Empty Speeches vs. Youth Realities in Timor-Leste Subject: Empty Speeches vs. Youth Realities in Timor-Leste From: "ETAN" (via east-timor Mailing List) Date: 27/09/2025, 02:56 To: "east-timor@lists.riseup.net" via Facebook Zozo Corbafo  · Empty Speeches vs. Youth Realities in Timor-Leste On 25 September 2025 in New York, Permanent Mission of Timor-Leste to the United Nations in New York Timor-Leste stood before the world and reaffirmed its “strong commitment” to youth empowerment. The statement spoke of the Constitution’s guarantees, the National Youth Policy, a dedicated ministry, the Youth Parliament, and municipal forums, all painted as proof that young people in Timor-Leste are not just beneficiaries but “active partners” in shaping the nation’s future. It was a fine speech. But is it true? Or are we offering the world empty words while ignoring the reality of our youth back home? Youth Without Representation The government proudly cited the “Youth Parliament.” But let us be clear: this is symbolic, not legislative. Youth have no actual representation in the National Parliament, where laws are debated and futures are decided. Their voices remain excluded from the very institutions that claim to speak for them. If youth are genuine partners, as the speech suggested, then why do they remain absent where real power is exercised? The Queue to Leave If youth empowerment is thriving, then why are thousands of Timorese young people joining long queues for seasonal worker programs in Korea and Australia? This mass migration is not a sign of empowerment, it is a sign of desperation. Young people are leaving not because they lack ambition, but because they lack opportunities at home. Seasonal work abroad has become an escape route from a country that has not built enough pathways for youth to thrive in their own land. What Our Youth Say In 2024, through The Asia Foundation in Timor-Leste SASUKAT Youth Aspirations Research, I had the privilege of facilitating focus group discussions with 20 emerging youth leaders across Timor-Leste. Their insights challenge the rosy picture painted abroad. They aspire to be judges, entrepreneurs, activists, lecturers, and community leaders but the environment around them does not prepare them for these roles. They identified education gaps, with schools focused on rote learning instead of life skills, critical thinking, and emotional resilience. They raised the lack of mentorship where many young people start initiatives but give up quickly without long-term support. They spoke of stigma and exclusion, tattoos, martial arts, or online gaming often mark youth as “problematic,” instead of being understood as part of identity and expression. They dreamed of spaces in sports, music, and arts but found few opportunities to channel energy and creativity into something positive. Most importantly, they reminded us that youth problems are not only about unemployment. They are about disconnection, poor preparation, and lack of purpose. Root Causes We Ignore  From a human development perspective (2021/2022 Report Published by UNDP Timor-Leste), youth challenges in Timor-Leste are systemic: At home: Many families lack resources and support to guide their children. At school: Teachers are under-trained, and curricula remain outdated. In communities: Few extracurricular activities or creative spaces exist. In governance: Policies remain lofty, while implementation is shallow and inconsistent. In the economy: Dependence on oil revenues and lack of diversification leave youth without meaningful work. Until we address these root causes, speeches abroad will remain disconnected from daily realities in Baucau, Liquica, Oecusse, and beyond. What We Must Do Instead If Timor-Leste truly wishes to honor its youth, we must go beyond rhetoric: Representation: Create youth quotas in Parliament and municipal councils to ensure real decision-making power. Education Reform: Shift from rote memorization to skills-based, problem-solving, and emotional learning. Invest in teachers as mentors, not just instructors. Mentorship Programs: Build sustained two-year mentorships, pairing youth with professionals and community leaders. Spaces for Expression: Fund sports, arts, and innovation hubs where youth can build confidence, teamwork, and creativity. Economic Pathways: Expand vocational training and entrepreneurship programs, backed with micro-loans and land access, especially for rural youth. These are not luxuries, they are the foundation of a resilient, inclusive future. From Words to Action Timor-Leste’s leaders tell the world that our youth are “active partners.” But active partnership cannot exist without representation, opportunities, and trust. The truth is painful: Our youth are excluded from Parliament. Our youth line up in their thousands to leave the country for seasonal work. Our youth policies remain aspirations more than realities. Empty speeches may impress in New York. But they do not transform lives in Aileu, Maliana, or Lospalos. If we truly believe in youth empowerment, let us stop performing success abroad and start building it here at home. Because the future of Timor-Leste belongs to our youth and they deserve far more than promises. with Carmen Dos Santos Monteiro and  10 others . -- etanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetan Support ETAN. Donate now: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/etan009 John M. Miller etan@igc.org Coordinator, East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) PO Box 1663, NY, NY 10035-1663 USA Phone/WhatsApp: (917)690-4391 www.etan.org Twitter/Instagram: @etan009 NEW Bluesky: @etan009.bsky.social Send a blank e-mail message to info@etan.org to for information on other ETAN electronic resources on East Timor and Indonesia etanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetan [This message was distributed via the east-timor news list. For info on how to subscribe to this and other ETAN e-mail lists, send a blank e-mail to info@etan.org. To support ETAN see http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm To unsubscribe this list: ]