ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the strained relationship between paid work and care in Timor-Leste and argues that the topic of work and care has failed to gain traction as a policy issue for two reasons. First, the vast majority of Timorese women engaged in income generation are located in informal sector occupations that allow them to combine work with household and care duties. Second, the agendas of government, international donors and the women's movement are dominated by debates about domestic violence and women's place in public life. When thinking about women and work in Timor-Leste, it is necessary to distinguish between the public and private sector, and in the latter between formal and informal sector occupations. Women's low levels of labour force participation during their reproductive years are explained in large part by their care work responsibilities. As evidenced in the broader literature, contestation around the role of women is very common in post-conflict societies because conflict disturbs established gender norms.
