LGBT rights in Mozambique
Encyclopedia
The legal status of same-sex sexual activity is ambiguous in Mozambique
. There are no explicit laws against homosexual sex, and on March 2011, the Minister of Justice declared during the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review that homosexuality is not an offence in Mozambique. However, the Penal Code does contain an offence of "practices against nature
". According to the ILGA, this clause could potentially be interpreted as including male and female same-sex sexual activity, even though it is unknown to what extent the law is enforced. Indeed, reports state that the incidence of the statute being enforced against LGBT individuals have been slim to none.
Mozambique is frequently regarded as amongst the most tolerant states concerning gays and lesbians throughout Africa, if not the most. While the government has reported fairly little on LGBT rights, all of what has been said has been positive. It is one of the only three countries in Africa to offer any form of discrimination protections for gay, lesbians, and bisexuals, which have been in place since 2007. Protests for such legislation had been kick started only a year before, signaling a reasonably swift response by the government. Mozambique does not provide any form of recognition of same-sex relationships, though protests for same-sex marriage
and common-law marriage
have been ongoing since 2006.
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
. There are no explicit laws against homosexual sex, and on March 2011, the Minister of Justice declared during the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review that homosexuality is not an offence in Mozambique. However, the Penal Code does contain an offence of "practices against nature
Unnatural act
Unnatural act is the term, once common in legal parlance, for certain sex acts, including anal sex, oral sex, other non-procreative sexual practices, incest, or procreative sexual acts in the wrong position or without procreative intent....
". According to the ILGA, this clause could potentially be interpreted as including male and female same-sex sexual activity, even though it is unknown to what extent the law is enforced. Indeed, reports state that the incidence of the statute being enforced against LGBT individuals have been slim to none.
Mozambique is frequently regarded as amongst the most tolerant states concerning gays and lesbians throughout Africa, if not the most. While the government has reported fairly little on LGBT rights, all of what has been said has been positive. It is one of the only three countries in Africa to offer any form of discrimination protections for gay, lesbians, and bisexuals, which have been in place since 2007. Protests for such legislation had been kick started only a year before, signaling a reasonably swift response by the government. Mozambique does not provide any form of recognition of same-sex relationships, though protests for same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
and common-law marriage
Common-law marriage
Common-law marriage, sometimes called sui juris marriage, informal marriage or marriage by habit and repute, is a form of interpersonal status that is legally recognized in limited jurisdictions as a marriage even though no legally recognized marriage ceremony is performed or civil marriage...
have been ongoing since 2006.
See also
- LGBT rights in AfricaLGBT rights in AfricaLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender rights in Africa are limited in comparison to other areas of the world, with the BBC estimating that homosexuality is outlawed in 38 African countries...
- Human rights in AfricaHuman rights in AfricaHuman rights as a legal concept is a relatively recent notion in Africa. The United Nations System, international law and the African Union have certainly all contributed to the establishment of a human rights system in Africa, which has positively and indispensably influenced the advancement of...