Constraints on the achievement of the targets for 2015

• In rural areas some parents are afraid of sending their daughters to school where male teachers dominate, due to the fear of sexual harassment.
• Need of special focus on professional training for women, mainly in the areas with high employability.
• The cultural habits that lead to the non-enrolment or dropout of girls from schools, such as premature marriages and the absence of recognition of the importance of schooling for girls.

Challenges for the achievement of the targets for 2015

• Integration of women in technical-professional education.
• Dissemination of information that reduces the stereotypes that discriminate women.
• Reduction of repetition and dropouts rates.
• Improving the students’ school performance in general.
• Dealing with concerns regarding management and supervision.
• Strengthening the support to girls through the Direct Support to Schools (ADE) Programme, especially for secondary and technical-professional schools.
• Implement coordinated actions at provincial and district level in all priority areas defined in the National Plan for the Advancement of Women.
• Increase the financing of other initiatives for the promotion of gender equality and women empowerment.
• Continue the training and awareness-raising efforts regarding gender issues.
• Introduction and/or expansion of radio programmes for awareness-raising and teaching women and girls.

Positive factors for the achievement of the target for 2015

• The principles of equality of rights and gender are included In the Constitution of the Republic (Articles 35 and 36).
• At the strategy level Gender is paid attention in several strategic instruments, such as the Five-Year Programme for 2010-2014, PARPA 2010-2011, the Gender Policy and Implementation Strategy, the National Plan for the Advancement of Women, Gender strategies of Education, Health, Public Administration, Energy and Environmental Affairs.
• The Education sector has a Strategic Plan (2006-2011) that gives priority to gender issues.
• Gender Units in all Provincial Directorates of Education and District Services of Education, Youth and Technology
• Creation of 11 Provincial Councils for the Advancement of Women (CPAMs) and of 30 District Councils for the Advancement of Women (CDAM) in 4 provinces (Nampula, Zambézia, Tete and Niassa).
• The political will and commitment (the proclamation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action) regarding gender issues is expressed in the legislation and in the Government policies.
• There is a variety of bodies working in an interrelated way for the coordination of the promotion of gender equality, such as MMAS, CNAM (Government), Office of Women Members of Parliament and the Social, Gender and Environmental Affairs Commission (Parliament) and Civil Society Organizations.

Source: Report on the Millennium Development Goals - Mozambique 2010