2010年-世界发展银行全球_Youth_Perspectives_on_Community_Trust_and_Conflict_6页_935kb

Youth Perspectives on Community, Trust, and Conflict in Timor-Leste

Core Content

This briefing note explores the intergenerational differences in community involvement, trust, and conflict resolution among youth in Timor-Leste, using data from the TLSLSx survey and related social science literature. It highlights the unique experiences and perspectives of youth, particularly young household heads and their spouses, and provides insights for policymakers, civil society organizations, and donors working with youth in the country.

Main Findings

1. Access to Information and Community Involvement

• Youth in Timor-Leste are more likely to access information through a wider range of media than older generations.
• 90% of youth respondents had access to radio, television, or print media, compared to 78% of those over 30.
• Radio and television are the dominant sources of national news for both youth and elders.
• Youth are more likely to have regular access to radio than elders (73% vs. 58%).
• 52% of young women and 49% of young men attended community meetings in the past year, but young women were 13 percentage points less likely to speak at meetings.
• Despite these differences, attendance at community meetings is strongly associated with a sense of involvement in community decision-making.

2. Trust and Safety

• 92% of survey respondents, including youth, felt safe in their community.
• 90% felt their belongings were safe, with no significant differences across age groups or genders.
• However, young women were significantly less trusting of neighbors compared to young men (72% vs. 92%).
• This lower level of trust does not translate into higher perceived risk, suggesting potential underlying social dynamics.

3. Authority and Decision-Making

• 55% of respondents believed the police were primarily responsible for law and order, while 45% saw it as a shared responsibility.
• Young men were more likely to assign this responsibility to the police (75%) compared to young women (57%).
• Young women were more likely than young men to believe that nonviolent disputes should be resolved within the community (48% vs. 36%).

4. Disputes and Dispute Resolution

• 30.5% of households reported a dispute involving a household member in the previous year.
• The most common types of disputes were land-related (27%) and theft (23%), with 8% resulting in physical injury.
• Traditional authorities (adat bodies, chefs suco/aldeia) are the most commonly used for dispute resolution, especially in property boundary disputes (80% of respondents would first go to traditional leaders).
• Formal dispute-resolution institutions such as courts, judges, and paralegals are less accessible, with only 29% of respondents reporting access to courts.
• Youth are more likely than elders to use and express satisfaction with state dispute-resolution institutions, though their satisfaction is often based on perception rather than experience.

Key Contextual Information

• Youth demographics: Youth (16–30 years) make up 15% of the surveyed population, compared to 23% of the total population. Female youth are more likely to be household heads (34%) than male youth (14%).
• Youth challenges: High unemployment (currently 33% for those aged 25–34), limited nonfarm job opportunities, and a youth bulge (62% of population under 24) pose significant challenges.
• Social changes: Youth have grown up during the transition from occupation to independence and from centralized control to democracy, shaping their values and perspectives on trust, community, and authority.
• Conflict patterns: Youth, especially male youth, are often seen as the main perpetrators and victims of violence, particularly in gang-related conflicts. However, many youth claim to be acting on behalf of others, and some conflicts have roots in pre-existing tensions.

Conclusion

Youth in Timor-Leste are engaged in community life and trust in traditional authorities, though there are notable gender differences in trust and participation. They are more likely to access information through modern media and to use formal dispute-resolution institutions. Despite challenges such as unemployment and youth bulges, the findings suggest a strong and enduring role for traditional practices in conflict resolution and community governance. The report emphasizes the need for gender-sensitive approaches and diverse communication strategies to effectively engage with youth in Timor-Leste.