Despite high growth rates throughout the last decade, more than half of all Mozambicans still live below the poverty line. Even more worrying is the fact that Mozambicans tend to be very vulnerable to setbacks, such as death or disease in the family, so that even as new families rise above the poverty line, others who were doing better are falling back below it. Moreover, sharp economic and development disparities persist between provinces, urban and rural areas, and men and women. Very often poverty is a matter of gender.

HIV and AIDS is one of the main challenges of Mozambique, increasing vulnerability and exacerbating poverty.

About half of the population lives below the poverty line and HIV/AIDS prevalance is high, estimated at 11.5% in 2009. See more about poverty  and HIV/AIDS  in the country (Source: National MDG Report 2010).