The Government of Mozambique does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. It did not adopt its national action plan, hindering the implementation of regulations for trafficking victims and witness protection. (United States of America Department of State, 2020)

• The 2008 Law on Preventing and Combating the Trafficking of People criminalised sex trafficking and labour trafficking and prescribed penalties of 16 to 20 years’ imprisonment. These penalties were sufficiently stringent and, with respect to sex trafficking, commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape. Inconsistent with international law, the law did not establish the use of force, fraud, or coercion as an essential element of the crime. (UN WOMEN, 2008)
• The 2014 penal code prohibits involuntary commercial sexual exploitation and forced labour of men and women. The government continued to manually compile anti-trafficking law enforcement data; however, it did not provide case-specific details. (Government of Mozambique, 2014)
• In December 2019, the government approved updates to the penal code that reportedly penalize sex trafficking offences, including providing harsher penalties for child sex trafficking offences; these updates will be implemented in June 2020. (United States of America Department of State, 2020)