Armed Islamist groups operating in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province are increasingly targeting children in a brutal campaign of abductions, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported. Since early 2023, more than 100 children have been forcibly taken, with the pace of abductions accelerating in recent months.
According to HRW, insurgents often raid villages at night, seizing children from their homes and communities. Many are believed to be forced into roles as fighters, porters, or subjected to sexual violence. The pattern of abductions marks a disturbing evolution in a conflict that has already displaced nearly one million people and killed thousands since its outbreak in 2017.
Survivors recount horrific experiences, including being marched through forests and separated from family members, while some children are indoctrinated into extremist ideologies or forcibly conscripted.
Government Failures Amid a Worsening Conflict
The Mozambican government has struggled to contain the insurgency despite domestic and international military efforts. Families report that security forces often arrive long after abductions occur, and few children are ever rescued. Inadequate intelligence, lack of child protection strategies, and weak state presence in remote areas have allowed armed groups to operate with impunity.
Human rights advocates are calling for urgent reforms and greater coordination between national authorities and humanitarian actors. They warn that the continued failure to respond adequately is not only costing lives but also violating regional human rights obligations.
Violations of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights
The abductions and state inaction constitute clear breaches of Mozambique’s legal obligations under the African Charter:
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Right to Liberty and Security of the Person (Article 6): The seizure and unlawful detention of children by non-state actors—and the state’s failure to prevent or respond—violate the right to liberty and personal security.
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Right to Dignity and Protection from Exploitation (Article 5): Forced recruitment, child labor, and sexual exploitation by armed groups constitute degrading treatment, directly contravening Article 5 of the Charter.
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Right to Education and Development (Implied in Articles 17 and 22): Abducted children are deprived of their education and cultural development, undermining both personal growth and community welfare.
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Duty of the State (Article 1): Mozambique has a binding duty to adopt effective legislative and practical measures to protect its citizens. The continued abductions reflect a failure to fulfill these obligations.
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Right to Non-Discrimination (Article 2): The conflict’s impact disproportionately affects children in poorer, rural, and often ethnically marginalized communities, amplifying systemic inequality.
With child abductions rising and government response lagging, rights groups warn of a looming catastrophe for Cabo Delgado’s youth. Without swift and sustained action, an entire generation risks being lost to violence, trauma, and exploitation.
