Mozambique: Joint submission for the Universal Periodic Review

Joint Press release

Maputo, Paris, 20 October 2020

The Association of Education, Health, Environment and Social Communication (AESA), Ipas Mozambique, Kulima and Human Dignity submit a report to the Human Rights Council for the Universal Periodic Review of Mozambique[1].

The joint report highlights the achievements and challenges of Mozambique in relation to the realization of the right to health and the right to food, in particular in rural areas.

While the access to health services is already difficult in Mozambican rural areas, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual and reproductive rights of rural women and girls is dramatic. Indeed, in times of crisis such as the sanitarian one we are living today, women and girls are disproportionately affected and sexual and reproductive health care is neglected. Since the population has to stay at home, we are worried about the lack of information on the continuity of abortion and contraceptive services during the pandemic. We namely call on the authorities to improve the communication on the continuity of those services.

Our organizations are also concerned about the current legislation on land distribution and use. It does not adequately protect the right of land use of rural communities who rely on land for their daily food subsistence. We are in particular preoccupied about the ineffective consultation of those communities in the land distribution process. We urge the State to strengthen their right to take part in the conduct of public affairs.

While the President recently announced the revision of the National Land Policy and legislation, we call the authorities to ensure the effective participation of rural communities and the civil society in this procedure, even in the pandemic context.

A Portuguese version of the report is also available.

Submitting NGOs

  • Association of Education, Health, Environment and Social Communication
  • Human Dignity
  • Ipas Mozambique
  • Kulima

Contact: Human Dignity, Ms Anna Herktorn, a.hertkorn@hdignity.org 

[1] The third Universal Periodic Review of Mozambique by the UN Human Rights Council is scheduled in May 2021 (38th session).