Asisténsia Legál ba Feto no Labarik

Asisténsia Legál ba Feto no Labarik (ALFeLa) supports women and children in Timor-Leste to access a fair and formal justice system without discrimination through legal aid, legal education and advocacy. ALFeLa is the only provider of free legal aid in Timor-Leste. ALFeLa also focuses on systemic change; including advocacy on effective law implementation and education for duty-bearer education so they understand the law and their responsibilities to uphold it.

Asisténsia Legál ba Feto no Labarik AND IWDA

IWDA’s partnership with ALFeLa began in July 2013. Currently, IWDA resources ALFeLa to implement the ‘Protecting the rights of women and children affected by gender-based violence in Timor-Leste’ Project through funding from the Australian Government’s Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). The project supports ALFeLa’s core legal aid services, advocacy, and organisational capacity strengthening with IWDA’s support.

A 2026 evaluation of this project found that ALFeLa improved survivor’s access to justice, increased the efficiency of the justice system, and influenced gender-responsive laws and policies. The evaluation also found that ALFeLa’s dual role as a service provider and advocacy organisation enabled significant contribution to wider community and systemic change.

Quick Facts

  • From 2021-25 ALFeLa provided legal aid to 2,273 survivors of gender-based violence (including 409 survivors through its project with IWDA).
  • ALFeLa provides legal aid in all 13 Municipalities in Timor-Leste. In some municipalities, local police share office space with ALFeLa, since ALFeLa works so closely with them and provides significant support.
  • From 2021-15, cases supported by ALFeLa took 14 months on average; this is almost a year faster than the duration than what some prosecutors estimate cases would take without ALFeLa’s support (24 months).
  • ALFeLa is a trusted member of three Government Commissions responsible for the implementation of National Action Plans (against Gender-Based Violence, against Human-Trafficking, and for Child Protection).