Women’s Multiple Pathways to Justice in Timor-Leste:

Alternative Dispute Resolution and the Impact on Women in Timor-Leste.

The alternative dispute resolution (ADR) landscape in Timor-Leste is a dynamic and important source of justice provision. In the context of a formal justice system, as yet unable to deal effectively with its caseload, the operation of ADR is largely positive, allowing community members to deal with conflicts quickly, restore balance to the community and avoid further pressure on the courts. This UN Women research examines women’s experiences in seeking justice in three types of cases:

(i) land, (ii) abandonment/child maintenance, and (iii) domestic violence.

It highlights the barriers and challenges women face in accessing justice, both in the formal and informal systems, and offers recommendations for a more gender-responsive approach to Alternative Dispute Resolution, especially mediation.