Timor-Leste human development report 2006: the path out of poverty

Since independence in 2002, the people of Timor-Leste have made impressive gains - particularly in social and political development. Similar economic achievements have yet to be met. This report assesses Timor-Leste's human development progress in the context of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It pays specific attention to poverty and the ways of reducing it, particularly through integrated rural development. Additionally, the report considers the resources and partnerships that Timor-Leste will need if it is to fulfil its people's right to human development.

The report presents its findings under the following headings:

• The state of human development:
  • Timor-Leste's human development indicators, although steadily improving, remain far lower than those in most other countries in the region
  • life expectancy is short, education levels are low and a high proportion of the population live below the poverty line
  • people remain vulnerable to respiratory, viral and diarrhoeal diseases - they do not yet face a widespread epidemic of HIV/AIDS, but few people are aware of the threat it poses or preventative measures
  • women suffer a number of disadvantages - in terms of education, health care, employment - and are often subject to gender-based violence.
• Tackling rural poverty:
  • growth should start within the agricultural sector - productivity remains low for a number of reasons including poor soil and rural infrastructure problems
  • Timor-Leste needs to develop a dynamic agricultural sector that not only generates more income for farmers but also creates more opportunities for off-farm employment.
• The MDGs:
  • as a newly independent country, Timor-Leste is making a late start on the MDGs - it therefore faces a tough challenge
  • the basic requirement for achieving the poverty goal is economic growth - but it is important that this growth is not offset by a rise in inequality
  • achieving the poverty goal should contribute to the achievement of the other MDGs - but this will require sector-specific investment.
• Institutions and partnerships:
  • Timor-Leste has been in the vanguard of popular participation - there is thus no shortage of political resolve at the top to encourage participation
  • the challenge lays in ensuring that people throughout the country have the capacity to take advantage of these opportunities.

[adapted from author]