[ Human Trafficking, Country-by-Country ]

MOZAMBIQUE (Tier 2 Watch List) – Extracted in part from the U.S. State Dept 2023 TIP Report

The Government of Mozambique does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.  These efforts included increasing investigations and prosecutions, training law enforcement and front-line officials, publishing and disseminating draft SOPs for trafficking victim referral and care and raising public awareness to prevent fraudulent labor recruitment.  The government convened government and civil society stakeholders and coordinated with neighboring governments in cross-border reference groups.  However, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period, even considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, on its anti-trafficking capacity.  Despite an increase in the number of initiated investigations, the government did not report identifying any trafficking victims and lacked adequate procedures for front-line officials to screen vulnerable populations for trafficking.  For the seventh consecutive year, the government did not adopt its draft NRM and SOPs for care and referral of trafficking victims.  The government did not report providing financial or in-kind support to the civil society organizations identifying and assisting potential victims.  The lack of a formally adopted NAP, including dedicated resources for anti-trafficking efforts, reduced integration of anti-trafficking efforts.  Reports of low-level official complicity in trafficking crimes persisted.  The government did not provide sufficient resources to victim protection services, relying on NGOs and international organizations to provide the majority of services to trafficking victims.  The government lacked effective policies or laws that would regulate foreign labor recruiters and hold them civilly and criminally liable for fraudulent recruiting.  Therefore Mozambique was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List.

Prioritized Recommendations

Finalize, adopt, and dedicate funds to implement the NAP.

Finalize, approve, and implement the NRM and SOPs for referral and care of trafficking victims, and train officials on their use.

Integrate victim identification and screening tools into victim care SOPs to enable front-line officials to systematically and proactively identify trafficking victims by screening vulnerable populations for trafficking indicators and referring them to appropriate services – including child abuse victims, victims of extremist groups including child soldiers, individuals in IDP and resettlement camps, individuals in commercial sex, returning migrants, and children without housing and/or engaged in street commerce.

Increase provision of comprehensive services, including medical care, psycho-social counseling, and shelter, to all trafficking victims, including adults, males, and foreign nationals, and expand the availability of protective services for all victims, including long-term shelter and reintegration assistance.

Amend the anti-trafficking law to bring the definition of trafficking in line with the definition of trafficking under international law.

Vigorously investigate and prosecute trafficking crimes and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, including complicit officials, which should involve significant prison terms.

Finalize implementing regulations for trafficking victim-witness protection.

Increase coordination among district, provincial, and national stakeholders to bolster reporting on the government’s anti-trafficking efforts.

Build the capacity of the labor inspectorate and the Family and Child Assistance Units to identify potential trafficking victims, investigate trafficking cases, and refer victims to care.

Implement and consistently enforce strong regulations and oversight of labor recruitment companies, including by eliminating recruitment fees charged to migrant workers and holding fraudulent labor recruiters criminally accountable.