2025 Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy: Overview of the situation in Mozambique

This year’s EU Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World looks back at a year marked by persistent and diverse conflicts, as well as widespread shifts away from an international rules-based order towards one shaped by autocratic power, where self-interest takes precedence over solidarity. Against this global backdrop, the report also examines the human rights and democracy situation in Mozambique. 

Overview of the human rights and democracy situation

 Mozambique’s human rights situation remained deeply concerning in early 2025. Violence in the wake of the disputed October 2024 elections persisted into the new year, only gradually diminishing after President Chapo’s inauguration on 15 January. Security forces cracked down on the widespread protests with excessive use of force. Civil society groups documented at least 400 deaths, 3,000 injuries, and over 4,000 arbitrary detentions, with reports of indiscriminate shootings, ill-treatment in detention, and enforced disappearances, mostly of opposition supporters. These figures have not been confirmed by the authorities. According to the CIVICUS Monitor, civic space in Mozambique remained classified as ‘repressed’ in 2025.

In 2025, the insurgency in Cabo Delgado worsened, causing the displacement of hundreds of thousands of persons and disrupting humanitarian aid. By April 2025, 609,000 people remained displaced across the northern provinces, with women and children making up 80% of those affected. Civilians faced arbitrary executions and kidnappings (including the abduction of at least 120 children in early 2025). School closure increased the risk of child recruitment and exploitation, while women and girls faced heightened threats of sexual and gender-based violence. Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) hampered mobility and heightened insecurity. Humanitarian access remained constrained.

Climate disasters, including cyclones Chido (2024), Dikeledi (January 2025), and Jude (March 2025), compounded the already dire situation in conflict-ridden areas, causing the displacement of more communities.

Faced with the cumulative impact of political repression, armed conflict, climate crises, and institutional fragility, authorities have acknowledged the need to restore trust in public institutions, underscoring the urgent need to achieve lasting stability through accountability, inclusive governance, and strengthened human rights protection. Following a political compromise in March 2025, a National Inclusive Dialogue to address the post-election tensions was launched. By mid-2025, reports of human rights incidents were decreasing in frequency but concerns on accountability persisted; no convictions have been reported, with a dysfunctional justice system failing to investigate violations or protect witnesses.

The implementing regulation of the 2024 Law on Disability Rights remained pending, de facto limiting the law’s practical effect throughout 2025.

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EU action - key focus areas

 In 2025, the EU continued to monitor human rights developments in Mozambique closely, with a heightened focus on conflict-affected areas, in particular the northern province of Cabo Delgado. The EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM), which in September 2024 had replaced the EU Military Training Mission, played a crucial role in delivering training in human rights and international humanitarian law. In addition, the EU has continued to integrate human rights into its partnership/cooperation programmes, promoting inclusive development with a particular focus on the rights of women, children and persons with disabilities. This support translated into financial assistance, facilitating capacity-building programmes and protection measures for activists facing risks. The EU continued to focus on key areas such as peace building and good governance.

There was also a particular focus on fighting gender-based violence. EU bilateral political engagement: The EU engaged with the government of Mozambique during the third Mozambique-EU Human Rights Dialogue, held in Maputo on 29 October 2025. Discussions centered on progress in implementing recommendations from the most recent previous Dialogue (held in 2022), while also addressing factors hindering implementation of the country’s human rights commitments. Key topics included accountability for post-electoral violence, protection of human rights defenders, gender equality, women’s and children’s rights and the inclusion of vulnerable groups – with particular attention for the ongoing Inclusive National Dialogue. The Mozambican side explicitly requested EU support in areas such as a counter-terrorism strategy aligned with human rights and international humanitarian law, a regulation on the rights of persons with disabilities, the fight against femicide and domestic violence, and reinforcement of capabilities for independent investigation and witness protection.

In 2025, the EU held two Partnership Dialogues with Mozambique: one in Maputo in June and another in Pemba, Cabo Delgado, in November. In Maputo, the EU emphasized the importance of safeguarding human rights, political freedoms, and inclusive governance, particularly in light of the post-election context. A joint communiqué was issued, in which the Government of Mozambique reaffirmed its commitment to advancing reforms towards national unity, sustainable development, and respect for human rights and political liberties. Both sides agreed to continue cooperating on regional peace and security.

In January 2025, the EU Election Observation Mission presented its final report on the 2024 elections, highlighting challenges such as post-electoral violence, limitations on freedom of assembly, unequal access to media and irregularities in vote counting. The EU encouraged the Mozambican authorities to implement priority recommendations from the report aimed at enhancing the integrity, transparency, and inclusiveness of the electoral process. The EU furthermore continued its discreet diplomacy to encourage stakeholders to overcome the post-electoral crisis. This added value to the National Inclusive Dialogue. The EU also encouraged the authorities to recognize peaceful demonstrations as legitimate expressions of civic participation, stressing that security responses must be proportional and accountability mechanisms effective.

The EU Delegation engaged in several public events with CSOs promoting human rights and democratic institutions, but also with vulnerable groups. The EU Delegation also supported youth empowerment in Mozambique. The EU Youth Sounding Board (YSB) attended national and international youth events (Youth Summit 2025, Africa-Europe Youth Academy launch event and advisory board). Through public outreach and awareness campaigns tailored to the local audience, the EU highlighted its work both in Mozambique and globally. The EU Delegation continued to resort to social media messaging on key dates such as International Democracy Day, Press Freedom Day, the 16-Days Campaign Against GBV, Human Rights Day, International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, etc.

EU financial engagement

The EU remained committed to protecting people affected by armed violence, including vast numbers of internally displaced persons and their host communities. The EU contributed over EUR 38.7 million in humanitarian assistance to help address the Cabo Delgado crisis in 2024 and 2025, with a focus on the most pressing needs such as critical access to food, water and sanitation, shelter, health, nutrition and protection services. Gender continued to be a cross-cutting priority in EU action. The EU addressed Business and Human Rights through its project Cidadania Activa.

The EU has also continued to promote environmental sustainability through specific projects and programmes (e.g. PROMOVE Biodiversity programme, WCS illegal trade in wildlife, GUARD wildlife, NaturAfrica Southern Africa). It also contributed to expanding civil society engagement on environmental and climate action, while cooperating with the Mozambican Government to improve its legal framework, ensuring alignment with international environmental standards and global commitments.

Multilateral context

Mozambique remained actively engaged in key UN and African Union fora, where it consistently advocated for the integration of human rights principles in conflict resolution and peace-building efforts. In 2025, Mozambique's engagement with multilateral human rights mechanisms, particularly the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), continued to be an important focus.