Groups call for zero tolerance on sexual harassment of students in Mozambique

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Groups call for zero tolerance on sexual harassment of students in Mozambique

8:08 CAT | 17 Oct 2025

FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Lusa]

Mozambican civil society organisations today demanded justice and “zero tolerance” for sexual harassment in schools, calling for safe institutions for girls and women, noting that six out of ten female university students are targeted by lecturers.

“We call on the competent authorities, both at provincial and national level, to take concrete and firm actions to defend the rights of victims and hold perpetrators accountable,” reads a statement released today by the Forum of Civil Society for Children’s Rights (ROSC), one of 36 organisations signing the “National Movement Against Sexual Harassment in Mozambique”.

For the movement, it is time to end the “climate of impunity” that allows crimes against women’s human rights to go unpunished. They also demand “zero tolerance for sexual harassment in schools”.

Citing recent research conducted by organisations in the country, ROSC claims that six out of ten higher education students have experienced sexual harassment by lecturers. “However, among the cases reported between 2019 and 2022, many were dismissed for alleged lack of evidence, and only a few resulted in formal sanctions”.

“The most recent cases in 2025 clearly demonstrate that sexual harassment and abuse have reached overwhelming proportions across all spheres of society, perpetuating gender inequalities and undermining the fundamental rights of women and girls,” the statement added.

ROSC acknowledged that some educational institutions have handled harassment cases with “necessary firmness”, but the NGO warned that it is common for victims, particularly students, to be blamed or accused of “provoking” the situation.

“Therefore, we recognise and commend the courage of students who refused to remain silent and confronted their harassers, even against the authority conferred by the lecturers’ positions,” the statement reads.

The organisation also highlighted 13 cases of sexual harassment reported since 2022 at Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM), Mozambique’s largest higher education institution, resulting in the expulsion of three lecturers and the suspension of two others, according to figures released by the university in September. At Rovuma University (UniRovuma), in Cabo Delgado province, northern Mozambique, reports led to the suspension of ten lecturers, two of whom were expelled in July.

At UniRovuma, ROSC notes that the investigation uncovered “clear evidence,” mainly based on complaints from students who “reported inappropriate behaviour by their lecturers”.

“While recognising the constitutional right to the presumption of innocence, we also defend the protection of victims and the conduct of independent, impartial, and rigorous investigations that ensure the truth is established and allow for a fair decision based on verified facts,” the statement adds.

ROSC reiterated its call to “all men who are allies of gender justice” to play an active role in combating sexual harassment, particularly in academic spaces: “Silence and indifference sustain patriarchal culture. It is urgent to dismantle these structures and protect victims through active listening, accountability, and firm solidarity.”

Source: Lusa