The Council said it approved the “extraordinary payment” that could help raise the pay of the lowest-paid government workers.

“As a result of the amendment now approved, employees and agents of the Public Administration (with an administrative provision contract), as well as Public Administration workers hired for a fixed term with a salary of less than 500 US dollars and who do not work professionals in ministerial offices,” government said in a statement.

Also approved on Friday by the Council of Ministers was the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, for the creation of the Mission Unit to Combat Stunting.

This unit has been tasked to create a national plan to combat Timor-Leste’s child stunting, as well as actioning the plan.

Although Timor-Leste has made developmental progress, it still experiences some of the highest rates of under-nutrition in the world, according to UNICEF data.  

Some 47% of children under five years of age are stunted, 8.6 percent suffer from acute malnutrition, and 23 percent of women of reproductive age (15 -49 years) are anemic.

Timor-Leste has set a target to reduce the malnourishment rate of children under five to 25 percent by 2030.

Stunting is the impaired growth and developing that children experience from poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation, according to the World Health Organisation.

The Mission Unit to Combat Stunting is due to expire December 31, 2024.