Gender review: Mainstreaming Gender and Women’s Rights in the Development Portfolio of the Norwegian Embassy in Mozambique

Summary of observations and recommendations

Mozambique has been a main cooperating partner of Norway since 1977. The total Norwegian assistance through all channels is NOK 400 - 450 million per year. The goal of the bilateral assistance is to support poverty eradication as well as to contribute to peaceful democratic development and economic growth

Norway supports Mozambique's own efforts to reduce poverty through the Action Plan for the Reduction of Absolute Poverty (PARPA). The development cooperation will be concentrated on general budget support and fisheries and energy, including support to the petroleum sector. Some catalytic and strategic support will be used for governance, human rights, gender equality, civil society, private sector development and environment and climatchange.

The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Mozambique (the Embassy) has requested that Norad undertake a gender review of the Embassy's portfolio, in order to identify ways and means of addressing and integrating women's and gender concerns into the current agreements within the present framework and budget, and for possible future phases of the various programmes and projects.

The review included three programmes: General Budget Support, Fisheries, and Soy Bean production. In addition, the team reviewed a number of women oriented projects that have been funded through a special budget line for women.