EUVP Visit Story - Adriana Garcia

EUVP VISIT STORY

About Me: I’m Adriana Guerra Bere Garcia and I am the Project Manager for the Democratic and Inclusive Elections Project at Plan International Timor-Leste. In this role, I collaborate closely with six Civil Society Organisations to empower youth, women, and people with disabilities, promoting their meaningful and inclusive participation in all electoral processes.

I am involved in the ASEAN Future Leaders Programme/Futuru Líder Ba ASEAN, an initiative by the Government of Timor-Leste. This programme aims to develop the capacity of young Timorese leaders, enhance understanding of ASEAN, and contribute to Timor-Leste's development agenda in the context of regional integration.

Additionally, I co-founded the Association of Youth Strengthening Justice in Timor-Leste, an organisation dedicated to promoting human rights and access to formal justice.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝘀 the opportunity to collaborate with relevant CSOs to strengthen democracy in Timor-Leste. I am committed to ensuring that all people feel empowered to exercise their rights through training, dialogues, and advocacy efforts. Furthermore, I am particularly enthusiastic about engaging in discussions with children and young people regarding the issues they face and exploring potential actions to address these challenges. My passion for gender equality and inclusion, as well as my work with children and youth, was ignited during my involvement with the Timor-Leste Youth Parliament.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀:

1. Timor-Leste is Asia's youngest country, gaining full independence in 2002 after a long history of Portuguese colonisation and Indonesian occupation.

2. Timor-Leste is a small country with many spoken languages, with Portuguese and Tetum as the two official languages.

3. After petroleum products, coffee is Timor-Leste's second-largest export, known for its high-quality arabica coffee grown in the mountains.

4. Timor-Leste has the second-highest percentage of Catholics in the world, after the Vatican, with approximately 97% of the population practicing Catholicism

𝗜𝗳 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 Rosa Filomena "Muki" Cardoso Bonaparte Soares, as a significant figure in East Timor's struggle for independence and women's rights, her insights would be invaluable.

The wo𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗳 we prioritised common interests in all development agendas and ended wars that affect the lives of innocent children.

𝗠𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 ‘Do what you love unless it hurts marginalised people’.

My EUVP Experience: I had the privilege of participating in the European Union Visitors Programme (EUVP) in September 2024. This remarkable initiative provided an invaluable opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge about EU institutions and their operations.

During the introduction to the European Parliament, I was intrigued to learn about its 720 seats. This prompted me to consider the complexities of influence and priority-setting among such a large group of representatives, particularly regarding legislation and policymaking. Additionally, I was keen to understand the level of women's representation within this institution.

The interactive meetings with EU officials were particularly enlightening. I gained insights into the EU's strategies on gender equality, children, and youth. I also learned about ongoing challenges that bear similarities to those we face in Timor-Leste, such as persistent gender stereotypes, patriarchal system and the need for parity in representation in decision-making processes. These sessions also provided a platform to share Timor-Leste's efforts in promoting human rights, especially for women, girls, and people with disabilities. The exchange of experiences proved to be a valuable learning opportunity for all involved.

Moreover, the EU's commitment to supporting human rights and democracy in non-EU countries was particularly inspiring. This commitment is manifested through various mechanisms and initiatives, including significant support for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Timor-Leste, which has helped strengthen democratic institutions and processes in the country.

Given my work in women's empowerment, the meetings with three European political parties - the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), European People's Party (EPP), and Party of European Socialists (PES) - were especially informative. These interactions offered fascinating insights into the EU's political dynamics and approaches to women's representation. I learned about their diverse strategies for promoting women in politics, from quotas to mentorship programs and targeted recruitment efforts.  

The exchanges with fellow EUVP participants were particularly enlightening, especially regarding the rights and electoral participation of people with disabilities. As I work with disability organisations to advocate for meaningful participation of people with disabilities, these discussions provided valuable insights into diverse approaches and challenges across different countries. We explored topics such as accessible voting technologies, legal frameworks protecting voting rights, and the role of disabled people's organisations in election observation. These exchanges not only broadened my understanding of global practices but also provided inspiration for potential improvements in Timor-Leste's approach to inclusive elections. The diversity of experiences shared by EUVP participants underscored the universal nature of these challenges and the potential for international cooperation in advancing the rights of people with disabilities in democratic processes.

The EUVP experience has significantly contributed to my professional and personal development. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the EUVP team and the Delegation of the European Union to Timor-Leste for facilitating this incredible opportunity. The knowledge gained and connections made during this programme will undoubtedly enhance my work in promoting democratic and inclusive elections in Timor-Leste. I am particularly excited to apply the lessons learned about intersectional approaches to gender equality for increasing political participation of marginalised groups.

𝗠𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱:

We will only fully realise human rights when no child sheds tears due to war, hunger and violence.

I stand in solidarity with children living in conflict zones around the world.

Their struggles are our struggles, and their challenges are our collective responsibility.

Unite for Peace!