- Women are also less likely than men to have paid employment. Mozambicans say discriminatory hiring practices are the No. 1 barrier to women's participation in the labour market, followed by a lack of flexible work arrangements. Only a slim majority oppose giving men priority in hiring. While more than six in 10 respondents support gender neutrality in politics, a sizeable minority believe that men make better leaders than women. Besides social norms, women also face other threats in public life: Nearly one in three citizens say women are frequently harassed in public spaces. And while a majority think that women will be believed if they complain about harassment or discrimination, three-fourths say authorities need to do more to protect them.
- About one in five citizens (22%) say families “often” or “always” prevent girls from going to school because they prioritise boys’ education.
- Almost one-third (31%) say schoolgirls regularly face discrimination, harassment, and requests for sexual favours from their teachers.
- More Mozambican men than women report working full time (10% vs. 5%) or part time (12% vs. 3%).
- Employers’ preference for hiring men is most commonly seen as the main barrier to women’s entry and advancement in the workplace, cited by 31% of women and 25% of men. Other perceived obstacles include a lack of remote or flexible work arrangements, women’s inadequate education, and a lack of childcare.
- Three in 10 respondents (30%) report that women are “often” or “always” prevented from taking paid employment by their husbands or family members.
- While a majority (53%) of those surveyed support gender fairness in hiring, 42% believe that men should be given priority when jobs are scarce.
- Almost two-thirds (63%) of Mozambicans say women should have the same chance as men of being elected to public office, though 34% disagree.
- Men are 11 percentage points less likely than women to endorse equal opportunity in politics (57% vs. 68%).
- About three in 10 citizens (31%) say women frequently experience sexual harassment in public spaces.
- Almost two-thirds (64%) say women and girls are likely to be believed if they complain of discrimination or harassment.
- But a larger majority (76%) say police and courts should do more to protect women and girls from discrimination and harassment.
Women’s empowerment is a question of both individual human rights and social progress. As the United Nations Development Programme (2014) asserts, “Unless women and girls are able to fully realise their rights in all spheres of life, human development will not be advanced.”
Mozambique’s Constitution guarantees that men and women are equal before the law in all spheres of life. Furthermore, it specifies that the state will promote women’s development and involvement in political, economic, social, and cultural domains (Legal Information Institute, 2007).
In recent years, the government has reinforced its commitment to gender equality through numerous programmes and legal instruments, including a gender policy and accompanying implementation strategy, which promotes the integration of a gender perspective into public policies (Republic of Mozambique, 2024); the National Plan for the Advancement of Women 2018-2024, which seeks to provide equal opportunities for women and men in education, employment, economic activities, and decision making in the public sphere (Ministry of Women and Social Action, 2019); and the National Programme for Women’s Economic Empowerment, which looks to expand rural women’s access to credit, control over land, participation in income-generating opportunities, and influence in local decision-making forums (Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Action, 2018).
The country has also adopted measures to address structural forms of discrimination. For example, a new labour law has reinforced the principle of gender equality in employment, prohibited workplace discrimination based on sex or gender, and strengthened labour protections for women during pregnancy, maternity leave, and breastfeeding (Republic of Mozambique, 2023).
The World Economic Forum’s (2025) Global Gender Gap Index ranks Mozambique 53rd out of 145 countries. Although higher than most African countries, this represents a significant drop from 27th place in 2024. Mozambique scores highly on health and survival (first) and political empowerment (eighth) but poorly on educational attainment (133rd) and economic participation and opportunity (76th). Compared to men, Mozambican women are considerably less likely to be literate, participate in the labour force, and occupy a senior role in political leadership. Meanwhile, three in 10 Mozambican women experience some form of gender-based violence in their lifetime (World Economic Forum, 2025).
Findings from Afrobarometer’s most recent survey in Mozambique confirm that women continue to face significant hurdles in school, at work, and in public office.
Fewer women than men have gone to secondary school. One in five citizens say families still prioritise boys’ education, while three in 10 say girls are subject to discrimination and harassment in school.
Women are also less likely than men to have paid employment. Mozambicans say discriminatory hiring practices are the No. 1 barrier to women’s participation in the labour market, followed by a lack of flexible work arrangements. Only a slim majority oppose giving men priority in hiring.
While more than six in 10 respondents support gender neutrality in politics, a sizeable minority believe that men make better leaders than women.
Besides social norms, women also face other threats in public life: Nearly one in three citizens say women are frequently harassed in public spaces. And while a majority think that women will be believed if they complain about harassment or discrimination, three-fourths say authorities need to do more to protect them.
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