Case study on ending child marriage in the Republic of Mozambique
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Case study on ending child marriage in the Republic of Mozambique
Credit for cover photo: UNICEF Mozambique Acknowledgements The UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage is generously funded by the Governments of Belgium, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom, the European Union and Zonta International. The UNICEF Eastern and Southern African Regional Office (ESARO) commissioned Child Frontiers to develop a compendium of promising practices on ending harmful practices and violence against children across the region. This documentation was written by Emma de Vise-Lewis and Gillian Mann of Child Frontiers with contributions from UNICEF staff in Mozambique, and government, NGO and other partners. Thanks also go to Jean Francois Basse and Mona Aika of UNICEF ESARO for their leadership and support throughout the process of developing the brief. The publication was designed by hopeworks. April 2021
Purpose of the case study challenges. The information presented is based © UNICEF/UNI381305/Bongyereirwe
on a documentary review and interviews with
The purpose of this case study is to highlight those involved and available. Its intended
a promising programme, service or approach audience includes those working in the areas
that is supported by the UNFPA-UNICEF of research, programmes and policy to end
Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End child marriage in Mozambique, in the region,
Child Marriage and is contributing to delaying and elsewhere, such as UNICEF, UNFPA,
the age of child marriage in Mozambique. It the Government of Mozambique, donors,
provides an outline of the work that is being civil society organisations and academics.
done, and an analysis of its successes and
3 UNICEF Case study on ending child marriage in the Republic of Mozambique
© UNICEF/UNI381305/Bongyereirwe
The context of child In Mozambique, a new child marriage law
marriage in Mozambique (passed in 2019) sets the legal minimum age
of marriage at 18 and eliminates the previous
Child marriage is defined as a formal marriage option of children marrying at the age of 16
or informal union that takes place before the age with parental consent. Marriage between an
of 18. In many contexts, the practice has been adult and a minor is now punishable by law
shown to have profound physical, intellectual, with up to 12 years in prison. According to the
psychological and emotional impacts, especially 2011 Demographic and Health Survey, 48% of
for girls. Children who are poor, live in rural areas women aged 20 to 24 years were married or in
and/or are out of school are disproportionally at a union by the age of 18, and 14% by the age of
risk of marrying young. Globally, the prevalence 15.2 Despite a decline from 56.6% in 1997, this
of child marriage has declined over the last rate of child marriage still represents one of the
decade, with the most progress seen in South highest in the world and the second highest in
Asia, especially among girls below 15 years of the eastern and southern African sub-region.3
age. Nevertheless, in 2020 the total number of
girls married before the age of 18 remained at Child marriage is more prevalent in rural areas
approximately 12 million per year. Progress must where 56% of women aged 20-24 were
be accelerated in order to meet the Sustainable married by the age of 18, compared with
Development Goal 5.3 of ending child marriage 36% in urban areas.4 As seen elsewhere in
by 2030.1 Furthermore, recent and growing the world, the drivers of child marriage in
evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic Mozambique include high levels of poverty,
suggests that some of the gains have been gender inequality, poor access to quality
lost over the past year and thus an even greater education, limited life choices, cultural norms,
investment is needed than earlier predicted. especially those related to initiation rites,
and high levels of teenage pregnancy.
4 UNICEF Case study on ending child marriage in the Republic of Mozambique
The UNFPA-UNICEF Global
Programme to Eliminate Child
Marriage in Mozambique
In 2016, UNICEF, together with UNFPA, Beneficiaries for case management support are
launched the Global Programme to End Child identified during the registration or payment of
Marriage in twelve of the most high-prevalence the cash transfers based on criteria that assess
countries, including Mozambique. Working in vulnerability. The pilot has been endorsed by the
three phases, the programme aims to address government with the intention of influencing
complex socio-cultural and structural factors changes in the overall system. Should the pilot
that underpin the practice of child marriage, with be successful, the aim is to roll it out nationally.
the goal of ending the practice within 10 to 15
years.5 In Mozambique, the Global Programme Although the implementation of the case
is implemented in coordination with the lead management component of the Child
Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action, Grant 0-2 programme is not directly funded
the National Coalition to Prevent and End Child by the Global Programme, the mapping
Marriage and other relevant organisations and process (PROSAS) and a workforce capacity
networks. Milange, Pebane and Maganja da assessment that helped to inform the initiative
Costa in Zambézia province, and Monapo, were supported by it. Moreover, the case
Rapale and Angoche in Nampula province, are management model being employed is part
priority areas due to their high prevalence of child of a wider system-strengthening approach,
marriage, coupled with other related issues, which underlies the Global Programme’s efforts
such as teenage pregnancy and stunting, as to combat child marriage. Furthermore, in the
well as an already high investment and presence 2021-2023 Global Programme work plan, a
of UNICEF in other programmatic areas.6 new activity was included: the VAC Response
District Plans. These allow social workers
UNICEF is supporting a case management to provide case management to children
approach, known as Acompanhamento Familiar who are victims of violence and/or at risk of
(family support), which consists of tailored child marriage in the six districts identified
support and follow up to vulnerable individuals under the Global Programme and six districts
and families. Case management was introduced under the Spotlight Initiative.8 A particular
in 2019 under a pilot intervention in three pilot emphasis is being placed on the impact of the
districts in Nampula: Lalaua, Mogincual and Covid-19 pandemic. This case study focuses
Nacala-a-Velha. It is one of two components on the case management component as an
under the Child Grant 0-2 programme, the approach that seeks to successfully reduce
other being unconditional cash transfers.7 risks that children and adolescents face,
including to marriage before the age of 18.
5 UNICEF Case
Casestudy
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© UNICEF/UN0246462
Promising practice
to delay the age of marriage
The case management model in Mozambique Case management
follows policies and tools approved by the in Mozambique
Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action.
Its aim is to deliver social welfare and social The case management component of the
protection services to families defined as ‘most Child Grant programme did not initially focus
vulnerable’, assessed against criteria that look specifically on child marriage, as shown in the
at a family’s economic, security and hygiene conceptual note for the Child Grant programme.
conditions. The underlying assumption is that However, it became apparent during the
access to income contributes to overcoming implementation of the programme that child
situations of vulnerability, but that for this to be marriage was a significant concern in the areas
effective, income generation efforts need to where the grant was being rolled out. Many of
be accompanied by social welfare assistance. those identified as vulnerable were girls under
tection threats and safety concerns. the age of 18 who were either pregnant, and
they were classified as a category that qualifies
6 UNICEF Case study on ending child marriage in the Republic of Mozambiquefor automatic referral for the child grant. The to improve the family’s wellbeing. Guidelines
triage process9 in the three case management include the Statutory Case Management
districts found that an average of 55% of those Guidelines, a national Procedures Guideline
eligible for case management were children for the child protection reference group,12
under the age of 18. Of these, 24% were and a detailed Home Visit Manual developed
married.10 Based on this observation, the case to specifically guide the pilot in Nampula.
management sub-component began to actively
identify and consider the needs of children
who were married or at risk of marriage.
Case workers, known as either ‘permanentes’
from the National Social Action Institute (INAS)
or ‘technicians’ from the Social Welfare District
Services, are assigned a maximum of 20
cases at any given time.11 Their role is to work
closely with individuals and their families to
establish and support the roll out of an agreed
tailored plan that spans, on average, a period
of six months and a further three months for
monitoring. During that time, regular home
visits are conducted by case workers to offer
direct support to primary caregivers, their
children and other members of the household.
For cases of child marriage, an immediate
assessment is made of the child and the
family’s surroundings, and a trusted caregiver
is identified to support the girl in the event Through their discussions with families,
that she leaves her partner and returns home. case workers also seek to support family
Support that case workers offer includes strengthening initiatives and strengthen
psychosocial and emotional support and community support networks. This aspect of
counselling, and sensitising parents and other their work is especially important for women
family members. They also facilitate referrals and girls who have married young because
to community and government services, these individuals tend to feel isolated, have
such as health, education, skills building, girls’ limited employment opportunities and are
clubs, social protection, birth registration, more exposed to violence.13 Young girls
and judiciary services/legal assistance. lack the maturity and knowledge to assert
themselves, access means for their economic
Various manuals and guidelines have been independence, and understand their rights.
developed to train and guide case workers In these instances, assisting girls to access
in their work. These focus on identifying and friends and family members who can
registering vulnerable people, conducting risk listen, share experiences and help identify
assessments, and planning and coordinating solutions can be critical to their wellbeing.14
together with the family an action plan that aims
7 UNICEF Case study on ending child marriage in the Republic of MozambiqueProgramme achievements young and can identify and develop strategies
to respond to such cases effectively. UNICEF
Case management service is proving to be an has been supporting a multi-sectoral approach,
effective way of identifying and responding strengthening the Ministry of Gender, Children
to vulnerable children, and in the pilot and Social Action at the district level and the
districts in Nampula, it has drawn attention child protection reference group. Case histories
to the magnitude of the problem of child collated by UNICEF in 2019 in Angoche district
marriage. Currently, the case management in Nampula demonstrate how a coordinated
sub-component is supporting 385 cases approach between the different sectors is
across the three pilot districts, of which enabling identified cases of child marriage to
24% relate to child marriage. Over half of be addressed and solutions to be found.
the cases have been referred to one or
more services, including health, social work, “In November 2019, 13 year old Maria went
education and psychosocial support.15 to Angoche to visit her mother. When she
arrived at her mother’s house, she met a 17
A social welfare workforce capacity assessment year old boy called Carlos who lived in the same
funded by the Global Programme in 2019 found neighbourhood. Carlos asked Maria’s mother if
that the ratio of social workers for the population he could marry Maria and the mother accepted.
was woefully inadequate (1:75,000) and that the In a multi-sectoral coordination meeting at
general capacity of the workforce was extremely the district level, a case worker reported the
low. Social workers had very little knowledge incident. The case worker, along with paralegal
and understanding about case management social workers, activists and community leaders,
and there were no procedures in place. The came together to talk to the two families. After
gaps identified prompted the recruitment of several discussions, the families agreed to
new case workers, or ‘permanentes’ to be stop the premature marriage and Maria and
placed in priority districts and intensive training Carlos went back to school.” Interview with
was provided at the district level to ensure that Maria by a UNICEF employee, Agoche, 2019
case workers clearly understood what was
expected of them and had clear guidance on Furthermore, referral mechanisms have been
how to manage cases once they were identified. strengthened between the child protection and
Guidelines and manuals were also developed. education sectors through the establishment of
Data collection in the Child Grant pilot districts a VAC prevention and response mechanism in
has also greatly improved. As a result, case schools, supported by the Ministry of Education
workers are in a much stronger position to and UNICEF. This mechanism clarifies linkages
identify and effectively respond to cases, and referrals between teachers, social workers
including those that involve child marriage. and the police in the event of child protection
abuses, such as child marriage. Teachers have
Although it is difficult to see change at this been trained on procedures included in a GBV
early stage in the pilot, UNICEF staff noted and VAC manual that will be implemented
that in the pilot districts in Nampula, social in 2021 with Global Programme funding.
workers are implementing case management
in a far more cohesive, coordinated way. They
understand the risks children face in marrying
8 UNICEF Case study on ending child marriage in the Republic of MozambiqueChallenges faced and future directions
Financial resources available under Cultural acceptance of child marriage
the Global Programme for the case creates a considerable challenge. According
management work are very limited. to the district level head of the Office for
According to a recent case management Assistance to Women and Children, many
progress report, there are not enough case cases of child marriage have the consent of the
workers to respond to the total number of girls’ parents.18 The practice is so entrenched
identified cases of child marriage.16 UNICEF that very few cases are reported and it can be
staff further explained that case workers do not difficult for the case workers to intervene.
have adequate funding to carry out their tasks
effectively, including phone credit, transport The effectiveness of the case management
costs and basic stationery. Furthermore, delays approach has also been significantly
in disbursing funds for the programme can challenged as a result of the COVID-19
impede case workers from reaching out to pandemic, especially because it is designed
beneficiary families and providing technical based on a regular home-visit approach. Unless
support and training to those involved in a face-to-face visit is considered essential,
case management. As a result, there are currently case workers are recommended to
huge challenges in strengthening the case speak to the family by mobile phone, which
management approach as a whole, with gaps raises multiple challenges, among them the
in case workers’ number/ratio, capacity, data decreased capacity of case workers to form
collection, monitoring and other difficulties open, trusting relationships with their clients,
still apparent. These budget constraints who may not feel comfortable discussing the
severely impact on case workers’ motivation problems they are confronting over the phone.19
and on the quality of the interventions.17
© UNICEF/UN0254656/Marques
9 UNICEF Case study on ending child marriage in the Republic of MozambiqueKey learning The pilot case management sub-component of the Child Grant programme has made significant progress since it was launched in 2019. The workforce capacity assessment showed that the starting point was extremely low; there were no guidelines and procedures, no means of collecting and managing data, and insufficient numbers of case workers. Those who were in place had limited knowledge of case management. Since then, following greater investment and training, huge progress has been noted. However, there is still much work to be done to strengthen the case management approach and additional resources that are disbursed in a timely, reliable manner will be needed to ensure greater impact and sustainability. Furthermore, Covid-19 has hindered the implementation of the case management work, given restrictions on movement and gatherings. Services are being provided remotely by phone, requiring additional funds, and case workers have to ensure that they have a private and confidential space where they can speak to beneficiaries over the phone. School closures have severely impacted on the school reintegration strategy for girls who have given birth or been married. Moreover, there have been anecdotal reports that girls who were enrolled in school before the pandemic-related closures have indicated that on re-opening they do not intend to re-enrol because they are now either pregnant or married. Moving forward, it will be critical to further strengthen referral mechanisms and linkages to services, including social protection, child protection, education and health, with a strong focus on prevention initiatives that target vulnerable families. Case workers need to be supported to identify and respond to underage girls who are at risk of marriage and provide early support to the family. Even within the Child Grant programme, better coordination is needed between the cash transfer and case management components to ensure that increased access to income and improved social welfare assistance complement each other effectively and ultimately contribute to a decline in vulnerability. 10 UNICEF Case study on ending child marriage in the Republic of Mozambique
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[1] https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child- [9] This process is the first step to select the beneficiaries
marriage; UNICEF (2016) Child marriage in Eastern and when they are registered for the child grant programme.
Southern Africa: Determinants, consequences and the way All potential beneficiaries are evaluated using a vulnerability
forward. Nairobi: UNICEF; prioritisation tool (VP).
https://www.unicef.org/zambia/reports/ending-child-
[10] UNICEF Case management component Child Grant 0-2
marriage-programme-zambia-country-profile-2018.
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[2] Ministerio da Saude (MISAU), Instituto Nacional
[11] Whether a case is handled by a ‘permanente’ or a
de Estatística (INE) e ICF International (ICFI) (2011).
‘technician’ depends on the severity of the case. Severe
Moçambique Inquérito Demográfico e de Saúde 2011.
cases fall under the technicians’ responsibility, while less
Calverton, Maryland, USA: MISAU, INE e ICFI.
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[3] Ministerio da Saude (MISAU), Instituto Nacional
[12] The reference group is a multisectoral coordination group
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that operates at national, provincial and district level. It is led
Moçambique Inquérito Demográfico e de Saúde 2011.
by the Attorney office and co- led by Ministry of Gender,
Calverton, Maryland, USA: MISAU, INE e ICFI;
Children and Social Action to respond to cases of violence
https://www.unicef.org/mozambique/en/child-marriage-
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has%20one%20of%20the%20highest%20rates%20 [13] UNICEF Mozambique (2020). UNICEF Care Component
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African%20sub%2Dregion.&text=Child%20marriage%20 UNICEF Relatório de atividades da componente de Gestão
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[5] UNICEF-UNFPA (2015) Report of the Inception Phase of [15] UNICEF Mozambique (2020). UNICEF Case
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[7] UNICEF Mozambique (2020). UNICEF Care Component
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de Caso Subsidio da Criança em Nampula. November 2020.
[8] The Spotlight Initiative is a global partnership spanning
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please see www.spotlightinitiative.org
11 UNICEF Case study on ending child marriage in the Republic of Mozambique12 UNICEF Case study on ending child marriage in the Republic of Mozambique
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