Human Rights Associate

Timor Leste is half of a tropical island on the Australian continental shelf characterized by a rugged mountain chain running east-west that divides the country into a generally warmer north coast and a milder south coast. The capital city, Dili, is located in the north. Climate: The climate along the coast is relatively warm hot year round with an annual average temperature of 30°C. There are two distinct seasons: the north-east monsoon season, which runs from November to March, constitutes the rainy season throughout the country. The south-east monsoon season, which runs from March to October, constitutes the dry season with some rain on the southern coast but otherwise dry and windy conditions in the rest of the country. The climate inland with its high mountains can be cool with an annual average temperature of 15°C. Health: At the moment, Stamford clinic serves as a recommended medical facility for UN staff. It has two approved UN physicians that can perform primary healthcare and simpler treatments, or recommend medical evacuation to Singapore. There is a national hospital with some international staff and a limited number of other private clinics in Dili. For more complex medical treatment and assessment, it is necessary to evacuate to neighbouring countries such as Darwin or Singapore. Most of the population is vaccinated against COVID-19 and booster shots are available for UN staff (if needed). It’s recommended to be fully vaccinated prior to travel. Diet, Food and Water: Most staple foods can be found in the markets such as rice, meat, vegetables, cooking oil, salt and sugar. There are many local markets around Dili as well as four supermarkets that are stocked with imported goods, mainly from Australia, Indonesia, Singapore and China. Dili has a large number of restaurants, cafes and bars. There is a variety of food ranging from Western to Southeast Asian fare. You can also find several local warungs with less expensive meals. The price range for a meal can range from $3 to $20+. Telecommunications: At the moment, there are three telecommunication providers in country, Timor Telecom and Telcomcel and Telemor. While Timor Telecom has been long present, Telcomcel and Telemor were newly launched in Timor-Leste, and started operating in February 2013. The SIM cards cost $2-3 and pre-paid/pulsa cards range from $1 to $50. Further, depending on UN Agency, you may receive a PIN code to make international phone calls that will be charged to your VLA. Hotels: The host agency in Dili will help arrange your initial accommodation in a hotel, at your expense. Most of the hotels in Dili are aimed at internationals and offer a good level of comfort with air-conditioned rooms and en-suite bathrooms. You can expect to pay from $30 to $50 per night. Permanent Accommodation: Expect that your accommodation will range from the very basic to adequate, although many private houses in Dili have been renovated to a reasonable or even considered ‘luxurious’ level of comfort. The rate of reconstruction and renovation in the districts has been much slower than in Dili. Accommodation is far more likely to be of a very basic level.