Challenges and perspectives of female incarceration in Mozambique: a socio-legal approach)

Abstract

This article examines the rise in female incarceration in Mozambique over the past two decades, investigating its causes, impacts, and institutional responses. Using a qualitative methodology, it draws on statistical data, court records, and interviews with judges, prison officials, civil society representatives, and incarcerated women. Findings show that poverty, domestic violence, gender inequality, and the insurgency in Cabo Delgado contribute to the criminalization of women. Prisons face structural deficiencies and limited reintegration measures, alongside the underuse of alternative sentences. The study reveals that histories of violence are rarely considered during trials, leading to disproportionate punishments. The research recommends legal and institutional reforms grounded in the Bangkok Rules and international human rights standards. Its main contribution is the advocacy for a gender-sensitive criminal justice system that acknowledges women’s social vulnerabilities and promotes rehabilitation, reintegration, and equitable access to justice.