Human Rights and Freedom in Mozambique

https://www.humantruth.info/mozambique_human_rights_and_freedom.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2019

#freethought #mozambique #mozambique_freethought #religious_tolerance

Mozambique Republic of Mozambique [Country Profile Page]
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	186th best
Location	Africa
Population	29.5m₁
Life Expectancy	59.32yrs (2017)₂

Mozambique does relatively well in ensuring human rights and freedom, compared to many other countries. Mozambique comes in the best 20 when it comes to freethought₃. It does better than average in terms of combatting modern slavery₄ and in commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₅. Mozambique still has work to do. Mozambique does worse than average in terms of supporting press freedom₆, its nominal commitment to Human Rights₇, LGBT equality in the 2020s₈, opposing gender inequality₉ (still low for Africa) and in its average Freedom in the World rating (still good for Africa). Government and rebel (now reformed into a political party, RENAMO) both continued to commit violent abuses with impunity and major crimes and murders are often not investigated at all₁₀. Progress is always going to be difficult in a country where the richest 10% hold 46% of the country's entire income₁₁.

1. Mozambique's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#dangerous_beliefs #equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #mozambique #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Compared to Africa (2025)₁₂
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₂
1	Cape Verde	65.1
2	S. Africa	70.5
3	Mauritius	76.4
	...
12	Gabon	101.8
13	Mali	102.1
14	Rwanda	103.1
15	Mozambique	104.8
16	Tunisia	104.9
17	Sierra Leone	105.2
18	Central African Rep.	107.0
19	Benin	109.8
20	Ivory Coast	110.4
	Africa Avg	116.60
q=54.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)₁₂
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₂
1	Sweden	7.5
2	Netherlands	8.6
3	Denmark	9.0
	...
119	Haiti	104.1
120	Russia	104.6
121	Sri Lanka	104.8
122	Mozambique	104.8
123	Tunisia	104.9
124	India	105.1
125	Sierra Leone	105.2
126	Cuba	106.0
	World Avg	90.04
q=198.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, The Netherlands and Denmark₁₃. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, Eritrea and Saudi Arabia₁₃.

30 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, combatting modern slavery, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₁₃, whereas the worst are The Middle East, Africa and Asia₁₃.

For more, see:

" Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Amnesty International's 2023-23 summary on human rights in Mozambique stated:

“Armed conflict-driven human rights violations continued in northern Mozambique, aggravating the humanitarian crisis. Armed groups continued to burn villages, behead people and abduct women and girls. Meanwhile government security forces operating in the area also committed human rights violations against the population, including enforced disappearances, harassment and intimidation of civilians, and extortion of payments from traders. Internally displaced people continued to live in deplorable conditions with little access to food, water and housing. The rights to peaceful assembly and expression were repressed. A new NGO law threatened to limit civic space if implemented.”
"The State of the World's Human Rights 2022/23" by Amnesty International (2023)₁₄

“The killings, kidnappings, and physical attacks against people [including children] with albinism continued, despite government efforts to stop the violence, including several arrests. In Mozambique and some neighboring countries, people with albinism are hunted for their body parts, which are used for witchcraft.”
"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₁₀

2. Human Rights & Tolerance Datasets

2.1. Press Freedom

#democracy #freedom #Freedom_of_Speech #Good_Governance #mass_media #politics #UK

Press Freedom Higher is better₆
Pos.		2025₆
1	Norway	92.31
2	Estonia	89.46
3	Netherlands	88.64
	...
97	Swaziland	52.86
98	Kosovo	52.73
99	Angola	52.67
100	Mozambique	52.63
101	Mongolia	52.57
102	Guinea	52.53
103	Maldives	52.46
104	Burkina Faso	52.25
	Africa Avg	52.30
	World Avg	54.65
q=179. Also scored for 2000s-2010s.

Mozambique comes 100th in the world with regard to supporting press freedom.

The freedom to investigate, publish information, and have access to others' opinion is a fundamental part of today's information-driven world, and is linked with Freedom of Speech and Good Governance. Scores on the Press Freedom Index are calculated according to indicators including pluralism - the degree to which opinions are represented in the media, media independence of authorities, self-censorship, legislation, transparency and the infrastructure that supports news and information, and, the level of violence against journalists which includes lengths of imprisonments. The index "does not take direct account of the kind of political system but it is clear that democracies provide better protection for the freedom to produce and circulate accurate news and information than countries where human rights are flouted". The rankings are used as one of the datasets of the Social and Moral Development Index₁₅

It must be noted that press freedom is not an indicator of press quality and the press itself can be abusive; the UK suffers in particular from a popular brand of nasty reporting that infuses several of its newspapers who are particularly prone to running destructive and often untrue campaigns against victims. The Press Freedom Index notes that "the index should in no way be taken as an indicator of the quality of the media in the countries concerned".

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2026).

Averages by decade for Mozambique (for the ranks, lower is better):

Press Freedom	2000s Average	2010s Average
Mozambique:	17.28	69.67
World Rank:	72nd	⇣ 87th
World Avg:	27.44	65.91

2.2. Slavery in the 2020s

#burundi #eritrea #human_rights #indonesia #slavery

Slavery in the 2020s Lower is better₄
Pos.		Slavery in the 2020s Per 1000₄
1=	Switzerland	0.50
1=	Norway	0.50
3=	Germany	0.60
	...
31=	Senegal	2.90
31=	Ghana	2.90
33=	Benin	3.00
33=	Mozambique	3.00
35	Liberia	3.10
36=	Chile	3.20
36=	Costa Rica	3.20
38=	Nepal	3.30
	Africa Avg	6.90
	World Avg	7.15
q=160. Also scored for 2010s-2020s.

Mozambique ranks 33rd in the world with regard to combatting modern slavery.

Modern slavery includes forced labour (often of the under-age), debt bondage (especially generational), sexual slavery, chattel slavery and other forms of abuse, some of which can be surprisingly difficult to detect, but often target those fleeing from warzones, and the poverty-stricken vulnerable.₁₆. Some industries (diamond, clothing, coal) from some countries (Burundi₁₇, Eritrea₁₇, Indonesia₁₈) are a particular concern. The Walk Free Foundation, say in their 2023 report, that 50 million people are living in modern slavery₁₇, and, nearly two-thirds of those in forced labour are employed at the end of supply chains working for large multinationals that creating products consumed by rich countries₁₉.

For more, see:

"The Historical Slave Trade and Modern Slavery" by Vexen Crabtree (2018).

Averages by decade for Mozambique (for the ranks, lower is better):

Slavery	2010s Average	2020s Average
Mozambique:	5.40	3.00
World Rank:	101st	⇡ 33rd
World Avg:	6.54	7.15

2.3. Freedom in the World

#freedom #human_rights #hungary #politics #USA

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
128=	Guinea-Bissau	4.5
128=	Maldives	4.5
128=	Lebanon	4.5
128=	Mozambique	4.5
132=	Morocco	5.0
132=	Mauritania	5.0
132=	Jordan	5.0
132=	Pakistan	5.0
	Africa Avg	4.8
	World Avg	3.7
q=205. Also scored for 1970s-2010s.

Mozambique ranks 123rd in the world when it comes to its average Freedom in the World rating (still low for Africa).

Freedom House's long-standing annual report has been running since the 1970s, collecting data on political rights (PR) and civil liberties (CL). Their reports rate countries as "Free", "Partially Free" or "Not Free", however the results here are based on their numerical values. Many countries score the best combination of scores (1 and 1), which is why the table of results show many places equally placed in 1st place. In the past two decades, some well-established democracies like the USA and Hungary have been falling. Whilst most of the world in general is improving rights and freedoms over time, the 2020s has seen some regression.

For more, see:

" Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Averages by decade for Mozambique (for the ranks, lower is better):

Freedom in the World	1970s Average	1980s Average	1990s Average	2000s Average	2010s Average
Mozambique:	6.8	6.6	4.3	3.4	3.8
World Rank:	154th	⇡ 149th	⇡ 121st	⇡ 104th	⇣ 117th
World Avg:	4.3	4.2	3.6	3.4	3.4

2.4. Human Rights Watch Comments

#human_rights

Human Rights Watch Comments Higher is better₅
Pos.		2017 Score₅
1=	UK	9
1=	France	9
1=	Germany	9
	...
46=	Kosovo	-1
46=	Honduras	-1
46=	Peru	-1
49=	Mozambique	-2
49=	Brazil	-2
49=	Argentina	-2
49=	Georgia	-2
49=	Turkey	-2
	Africa Avg	-5.6
	World Avg	-1.9
q=123.

Mozambique is 49th in the world with regard to commentary in Human Rights Watch reports.

Human Rights Watch comments concentrate mostly on negative issues, however, they also make positive comments for those countries that engage in human rights defence around the world, or who make improvements at home. By adding up positive and negative comments (including double-points for negatives that involve large scales and crimes against humanity), the Social and Moral Index turns HRW commentary into quantified values. Some countries may be unfairly penalized because HRW have not examined them, and, some countries "get away" with abuses if they manage to hide it, or if it goes unnoticed - a negative point has been given for those countries in which HRW specifically state that access to investigators has been barred. The points were limited to a minimum of -10 because there are some points at which things are so bad, with abuses affecting so many, it is difficult to be more specific about the depths of the issues.

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2026).

2.5. Nominal Commitment to HR

#human_rights

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better₇
Pos.		2009 Treaties₇
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
108=	Andorra	15
108=	Cape Verde	15
108=	Bangladesh	15
108=	Mozambique	15
112=	Dominican Rep.	14
112=	Kenya	14
112=	Japan	14
112=	Jamaica	14
	Africa Avg	14.8
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

When it comes to its nominal commitment to Human Rights, Mozambique comes 101st in the world.

There are many international agreements on Human Rights, and, many mechanisms by which countries can be brought to account for their actions. Together, these have been the biggest historical movement in the fight against oppression and inhumanity. Or, putting it another way: these are rejected mostly by those who wish to oppress inhumanely. None of them are perfect and many people object to various components and wordings, but, no-one has come up with, and enforced, better methods of controlling the occasional desires that states and peoples have of causing angst for other states and peoples in a violent, unjust or inhumane way. Points are awarded for the number of Human Rights agreements ratified by the country, plus the acceptance of the petition mechanisms for disputes. The maximum possible score in 2009 was 24.

For more, see:

"Human Rights" by Vexen Crabtree (2026).

2.6. HR Treaties Lag

#human_rights #international_law #micronesia #politics #small_islands

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better₂₀
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty₂₀
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
107	Israel	10.97
108	Armenia	11.00
109	Lithuania	11.03
110	Mozambique	11.04
111	Tajikistan	11.08
112	Ethiopia	11.13
113	Slovenia	11.13
114	Dominica	11.14
	Africa Avg	9.88
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

With regard to speed of uptake of HR treaties, Mozambique is positioned 110th in the world.

Human Rights (HR) Treaties Lag is a count of how long it took each country to sign each of 11 key HR treaties. From the date of the first signatory of each treaty, all other countries have one point added to their score for each day they delayed in signing. Results are presented as average time in years to sign each one. The lower a country's score, the more enthusiastically it has taken on international Human Rights Treaties - which are, of course, minimal standards of good governance. The slowest are the countries of Micronesia, Melanesia, Australasia and Polynesia all lagged by over 12 years per treaty. The best regions are The Americas, Scandinavia and the Mediterranean.

For more, see:

" Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

3. Gender Equality Datasets

Mozambique is an unequal country, with male rights dominating those of women.

See:

3.1. Gender Inequality

#gender #gender_equality #human_rights #misogyny #women

Gender Inequality Lower is better₉
Pos.		2022₉
1	Denmark	0.01
2	Norway	0.01
3	Switzerland	0.02
	...
115	Laos	0.46
116	Myanmar	0.48
117	Guatemala	0.48
118	Mozambique	0.48
119	Botswana	0.49
120	Iran	0.49
121	Cambodia	0.49
122	Syria	0.49
	Africa Avg	0.53
	World Avg	0.34
q=166. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Mozambique comes 118th in the world in terms of opposing gender inequality (still low for Africa).

The UN Human Development Reports include statistics on gender equality which take into account things like maternal mortality, access to political power (seats in parliament) and differences between male and female education rates. Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchalism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

For more, see:

"Gender Equality" by Vexen Crabtree (2023).

Averages by decade for Mozambique (for the ranks, lower is better):

Gender Inequality	1990s Average	2000s Average	2010s Average
Mozambique:	0.60	0.56	0.52
World Rank:	87th	⇣ 109th	⇣ 124th
World Avg:	0.44	0.41	0.37

3.2. Year Women Can Vote

#christianity #gender_equality #human_rights #politics #women

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Year Women Can Vote Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
166=	Sao Tome & Principe	1975
166=	Cape Verde	1975
166=	Angola	1975
166=	Mozambique	1975
170	Portugal	1976
171	Guinea-Bissau	1977
172	Zimbabwe	1978
173=	Marshall Islands	1979
	Africa Avg	1961
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Mozambique comes 166th in the world when it comes to the year from which women could participate in democracy.

Women now have equal rights in the vast majority of countries across the world. Although academic literature oftens talks of when a country "grants women the right to vote", this enforces a backwards way of thinking. Women always had the right to vote, however, they were frequently denied that right. The opposition to women's ability to vote in equality with man was most consistently and powerfully opposed by the Catholic Church, other Christian organisations, Islamic authorities and some other religious and secular traditionalists.

For more, see:

"Gender Equality" by Vexen Crabtree (2023).

4. Prejudice Datasets

4.1. LGBT Equality in the 2020s

#2020s #equality #homosexuality #human_rights #ICCPR #intolerance #sexuality #tolerance

“Two years since the decriminalization of homosexuality in Mozambique, the government had still not registered the country´s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) group, Lambda. Since January 2016, the government has not made a public statement about Lambda or the rights of homosexuals in the country, despite constant appeals by the UN Human Rights Council for the government to register nongovernmental organizations that work on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. Homosexuality is widely tolerated in Mozambique, but LGBT people and local activists point to frequent discrimination at work and mistreatment by family members.”
"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₁₀

LGBT Equality in the 2020s Higher is better₈
Pos.		LGBT Equality in the 2020s Score₈
1=	Germany	4.88
1=	Spain	4.88
3	Portugal	4.81
	...
108	Mongolia	-0.48
109	Hungary	-0.50
110	Honduras	-0.51
111	Mozambique	-0.55
112	Vanuatu	-0.61
113	Dominican Rep.	-0.63
114	Palau	-0.65
115	Congo, (Brazzaville)	-0.68
	Africa Avg	-3.78
	World Avg	-1.21
q=215. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

Mozambique ranks 111th in the world when it comes to LGBT equality in the 2020s.

Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) folk is rife across the world. Legal restrictions co-exist alongside social stigmatisation and physical violence₂₁. LGBT tolerance and equal rights have been fought for country-by-country against tightly entrenched cultural and religious opposition. Adult consensual sexual activity is a Human Right and protected by privacy laws₂₂. Despite this, it is illegal to be homosexual in over 60 countries (as of 2025)₂₃. The Vexen LGBT Equality Index as part of the Social and Moral Development Index grants points to each country depending on its LGBT stance since the 1970s₂₄_,₂₅. Europe is by far the least prejudiced region, but in the Middle East and Africa cultural prejudice goes hand-in-hand with state intolerance, all too often including physical violence.

For more, see:

" LGBT Rights Across the World: Which are the Best and Worst Countries?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Homosexuality in Mozambique has been legal since 2015, when the new Penal Code replaced colonial-era "acts against nature" law imposed by Portugal from 1886 (though prosecutions were rare). When same-sex marriage began to be tolerated throughout the world, Mozambique reacted homophobically with a new Family Law that specifically defined same-sex marriage as between "a man and a woman". But things got better; a few years before decriminalisation in 2015, Mozambique�€�s Justice Minister declared homosexuality "not an offence" (2011). ILGA researchers in 2017 found that Mozambique still had almost no legal protections against anti-LGBT discrimination (except in employment), and supportive NGOs are banned. Progress was made with the Penal Code of 2020 (Law 24/2019) that introduced explicit protections against hate crimes and hate speech targeting LGBT folk. At the end of 2025, same-sex marriage and adoption remained banned, but Mozambique has introduced some protections against hate crimes and discrimination.

Actions taken at the United Nations:

⇣ Opposed a 2003 resolution at the UN Commission tabled by Brazil, on prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and opposed it again in 2004 (it was defeated both times by the Vatican and a collection of Islamic countries).
⇣ Opposed the 2006 Norway Joint Statement on sexual orientation and gender identity at the UN.

Averages by decade for Mozambique (for the ranks, lower is better):

LGBT Equality	1970s Average	1980s Average	1990s Average	2000s Average	2010s Average	2020s Average
Mozambique:	-3.00	-3.00	-3.00	-6.60	-2.20	-0.55
World Rank:	79th	⇣ 85th	⇣ 107th	⇣ 174th	⇡ 129th	⇡ 111th
World Avg:	-2.98	-2.87	-2.60	-2.15	-1.10	-1.21

4.2. Freedom of Thought

#europe #freedom_of_belief #freethought #human_rights #netherlands #religion #religious_tolerance #secularism #the_enlightenment

Freedom of Thought Lower is better₃
Pos.		2021₃
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
	...
15=	S. Africa	1.7
16=	St Kitts & Nevis	1.8
16=	Namibia	1.8
16=	Mozambique	1.8
16=	Micronesia	1.8
16=	USA	1.8
16=	Slovenia	1.8
16=	Palau	1.8
	Africa Avg	3.1
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

Mozambique comes 16th-best in the world with regard to freethought.

Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Belief are upheld in Article 18 the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights₂₆. It affirms that it is a basic human right that all people are free to change their beliefs and religion as they wish₂₇. No countries voted against this (although eight abstained). This right was first recognized clearly in the policies of religious toleration of the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe in the post-enlightenment era₂₈ of the 19th century. In democratic countries, freedom of belief and religion is now taken for granted₂₉. In 2016 a study found that over 180 countries in the world had come to guarantee freedom of religion and belief₃₀. The best countries at doing so are Belgium, The Netherlands and Taiwan₃_,₃₁ and the worst: Afghanistan, N. Korea, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia₃_,₃₂.

Long-term studies have shown that religious violence and persecution both decrease in cultures where religious freedom is guaranteed₃₃. Despite this, there still are many who are strongly against freedom of belief₂₇, including entire cultures and many individual communities of religious believers. Their alternative is that you are not free to believe what you want and they often state that you cannot change religion without being punished (often including the death penalty): this is bemoaned as one of the most dangerous elements of religion₃₄ and "the denial of religious freedoms is inevitably intertwined with the denial of other freedoms"₃₅ and the solution is, everywhere, to allow religious freedom and the freedom of belief.

For more, see:

"Freethought - Freedom of Belief and Freedom of Religion" by Vexen Crabtree (2022).