Advance questions:
- Norway commends Mozambique for adopting a new Penal Code with several important advancements for the realization of human rights. However, important supporting legislation, such as the Penal Procedure Code, which would allow for alternative sentencing, are still outstanding. What will Mozambique do to ensure the swift adoption of a new Penal Procedure Code and Correctional Execution Code?
2. Norway is concerned with the challenges in the Mozambican justice system, including slow judicial processes, the high number of prisoners in preventive detention and lacking access to legal assistance. Less than half of all prisoners have access to legal counsel. What will Mozambique do to reduce the waiting time for trials and ensure that all citizens, especially vulnerable groups, have access to justice?
3. Norway would like to express concern for the increase in abductions and murders of persons with albinism, especially in central and northern Mozambique. What steps is the Government of Mozambique taking to combat the persecution of persons with albinism and to prevent the trafficking of body parts?
4. Mozambique’s new penal code represents an advancement also for the rights of sexual minorities in Mozambique. What will Mozambique do in order to ensure that organizations and associations representing sexual minorities have the same right to register as other civil society organisations?
5. Norway commends Mozambique for strengthening its legislation related to women’s rights to sexual and reproductive health, including abortion. What will Mozambique do in order to extend access to these services, including through soliciting support from the UN and the World Bank?
6. Norway is concerned with the persistence of high rates of child marriage in Mozambique, despite legislation to criminalize it being in place. What will Mozambique do to reduce the incidence of child marriage and to ensure that those complicit are brought to justice?
Statement:
Norway welcomes the delegation from Mozambique. We commend the accession to several conventions and the adoption of a new Penal Code.
Norway recommends that Mozambique swiftly adopts a new Penal Procedure Code and Correctional Execution Code to allow for alternative sentencing.
Norway recommends that Mozambique works to promote freedom of expression in line with international human rights principles, including by repealing criminal defamation laws.
Norway recommends that Mozambique ensures that the National Human Rights Commission has sufficient resources, personnel and a clear mandate to carry out its work in line with the Paris principles.
Norway recommends that Mozambique ensures the right of association of NGOs working on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.
To ensure that women acquire access to rights guaranteed in law, including to safe abortion services, Norway recommends that Mozambique utilizes opportunities to obtain grant funding i.a. from the World Bank’s Global Funding Facility.