Mozambique is a constitutional democracy whose President is head of state and is directly elected for a 5-year term and whose legislature has 250 members elected on the basis of proportional representation for 5-year terms. The legislature was elected in 2004 on the basis of universal suffrage in elections deemed free and fair despite some flaws. Two political parties dominate the scene. The Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) has held power since independence in 1975 and currently holds a majority of 160 seats. RENAMO has the remaining 90 seats. FRELIMO is accused of using state funds for campaigning in violation of the election law.

Women hold 87 of 250 seats in the Assembly, and a woman is Prime Minister. Members of many ethnic groups hold key positions in both legislative and executive branches. Leadership positions are dominated by the Shangaan ethnic group, whereas RENAMO is dominated by the N'dau ethnic group.

Discrimination on the basis of race, gender, disability, language or social status is prohibited but is reported to occur against women, disabled persons and those who are HIV-positive.

Customary courts, headed by traditional leaders, deal with matters at the local level. Corruption is reported in the judiciary and the police. Mob violence occurs in both urban and rural areas. Police impunity is a problem. Accusations are made that intelligence services monitor phone calls, conduct surveillance, use informants and disrupt party activities in some regions.

Public access to information is not guaranteed in law.Corruption is perceived to be endemic. High-ranking officials have been investigated for theft of public funds from various ministries, including education, and demotions have resulted. Freedom of speech and of the press are guaranteed with restrictions. Journalists are harassed and detained and practise self-censorship on politically sensitive issues. Press freedom is said to be improving. Radio Mozambique is the most influential of the media and is considered unbiased. International media operate freely. No restriction on Internet access or content is cited.

The country is a point of origin for women and children who are trafficked for sexual exploitation and forced labour. The government signed an agreement with South Africa to share information on trafficking. Many women are sold to brothels in Johannesburg or as concubines to mineworkers in South Africa. Boys are trafficked as labourers on South African farms. Discrimination in the workplace and rejection of HIV/AIDS-positive persons by their own families is reported.

Education is tuition-free and compulsory to age 12, but a shortage of schools makes this difficult to enforce. The costs of an enrolment fee, books and other school supplies put education out of the reach of many. Children from families with very low incomes are exempt from fees. A small increase in the number of primary schools is reported, but schools are overcrowded. Enrolment has increased at all levels of education. From 1992 to 2004 primary school net enrolment is reported to have risen from 52% to 71%. But with a stratospheric high pupil/teacher ratio it is little wonder that completion rates are low and repetition rates are high.

There are reports of parents bribing teachers and school officials to enrol their children in school. Save the Children reports indicate that girls have sex with teachers to receive passing grades. Sexual abuse in schools is said to be common, and incidents are reported of teacher violence against students. Places in upper secondary schools are also very difficult to obtain.

HIV/AIDS orphans face severe deprivation. 1 in every 5 households is reported to care for at least 1 orphan; estimates show that the number of children who will lose either parent or both to AIDS will rise to 600,000 by 2010. Some agencies have developed programmes to provide vocational education for HIV/AIDS orphans. In areas where land mines are still found, avoidance training is provided for children.

Corruption in educational administration has resulted in the siphoning off of funds earmarked for the improvement of school facilities. The use of force to disperse peaceful student demonstrations has resulted in students being beaten.

A 3-year programme begins at age 3.

Education is compulsory for ages 6 to 12. Primary school begins at age 6 and continues for 6 years. The Net Enrolment Rate (NER) is 71% (45% female). Of students enrolled in Grade 1, 31% continue to the last grade of primary school. 21% of students repeat grades. 54,721 teachers (30% female) work at this level. The pupil/teacher ratio (PTR) is 65 : 1.

Secondary education begins at age 13 and is completed in 5 years. 9% of students in lower secondary and 15% in upper secondary education study in technical vocational programmes. The NER is 4%. 22 of students repeat grades.

22,256 students (32% female) study in tertiary institutions, for a Gross Enrolment Rate of 1%. 2,366 students study abroad, mainly in Portugal (1,066), South Africa (815), U.S.A. (93), the United Kingdom (71) and Australia (67).

In law, persons with disabilities are to have the same rights as other citizens, but few resources are available to make the law a reality. Opportunities for education and employment are very limited. 700,000 visually impaired citizens are reported to live in Mozambique, but there are only 70 students in the school for the blind. Mental health facilities have very poor conditions.

The Associacao dos Deficientes Mozambicanos (ADEMO), a national disabled people's organisation, is responding to the lack of qualified teachers for the disabled and the subsequent exclusion of disabled children from school by training disabled persons to be teachers. The programme hopes to promote the right of disabled people to be educated by teachers who can lead by their own example and can be models for others. In 2003 there graduated the first 3 disabled people from ADEMO who had received scholarships from a Finnish disabled people's organisation to attend the teacher training college. 4 more students are currently participating in the teacher-training course.

The law provides for the granting of refugee status or asylum in accordance with the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. The government has established a system for providing protection to refugees and cooperates with the office of the UNHCR and other humanitarian organisations. In 2004 the government issued identification cards to refugees and asylum-seekers allowing them to look for employment and enrol in school. The refugee population numbers some 7,100, with 6,000 living in one camp. Conflicts are reported among rival Congolese groups and between Rwandans and Congolese.

The government traditionally has included a large number of people from the Shangaan group, leading to complaints from other parts of the country that the government favours economic development in the south. To address these accusations, a 5-year development plan focuses on the central and northern provinces for economic and social development programmes.

While academic freedom is not restricted, reports indicate that teachers at all levels of education feel pressure to be members of FRELIMO. 2 parliamentary deputies who were not party members were removed from their positions as directors at the state-run university (UEM). Both were hired as lecturers at another university.

The new family law raises the age of marriage to 18 for both sexes; it eliminates head of family status that was automatically attributed and brought benefits to men. Local customs in the northern provinces and in Muslim and South Asian communities still favour early marriage. Civil, religious and common law unions are all respected. Polygamy is no longer respected, but women in polygamous marriages have been guaranteed full marital and inheritance rights. Forced marriage is reported to be a problem. Customary law limits women's rights. Women still receive lower pay than men for work of equal value.

Domestic violence remains widespread, but cultural pressure discourages women from taking legal action. The first all-female police unit has been inaugurated to help women victims of violence. Sexual harassment is illegal but exists, including in the education sector.

The minimum age for employment is 18. Children aged 15 to 18 may work, but the employer has to provide their education and professional training. Conditions of work must not damage their physical and moral development. Children aged 12 to 15 can work with special permission. Children under 18 have a work week of 38 hours. Children must be paid the minimum wage or a minimum of two-thirds of the adult salary, whichever is higher.

Forced and bonded labour by children is prohibited, but children in rural areas work in agriculture under such conditions, as do domestic servants. Children under 15 work on family farms or in harvests on commercial plantations, and they are paid on a piecework basis. Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS are forced to work to survive. In the formal sector, child labour is regulated.

Workers are free to form and join trade unions. Workers in the informal sector have been declared members of the Mozambican Workers' Association. Collective bargaining is permitted, but less than 2% of the work force is covered by collective contracts. Unions negotiate wage increases. The right to strike is permitted except for civil servants, police, military personnel and workers in essential services. The labour law applies in export processing zones.

Forced and compulsory labour is prohibited but occurs in rural areas. The minimum wage is about US$53 (1.3 million meticais) per month in the industrial and service sectors and about US$39 (935 thousand meticais) per month in the agricultural sector. Neither wage provides a decent standard of living for a worker and family. Supplementary work, subsistence agriculture or assistance of family members is needed for survival. The standard work week is 40 hours but it can be extended to 48 hours.