Plan International has been working in Timor-Leste since 2001, shortly before the country regained independence. 

Timor-Leste has one of the world’s highest rates of undernutrition and half of children under 5 in the country suffer from stunting. There is also a lack of clean water and only 14% of children are enrolled in pre-school. In addition, Timor-Leste suffers from a number of natural disasters.

Girls in Timor-Leste are particularly vulnerable. Physical, sexual and emotional violence are common and the patriarchal society limits opportunities for girls to participate meaningfully in decision-making. 

Our priorities include:

1. Supporting safe, inclusive pre-school education
2. Improving access to safe water, basic sanitation and increasing awareness of good hygiene practices
3. Enabling young people, especially girls, to meaningfully participate in decision-making processes that affect their lives
4. Keeping children safe
5. Strengthening the resilience of communities against natural disasters.