For almost ten years the Judicial System Monitoring Programme (JSMP) has been committed to it's role monitoring the judicial system, advocating for human rights and improving the Timorese public's understanding of international human rights standards, particularly in relation to the right to a fair trial. This year, with support from USAID through The Asia Foundation (TAF), JSMP is launching its new initiative, the "Parliament Watch Project (PWP)".

For
almost ten years the Judicial System Monitoring Programme (JSMP) has
been committed to it's role monitoring the judicial system, advocating
for human rights and improving the Timorese public's understanding of
international human rights standards, particularly in relation to the
right to a fair trial. This year, with support from USAID through The
Asia Foundation (TAF), JSMP is launching its new initiative, the
"Parliament Watch Project (PWP)". Below is the rest of its statement on
this new project. 

The project
will involve JSMP monitoring the Parliament and disseminating
information with the aim of increasing the quality, transparency and
accessibility of the legislative process.  A key component will be
undertaking activities designed to increase the ability of the public
and civil society to understand and participate the legislative process.
JSMP hopes that this project will also assist Members of Parliament to
improve communication with their constituents and to gain a deeper
appreciation of the importance of accountability, transparency and
consultation in the legislative system.

JSMP
recognizes that the National Parliament is a new institution and that
other international and national organizations have been working in the
area of parliament monitoring.  JSMP looks forward to working with the
National Parliament and other civil society institutions to deepen
observation and analysis of the Parliament's work, and increase
opportunities for the public to access information and participate in
the legislative system.

The PWP will
involve monitoring a range of parliamentary activities including:
Plenary Sessions of the National Parliament, meetings of Parliamentary
Committees, Public Hearings and the activities of Members of Parliament.
It will also involve writing about specific draft laws that will have
an especially significant impact on communities and their needs. JSMP
also wants to assist the public to be involved in the consultation
processes surrounding draft laws, to enable members of the public to put
forward their aspirations and hopefully to see theses opinions
incorporated in the laws that will directly affect their lives.

By organising
workshops in the districts, JSMP will assist the public and civil
society to increase their knowledge about the legislative process and
the ways that they can participate. JSMP will also strategically choose a
number of specific draft laws that have a significant impact for the
public to be the subject of a series of 'Focus Group Discussions'
(FGD). 

These FGDs
will be held prior to a draft law being approved so that participants
can understand the law and contribute to the consultation process. After
each FGD, JSMP will assist representatives from the FGD come to Dili to
observe the work of Parliament and provide their contributions directly
to the legislative process.

With the
launch of this new project, JSMP looks forward to contributing to the
promotion of democratic values in Timor-Leste. JSMP hopes that in the
future all citizens will have access to information about their
political and legislative processes and will have maximal opportunities
to participate in the development of their nation.

JSMP also
hopes that this project will assist Members of Parliament to communicate
effectively with their constituents and to appreciate the value of the
people's voices as the voices of democracy, which everyone praises with
the well known words: government of the people, by the people, for the
people.