Timor-Leste’s child protection system has improved considerably since the country gained independence in 2002. Within the Government of Timor-Leste, the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS) is designated as responsible for the welfare and protection of all Timorese people.
Within MSS, the National Directorate for Social Reinsertion (DNRS) has been established to promote and provide the well-being of Timorese families, focusing especially on the protection of women and children. DNRS includes two departments: the Department of Protection and Social Assistance to Vulnerable Children and the Department of Protection of Women Victims and Social Reinsertion of Vulnerable Families. The former is informally referred to as the Child Protection Unit (CPU).
The CPU was established with technical assistance from UNICEF and includes Child Protection Officers (CPOs) assigned to each of the 13 districts to provide case management, social service support, and community awareness activities in response to cases involving child abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence.
To improve referral and response systems, district-level Child Protection Networks have also been established, and referral guidelines have been developed for CPOs, police, and service providers. However, a recent mapping and assessment of the child protection system found that significant gaps remain and that the system requires further development.
