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Paper short abstract

Designed to maintain stability and peace, social protection in Timor-Leste represents a trade-off between universal entitlements on paper and politically-selective benefits in practice. This paper examines citizen interpretations of the political bargain and implications for the peace dividend.

Paper long abstract

Following Timor-Leste’s security crisis in 2006, which caused disruption of basic services, several social protection schemes were introduced with the aim of lowering tensions and promoting stability. The right to social security and social assistance, health and education without discrimination is enshrined in the Constitution and National Social Protection Strategy.

While these schemes have contributed to relative peace in the country, they have also exacerbated social divisions through competition over Timorese national identity. By targeting certain groups – particularly veterans and their families – these schemes provide some citizens with access to symbolic and financial capital while excluding others. Women and young people are particularly disadvantaged due to a combination of Catholic values, militarized masculinity, and hierarchical customary laws.

This leads to a trade-off between universal entitlements on paper and politically-selective benefits in practice. While the valorisation of the veterans is still widely accepted among citizens, there are also unintended consequences including fiscal stress, social resentment and intergenerational inequality. Attitudes are changing in younger generations and the role of social protection delivery within state legitimacy and social cohesion remains contested.

This paper examines the ways in which social protection contributes to stability and cohesion, while also creating tensions through its design and implementation. It draws on an innovative mixed methods study, combining a ‘lab-in-the-field’ experiment with focus groups discussions to gain insights into how citizens navigate and interpret the political bargain underpinning the social protection system. It also considers whether social protection is maintaining or threatening Timor-Leste’s post-conflict peace dividend.