GENDER EQUALITY, AN ELUSIVE GOAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 000528

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI PHUM SCUL MZ
SUBJECT: GENDER EQUALITY, AN ELUSIVE GOAL

MAPUTO 00000528 001.2 OF 002



1. SUMMARY: Women are specifically recognized as equal to
men under the Mozambican constitution, but equality has
proved an elusive goal. Legal structures are in place to
assure equal treatment but lack of knowledge of rights and
financial resources, lack of access to the courts, limited
education, and strong cultural traditions keep many women
from exercising the rights guaranteed to them. Despite this,
women hold high offices in the Government of Mozambique
(GRM),as well as both major parties, including the positions
of Prime Minister, Minister of Labor, and Minister of
Justice. Advances in employment and politics are encouraging
but even in these arenas, women trail behind. END SUMMARY.

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LEGAL STRUCTURE IN PLACE
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2. Both Mozambique's constitution and its body of laws
recognize equality between the sexes but, as in many areas,
enforcement is lacking, and many women do not have knowledge
of their rights or the specifics of the new family law that
passed in 2008. The laws regarding inheritance on the death
of a spouse provide a telling example. The laws are clear; a
surviving widow has significant rights to her late husband's
assets. In many rural areas, however, based on cultural
norms, a widow is denied access to any of her late husband's
assets and is thrown out of the home, left to survive as best
she can. If the widow knows of her legal rights, she may
find her efforts to enforce them stymied by lack of access to
the courts, lack of access to legal representation, and lack
of resources to pay for representation. In addition, there
is the broader problem of a lack of justice structure at the
rural level.

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CULTURAL LIMITATIONS
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3. Cultural norms continue to impinge on gender equality.
Generally speaking, a Mozambican woman is considered to be of
value only if she is partnered with a man. In some areas,
women are expected to serve meals for men and eat only after
the men have finished. This tradition, which emphasizes
gender inequality, is followed even by well-educated,
employed women in the cities, who fear loss of social
recognition if their male partner leaves due to failure to
treat him with the esteem to which society tells him he is
entitled.

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EDUCATION
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4. The Government of Mozambique (GRM) is committed to
achieving universal primary basic education (but is unlikely
to meet the Millennium Development Goals). In cities, boys
and girls attend school in approximately equal percentages
although far more males receive higher education and complete
education than females. In rural areas far fewer girls
attend school than boys, fewer go on to higher education or
even complete a basic education. There are numerous reasons
for this including a belief that education for girls is
unimportant, the need for girls to assist in the running of
the household (often caring for children while their mothers
work in the fields),lack of separate toilet facilities, and
far distances to schools. Tragically, there are many cases
of young female students being impregnated by their teachers,
either trading grades for sex or outright sexual abuse. Also,
as secondary school is not free, parents tend to invest in
their sons' secondary schooling first.

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POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
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5. Women are better represented in the political and
governmental arenas. Both major political parties trumpet
the involvement of women in their organizations; for example,
each has a female director of external relations. Majority
party Frelimo requires that women make up at least a specific
percentage of the candidates for every election (and hence
women make up an important percentage of representatives in
the National Assembly); Renamo,s spokesperson is a woman.
The prime minister is a woman, the first lady is a well
respected leader, and Graca Machel, widow of Mozambican hero
Samora Machel, is a member of the Frelimo party Central
Committee, head of a major NGO, and highly visible supporter
of better education for women. Several ministries, including
Justice and Labor, are headed by women, and all ministries
have a gender focal point-person. The ruling-FRELIMO
party,s most important body, the Political Commission,
includes four women in its 15-person membership.

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NON-TRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT; WOMEN SUPPORTING WOMEN
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6. Women are well-integrated into the work force and are
well-represented in the medical and banking industries.
Women appear in non-traditional employment, excelling at
de-mining and serving in the police and military (although in
the lower ranks,and only in Maputo, since the FADM is less
able to protect them against sexual assault in outlying
areas). Women generally are supportive of other women and
their careers, mentoring and networking together. Female
attorneys organized through the NGO Association of Mozambican
Women in the Justice Career (AMMCJ) provide pro bono legal
services and education to women throughout the country.

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COMMENT
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7. Perhaps the best hope for gender equality in Mozambique
lies in the smaller communities where infusions of
state-provided funds to be distributed by a local council
provide women the opportunity to receive a basic education,
learn leadership skills, to assert themselves on issues that
are important to them, and to learn to work together to
achieve important goals. This, along with the efforts of
groups to inform women of legal rights they already possess
and to assist women in enforcing their rights through the
justice system, could provide the next generation of women
with greater empowerment. Communities need to place higher
value on girls' education and existing structure need to be
reinforced at the district and municipal levels to create an
enabling environment in support of gender equality.
Chapman