The APF secretariat held one of its Leadership programmes the ‘Introduction to the APF’ with the newly appointed Provedor for Human Rights and Justice of Timor Leste (PDHJ) on 22 March to discuss the organisation's priorities and potential areas of APF support.

As Timor Leste’s National Human Rights Institution (NHRI), the PDHJ has a mandate to promote, protect and monitor respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country. It also has a crucial role in strengthening the rule of law, promoting accountability, and ensuring the participation of citizens in the democratic process.

As a young, post-conflict country, however, Timor Leste faces significant human rights challenges. Addressing systemic human rights violations is a challenging but important task for the PDHJ.

During the meeting, Provedor Virgilio da Silva Guterres, who began his office in December 2022, provided updates on the PDHJ’s current work. Institutional capacity remains a challenge for the organisation, including legal capacity, which is vital for addressing legislative gaps and enabling the institution to engage with and make recommendations to relevant State agencies. Currently, the process of recruiting a legal director is underway.

The APF secretariat, represented by Pip Dargan, Principal Adviser, APF Leadership Services, Ahmed Shahid, Manager of Capacity Development and Kieren Fitzpatrick, Director, provided details on potential areas of APF support, including support with accreditation and with the implementation of recommendations following a Capacity Assessment undertaken with the institution in 2015 and a Capacity Assessment Review undertaken in 2020.

Strengthening links with the APF and other NHRIs in the region and with the international human rights system is a focus for PDHJ. The APF looks forward to future cooperation with the Provedor, including facilitating engagement between the institution and other APF members.

Date: 31 March 2023