| Overview : The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mozambique comes in a context of already pervasive vulnerabilities afflicting the country. These include high levels of chronic poverty, widespread malnutrition, weak health, education and social protection systems, limited employment and, more generally, income generation opportunities, enhanced exposure to climate change impacts or important gender disparities, among others. In addition, protracted violence and armed conflict afflicts several parts of the country, such as Cabo Delgado, where over the past few years an Islamist armed insurgency has taken root, or Sofala and Zambezia provinces, where the RENAMO guerrilla remains operational. Against this background, the UNDP country office in Mozambique in partnership with the Department of Economic and Development Policy (DPED) of the Ministry of Economy and Finance intends to undertake a series of human impact assessments (HIA) to shed light on how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting Mozambique in a context of pervasive socioeconomic and environmental vulnerabilities. With these assessments, UNDP and MEF seek to inform national debates and policy responses to COVID-19 at national and provincial level. These assessments will be conducted in selected provinces in Mozambique, namely Sofala, Cabo Delgado and Maputo Province, where UNDP is currently implementing part of its country programme. |
