In Timor-Leste, women make up a significant portion of the workforce, but over 60% of them are trapped in informal, low-wage, and often unsafe jobs. Many of these women are employed as housekeepers, home-based care workers, or in related roles, which together account for more than 30,000 workers—90% of whom are women. These jobs, though vital, offer few protections, leaving women vulnerable to exploitation and unfair treatment. But the Women’s Working Centre Timo-Leste (WWCTL) is leading the fight to change this.
Here are five powerful ways they’re supporting women workers:
- Fighting for domestic workers’ rights to decent work
In Timor-Leste, workers in the formal sector are entitled to a minimum wage of USD $115 per month, paid overtime, and other protections under the national labour code. However, domestic workers—mostly employed informally—are left out of these laws, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation. They rarely have written contracts; many earn far below the minimum wage (some as little as USD $30/month) and often face gruelling hours without any days off or basic benefits like sick leave or maternity leave.
WWCTL has been leading the charge to change this. After years of campaigning, they helped draft legislation that would extend labour protections to domestic and informal workers, and that bill is now under consideration by the Council of Ministers. Thanks to WWCTL’s advocacy, the issue is staying in the spotlight, with government officials committing to making the law a top priority.
Through lobbying, outreach, media, publications, rallies, and high-profile events, including nationally televised annual forums and radio talk shows focused on domestic worker issues, their efforts are shifting the national conservation.
WWCTL also play a leading role in national campaigns to improve worker’s rights more generally. This includes joining the union movement’s push to increase the minimum wage from USD$115 to $150 per month, and the campaign supporting Timor-Leste’s ratification of ILO Convention C190 to address workplace violence and harassment.
- Building the first domestic workers union
One of WWCTL’s most ambitious goals is working with their members to create the first-ever union for domestic workers in Timor-Leste. After years of grassroots organising, the union is set to launch its inaugural congress in June 2025. This union will provide domestic workers with a platform to fight for their rights and access peer support, long beyond this project’s lifespan. This will enable WWCTL to expand their support to women working in other sectors.
Every month, on their one day off, WWCTL’s members gather to discuss union plans, share experiences, and participate in skill-building workshops on leadership, public speaking, gender equality, and collective action. Each member also contributes a small amount (50 cents a month) to fund the union’s long-term sustainability—a substantial commitment relative to their wages.
- Supporting women in rural areas to access better jobs
WWCTL doesn’t just focus on workers in Dili. They also provide crucial vocational training to hundreds of women in rural areas, ensuring that even those in the most remote regions can access decent jobs. Last year, WWCTL trained 342 women in the rural municipalities of Aileu, Ainaro, Atauro, Ermera, Liquiçá, Manaututu and Oecusse-Ambeno in vital skills such as cooking, childcare, and cleaning. They also focus on building leadership, teaching life skills like health and nutrition, and promoting collective action, with a special emphasis on inclusion for youth, the LGBTQI+ community and people with disabilities.
One participant, Fransisca Abilio from Aileu, shared, “I now know how to stand up for myself and help others speak up when facing unfair treatment.”
- Being a lifeline for all women workers
Whether it’s advising domestic workers about their rights, helping resolve workplace disputes, or providing support through a workers’ hotline, WWCTL is there for women in need. They also help employers establish fair contracts, ensuring workers get paid a fair wage and have proper working conditions.
As they build up their expertise and profile, WWCTL’s advocacy has reached new heights, particularly with Timor-Leste hosting the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN People’s Forum in September 2024 – the largest gathering of civil society activists in Southeast Asia. WWCTL took a lead role in the national organising committee and have represented Timorese civil society in multiple regional forums, amplifying the voices of workers across the Asia-Pacific region.
- Strengthening the organisation for long-term impact
For WWCTL, success isn’t just about immediate victories. They focus on building a sustainable organisation that can continue supporting women workers for years to come. Through ongoing training for staff, board and their members, WWCTL ensures they stay at the forefront of workers’ rights advocacy. This commitment, alongside their long-term connections with Australian unions and working women centres has helped them become one of the most highly respected local NGOs in Timor-Leste.
In 2024, two WWCTL staff members, Betty and Violande, were sponsored by SA Unions and the Working Women’s Centre South Australia (WWCSA) to visit Adelaide to attend the Anna Stewart Memorial Project training course – a leadership development program aimed at increasing women’s active involvement in unions, work placements at WWCSA and the United Workers Union (UWU), and health and safety training at the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA). The experience not only helped them grow as leaders but also provided a valuable exchange of ideas with Australian counterparts, fostering international solidarity.
“This program encouraged me to work hard and be more active in supporting women’s rights, especially for domestic workers in Timor-Leste. It’s empowering me to help my organisation to be ready to defend fellow women.” – Betty
The power of solidarity
The dedication and tireless work of WWCTL is transforming the lives of women across Timor-Leste. They are not just advocating for change; they are making it happen—one worker, one community, and one campaign at a time. With ongoing support from their global partners as Union Aid Abroad–APHEDA, they are paving the way for a more equitable future for all Timorese women.
Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA supports the Women’s Working Centre of Timor Leste (WWCTL) in partnership with the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
