The Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria (the Centre), in partnership with MISA Mozambique, hosted a virtual report launch webinar on 3 September 2026 on “Proactive Disclosure of Information During Elections: An Assessment of Mozambique’s Compliance with the Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections in Africa, Issued by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights”.
The report assesses Mozambique’s electoral information ecosystem through the lens of the Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections in Africa, issued by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. It examines the extent to which relevant stakeholders complied with their obligations to proactively disclose information necessary for citizens to participate meaningfully in electoral processes and exercise their democratic rights. It was supported by the Open Society Foundation, commissioned by the Centre for Human Rights, researched and written by Dr Dércio Tsandzana, and reviewed and edited by Hlengiwe Dube and Dr Ivy Gikonyo.
The webinar brought together stakeholders from the media, civil society, academia and the human rights community to reflect on Mozambique’s 2024 General Elections and the broader relationship between access to information, electoral transparency and democratic participation. It was moderated by Slaide Mutemba of MISA Mozambique and opened with remarks from Dr Gumedze Sabelo, Assistant Director at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria. Dr Gumedze underscored that “when citizens are informed, they are empowered; when institutions are transparent, they are accountabe; and when both are present, democracy is strengthened.” The programme included a presentation of the report and its key findings by Dr Tsandzana, followed by a moderated question-and-answer session that provided an opportunity for participants to engage with the problems raised in the report.
The launch highlighted a fundamental principle underpinning the report: citizens cannot meaningfully participate in democratic processes, or hold institutions accountable, if they do not have access to timely, accurate and reliable information. Electoral transparency is therefore not the responsibility of one institution alone. It is a shared responsibility involving electoral management bodies, political parties, law enforcement agencies, the media, civil society and other stakeholders within the electoral information ecosystem.
The discussion situated the findings of the report within the broader context of Mozambique’s 2024 General Elections. It highlighted the importance of proactive disclosure, transparency and accountability in electoral administration, as well as the role of the media and digital platforms in shaping how citizens access and engage with electoral information. The report provides an assessment of the challenges encountered during the electoral process and identifies areas requiring greater institutional attention and reform.
The launch also took place as the Centre for Human Rights celebrates its 40th anniversary, providing an important opportunity to reflect on the Centre’s longstanding commitment to human rights, democratic governance and accountable institutions. As emphasised during the opening remarks, the struggle for human rights is also a struggle for strong, transparent and accountable institutions; for ensuring that citizens have access to the information they need to exercise their rights; and for ensuring that democracy is not confined to Election Day, but is sustained through transparency, participation and accountability throughout the entire electoral cycle.
For the Centre for Human Rights and MISA Mozambique, the report is therefore more than an assessment of compliance. It is intended as a practical contribution to the continuing work of strengthening democratic governance and human rights protection in Mozambique and across Africa.
The Centre and MISA Mozambique hope that the report will not remain a document to be read and discussed, but will serve as a practical tool for advocacy, dialogue, institutional reform and future action in Mozambique. Its findings and recommendations are intended to stimulate constructive engagement among electoral authorities, policymakers, civil society organisations, the media and citizens, and to contribute to concrete improvements in access to information and electoral transparency in future electoral cycles.
Ultimately, when citizens are informed, they are empowered; when institutions are transparent, they are accountable; and when both are present, democracy is strengthened. The report launch reaffirmed the importance of translating human rights principles into lived realities and ensuring that access to information remains central to genuine democratic participation.
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Proactive Disclosure of Information during Elections:
An Evaluation of Mozambique's Compliance with the Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections in Africa issued by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
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The Centre for Human Rights and MISA Mozambique encourage electoral stakeholders, policymakers, civil society organisations, media practitioners and citizens to engage with the report’s findings and recommendations and, importantly, to use them as an advocacy and policy resource for strengthening access to information, electoral transparency and democratic accountability in Mozambique.
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