia susar.

Ministra explika katak, Ho tan assistensia ne'ebe fo ba dezlokadu, pensaun ba veteranus, idosos no defisientes, MSS mos fo assistensia ba grupu vulneravel seluk. Por ezamplu, programa bolsa da mae fó tulun liuhosi subsidiu fulafulan ba feto faluk sira be presiza tebetebes hodi nune’e bele tulun sira haree no fó-eskola sira-nia oan. Iha programa ida-ne’e nia okos DNRS haraik tiha ona apoiu finanseira no seluseluk tan ba feto faluk 4,645 resin iha distritu 13 ho osan hamutuk $85,520. Totál benefisiáriu ka maksimuk ba eskola primária hamutuk 1,942, eskola sekundária hamutuk na’in 1,069, Universitáriu 167, no na’in 47 benefisiáriu sira be eskola iha rai-liur. Maksimuk siraseluk sei pendente ka la aprovadu tanba sira seidauk prienxe kritériu sira be harii ona. DNRS mos fó apoiu sosiál. Dezenvolvimentu rede integradu ba protesaun labarik husi nivel suku to’o nasionál no iha funsionairu Protesaun Labarik iha kada Distritu.

Tuir Ministra Solidaridade Sosial, Maria Domingas Fernandes Alves, nia hatete “durante 2008, Ministerio Solidaride Sosial serbisu makaas atu fo protesaun no assistensia ba grupu vulneravel oi-oin iha Timor-Leste. Ami bele ajuda ema barak tamba mos simu kooperasaun husi departementu governu seluk, doadores, ajensia UN, ONG, no ajensia parseirus.” Ministra fo obrigada ba MSS nia parseiru hotu ne’ebe ajuda MSS atu hetan resulta diak, liu-liu: Chefe Sucos no Chefe Aldeias, PDHJ, IOM, UNDP, WFP, UNPol, UNICEF, CARE, CRS, Concern, Belun, Austcare, NRC, Triangle, Oxfam, Plan, JRS, Caritas Australia, Pradet, no ASSERT. Ministra hatete “Hau espera katak ami bele kontinua serbisu makaas durante 2009 atu kontinua fo protesaun social no solidaridade tan. Liu husi ne'e hau espera katak bele kontinua improva vida ba ema vulneravel iha Timor-Leste.”

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