Civil Society and Government join forces to fight domestic violence

domestic violence

Pemba, Cabo Delgado, September 2011 – Earlier this year, Mozambique achieved an important milestone in the protection of women’s rights due to a new law against domestic violence. Six months after a massive awareness campaign is launched in order to ensure an effective implementation. The “Law on domestic violence against Women” was approved in July 2009 as a result of joint collaboration between Civil Society Organizations, the Parliament of Mozambique and the United Nations. Although it is a useful instrument in terms of protection against domestic violence, the law doesn’t have regulations thus is subject to different interpretations.

Legal assistance available to victims of domestic violence

The number of victims of domestic violence it is high and the majority are women. There is no accurate data on the number of victims of domestic violence as many of the crimes are not reported. Those victims who report have no specific profile; they are from all races, religions, ages, financial and academic backgrounds. They are mothers, housewives, domestic workers, students, university professors, etc.

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Participants of the Cabo Delgado training of trainers on the new Law on domestic violence against women violence

Currently Mozambique has more than 30 offices for support of victims of domestic violence throughout the country. Efforts are being made to increase the number to at least 128 offices, one per district. They are all located at and managed by the police who recently joined forces with the Ministry of Justice, who will provide legal assistance to victims. Civil society organizations have also played a significant role in the fight against domestic violence. They were pioneers for the approval of the law and have been providing support to victims of domestic violence with counseling, legal support, protection against the perpetrators, re-insertion in communities, etc.

The law on domestic violence defines and penalizes physical, moral and psychological violence. Although the law is called the ‘Law on domestic violence against Women’, the law applies also to men (art 36 of session V). Cabo Delgado, a province in northern Mozambique, is a matriarchal society and also has cases of domestic violence against men but very few of those are reported because of pride, shame and stereotyping.

Training is necessary as at district level still resistance to accept that domestic violence is a crime

In Pemba, Cabo Delgado province, a group of representatives of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), the Government, (Minister of Interior, Justice) judges and attorneys met for a two days training of trainers on the new Law on domestic violence against women. Participants requested that additional and similar activities should be organized at district level, because there is still resistance to
accept that domestic violence is a crime. Community leaders should hear about the law directly from the experts.

The training participants, key implementers of the law, had knowledge gaps about the new law against stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV and Aids which was also was approved in 2009. More dissemination of information about both laws is
needed at community level.

This activity is part of the UNDP gender mainstreaming project. It is being implemented in partnership with Forum Mulher, a network of civil society organizations working on the promotion of women’s Human Rights. Forum Mulher started the dissemination of the law with a training of trainers in Maputo Province. The training is expected to cover all provinces by November 2011.

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