News

A reinforced commitment to business, security, and human rights in Mozambique

From 11-15 March, DCAF led a high-level mission to Mozambique to raise awareness and build support across national and international partners for a sustainable, nationally owned in-country implementation process of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs).

The mission comprised representatives of the Governments of Switzerland and United Kingdom and the International Code of Conduct Association as well as DCAF’s Director.

The mission focused on:

  • Reinforcing high-level national level political support and commitment for both membership of the Voluntary Principles Initiative and VPs implementation on the ground.
  • Raising awareness and promoting VPs implementation in the Cabo Delgado region, and ensuring it is linked to wider security, development, and human rights priorities.
  • Highlighting the results of the multi-stakeholder VPs working groups in Maputo and Cabo Delgado, coordinated by the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD).
  • Convening international actors to build broad-based support for a long-term VPs implementation process in Mozambique.

The mission strengthened commitments of the national government, civil society, and companies to address security and human rights risks to communities living around extractive sites. In particular, the Ministry of Justice has committed to integrating the VPs into the forthcoming National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP) and is engaged on institutionalizing the VPs process to ensure continuity following the October 2024 Presidential elections.

To continue the momentum, CDD and DCAF will train communities and civil society organizations to monitor human rights concerns and support their active participation in the multi-stakeholder working groups.