Civil Society and Human Rights

Finding solutions together
© Chris Stowers, Panos

Netherlands is well known to be a long standing partner strengthening the civil society and promoting the openness of civic space and human rights in Mozambique. Therefore, a direct support is given to strengthen the capacity of CSO’s in order to enable them to voice for the voiceless people and advocate for the defense of human rights. 

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Gender and youth

Considering that Mozambique has a rapidly growing young population, the Netherlands puts young and vulnerable people as the focus of all programs. We work to promote youth empowerment by supporting the development of market oriented skills, entrepreneurship abilities and rights trough FNS, SRHR and water interventions.
The Netherlands focusses on gender equality and women empowerment throughout its portfolio. This is specifically be done by goals within the thematic areas aiming the disadvantaged group of people (e.g. women, girls, sexual minorities), give specific support to women’s organizations and supporting women’s economic empowerment through various interventions.

The Netherlands together with likeminded donors have the lead in advocating for the broad Human rights issues and specifically women’s rights. Themes such as elimination of premature unions, Comprehensive Sexual Education, safe abortion, sex work, homosexuality and drug use are putting forward. In addition NL provides direct support to CSOs working on women’s rights and youth (including LGBTIQ+).
 

Strengthening Civil society and Human Rights

The Dutch embassy in Maputo funds a bilateral program ‘Rights and Democracy’ that aims to strengthen the lobby and advocacy capacity of a limited number of CSO’s at provincial and national working on human rights issues. In addition, there are 13  partnerships funded by the Ministry in the Netherlands under the policy framework - Strengthening Civil Society (SCS) through three instruments: Power of Voices, Power of women and SRHR Partnership fund.  The Embassy also promotes the work of young human rights defenders and youth related CSO’s by hosting a Tulip Award.

Feminist Foreign Policy

The Netherlands is well known for its active role in promoting and safeguarding universal human rights and fundamental freedoms, diversity and inclusivity. In that context the government’s decision in 2022 to pursue a feminist Foreign Policy (FFP) can be placed. Like other countries that have a FFP it the Dutch policy will entail the application of a systematic gender equality perspective throughout all aspects of foreign policy considering that gender equality is not only an objective in itself, but also essential for achieving other (global) objectives such as sustainable and inclusive development, peace and security.