Farida Mamad- faridamamad@gmail.com Access to social protection minimum floors as a tool to end early marriage in Mozambique Scientific supervisor:  Prof. dr. P. FOUBERT   PhD candidate: Farida Mamad- faridamamad@gmail.com

Presentation Overview 1.Situational analysis of the child marriage; 2. Causes of child marriage; 3. Consequences of child marriage; 4. Forms of social security; 5. The concept of the social protection minimum floor; 6. Social protection minimum floor legal framework for inclusive development in Mozambique 9. Conclusions.

SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE CHILD MARRIAGE IN MOZAMBIQUE Africa has the second highest rates of child marriage in the world, Sub- Saharan Africa’s incidence of child marriage is above the global average of 34%. Where Mozambique 52% Malawi 50% Zambia 42%

Child marriage Child marriage occurs when one or both spouses are below the age of 18. However, the minimum legal age for marriage without parental consent is 18 years in most African countries. Normally, exceptions are made on different grounds, most commonly when parents or other authorities, such as a judge or community elder, grant their consent (e.g.) Mozambique Family Law: Without with parental consent age of 18 the exception is at the age of 16. According to the customary law, this age can be lowered to less than 16.

Why early and forced marriage? It is often refereed to as "early and forced" marriage because the girls, given their young age, can rarely make a free and informed decision about their marriage partner, the timing or the implications of this binding commitment. Free and informed decision- complete, accurate and appropriately conveyed and understood information

Causes: Why child marriage happens in Mozambique? Poverty, parents may feel that giving a daughter in marriage will reduce family expenses, or even temporarily increase their income, in cases where a bride’s parents are paid a bride price. Tradition: in many places, child marriage persists because it has happened for generations – and straying from tradition could mean exclusion from the community. In many areas, marrying a girl as a child is seen as a way to ensure her safety, especially in areas where girls are at high risk of physical or sexual assault. Gender inequalities: in many communities where child marriage is practiced, girls are not valued as much as boys – they are considered to be a burden or a commodity.

Consequences: Social Each statistic represents a girl robbed of her ability to reach her full potential, deprived of education and meaningful work, threatened by illness, disease (HIV/AIDS, fistula, incontinence) and even death. Child marriage limits young girls’ skills, resources, knowledge, social support, mobility and autonomy.

Legal Child marriage violates a number of the child’s rights protected in international human rights instruments such as: Privacy; Education; Health and health services; Protection against child abuse and torture; Protection of the family; parental care and protection; Protection against harmful social and cultural practices;

Social protection minimum floor Concept Social protection floors are nationally defined sets of basic social security guarantees that, should ensure, as a minimum that, over the life cycle, all in need have access to essential health care and to basic income security which together secure effective access to goods and services defined as necessary at the national level.

Forms of social security as a social and economical investment Voluntary Obligatory National social protection floor Basic social security Income Security Elderly and disabled Income security for Children Assistance unemployment and poor

Targeted Especial Contingencies non-targeted = universal For all those in need

Poverty and inequality Social protection Education Health Human capacity Household Consumption Child wellbeing Demand of goods and services Physical capacity Increasedwages Livelihood investment Labor Labor productivity Economic performance

Mozambique social security minimum floor Direct Social Action, aims to ensure the recipients (that are permanently or temporarily incapable to work) have access to monetary or non-monetary values to satisfy their basic needs. In this respect, the social cash transfer programmes for an indeterminate period, social transfers for a specified time and the Social Action social services stand out. Social Action in Health, aims to ensure universal access for populations most vulnerable to primary health care, including measures that can improve the quality of their health

3.Social Action in Education, aims to encourage the participation of vulnerable groups in the education system. 4.Productive Social Action, it aims to ensure social inclusion through work.(For example public works), in response to a situation of chronic food insecurity, exacerbated by the shocks, structural risks and impacts of environmental changes. Therefore, it is focused on people experiencing poverty, but with physical capacity for work, aiming to provide social assistance and integration to covered groups in productive activities, exploring, for example, the use of labour intensive activities.

Challenges Social assistance rendered to the unemployed and the poor is limited to certain category of people. The categorical (targeted) nature of the non-contributory schemes in Mozambique has led to the situation in which not all poor people are covered by the schemes.

Conclusion The Mozambican social protection minim floor is caracterises as categorically targeting. However, it is important for safeguarding lives in context of chronic, acute economic risk and vulnerability. However, since it is categorically targeting it excludes some vulnerable groups, including the girl child vulnerable to early marriage with all its attendant consequences.

Obrigado !