The women filed 450 lawsuits, including crimes for early unions, and 392 lawsuits for violence, including sexual violence, against women, girls and children in various districts of Manica province.

Victims of abuse are assisted by the "Viva Mais" programme, a legal initiative focused mainly on human rights run by the Foundation for Community Development (FDC), a Mozambican non-governmental organization chaired by activist Graça Machel.

The FDC's project director, Admir Cherinda, when revealing the data, considered it "worrying", stressing that crimes related to women have an intense history in the province of Manica, where many women are subjected to violence and aggression for cultural reasons.

He told VOA that the women's support program is raising awareness of women's rights and that "wrongdoers need to be punished exemplarily" in the cases that come to justice.

The social activist was speaking at an exchange on good practices and experiences in the area of human rights and HIV, which brought together the organization, the administration of justice and the government of Manica from 16 to 17 November.

Meanwhile, Manica's chief provincial prosecutor, Jorge Tivane, noted that early unions in Manica are not only involving adults, but many households in the interior communities are being formed by teenagers.

"We find children who are already living in premature unions, and since these children are not criminally responsible, the law accepts them. They should be called in for criminal prevention," said Jorge Tivane, speaking at the meeting.

For her part, Berta Tivane, from the Mozambican Association of Judges in Manica, believes that the violation of the human rights of key populations, which include violence and early unions, inhibit women and girls from enjoying their rights.

The magistrate believes that the women's aggressors "are relatives with whom she lives", and "instead of defending them, they commit aggression", which is why she called for justice not only to look at exemplary punishment based on the laws, but also to have an educational character, to change the behavior and attitudes of the aggressors.

Through the "Viva Mais" program, which began in 2021, the FDC aims to raise awareness of human rights among 1.8 million women and girls in 96 districts of the country by 2023.