Healthy Relationships for a Violence-Free Future: Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Analysis Report

The program aims to promote healthy, non-violent relationships among intimate partners, between youth and their parents, and among youth themselves. It seeks to address the deeply entrenched social and gender norms that drive gender-based violence (GBV) in Timor-Leste. The program focuses on four strategic priority areas: prevention, services, access to justice, and coordination, monitoring, and evaluation. It works through a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data analysis with qualitative data collection through key informant interviews (KII) and focus group discussions (FGD). The KII were conducted with service providers, influential persons, and USAID representatives, while the FGDs involved community members, existing WV programming participants, service providers, and local leaders. A total of 283 individuals were interviewed, including 138 females and 145 males, through 19 KII and 36 FGDs. The data was captured via detailed field notes in Tetum, translated, and imported into NVivo 12 for thematic coding. Emerging patterns in the prevalence of certain codes were considered during the final analysis process. The research questions for the GESI analysis were organized by thematic area, including gender and inclusion. The gender-related questions explored the current statistics on violence, relevant laws and responses to violence against women and children, the gendered division of labor, women's control over household income and decision-making, and cultural norms associated with women's and men's behaviors. The inclusion-related questions examined the key stakeholders' understanding and capacity in adolescents/youth, gender, and GBV projects, the status of disability inclusion in the community, and the key barriers to gender equality and participation of vulnerable groups. The GESI analysis methodology was intentionally designed to capture perspectives from prospective participants and co-implementers, such as local suco leaders and organizations. However, there are some limitations to note while interpreting the findings, including the potential for socially desirable responses, a break in data collection, translation nuances, and the difficulty in unpacking some dynamics and relations through KII and FGD. The findings from the GESI analysis will be presented in subsequent order, addressing the research questions and providing insights into the current situation of GBV in Timor-Leste. The analysis will inform the development of the gender and inclusive development plan (GIDAP) for the Healthy Relationships for a Violence-Free Future Activity. The program's geographic focus is on Covalima municipality, where the GESI analysis was conducted. The timeframes for the program are from August 2020 to August 2023, with the GESI analysis taking place in December 2020 and January 2021. The recommendations from the GESI analysis will inform the program's implementation and future activities. The program's implementation details include the use of a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data analysis with qualitative data collection. The KII and FGDs were conducted in three administrative posts within Covalima municipality, and a select number of KIIs were carried out with USAID representatives based in Dili. The data was captured via detailed field notes in Tetum, translated, and imported into NVivo 12 for thematic coding.