19th marzo 2026
Mozambique has strengthened its legal frameworks through laws prohibiting child marriage, promoting equality in the family, and criminalising rape and exploitation of children. However, harmful practices and limited protections in customary contexts continue to affect women and girls. Closing these gaps and improving enforcement and service delivery remain critical.
Key recommendations:
- Strengthen enforcement of laws prohibiting child marriage, including penalties for traditional and religious authorities involved in illegal unions.
- Expand survivor-centred support services, especially in rural areas, by increasing the reach of multisectoral mechanisms, police units, and mobile clinics.
- Ensure consistent application of the Family Law Act, particularly in cases involving domestic violence and abuse.
- Improve access to justice by training police, prosecutors, and judges on trauma-informed GBV response and rights-based procedures.
- Reform customary marriage practices, including by addressing polygamy in unregistered unions, to ensure equal protection and legal security for women.
- Increase community awareness and prevention efforts to address harmful social narratives which normalise GBV and promote reporting.
Enhance coordination across sectors, including health, social protection, law enforcement, and judicial mechanisms, through well-resourced, functioning referral pathways and support services.