Seventy-six students and lecturers from the Dili Institute of Technology's Oe-Cusse campus attended the session in Pante Macassar, where they learned about human rights protections, good governance principles and the process for lodging complaints when rights are violated or public services fall short, according to a statement published by the Office of the Provedor for Human Rights and Justice (PDHJ).

Students focused much of their discussion on the complaint process and the role of the Ombudsman's office in safeguarding citizens' rights and ensuring accountability in public administration.

Participants said the session helped deepen their understanding of how human rights and governance issues affect everyday life.

Many of those attending were first-year students beginning their studies in 2026 and were learning about the Ombudsman's role for the first time.

The outreach comes amid broader efforts to strengthen civic awareness and understanding of public institutions.

In the same week, newly elected suco chiefs in Lautem completed a three-day training programme on human rights and public administration, with participants encouraged to share the lessons with communities at the village level.