Mission statement

UNESCO works globally as a laboratory of ideas and a standard-setter to forge universal agreements on emerging ethical issues. The Organization also serves as a clearinghouse - that disseminates and shares information and knowledge - while helping Member States to build their human and institutional capacities in diverse fields. UNESCO promotes international co-operation among its Member States and Associate Members in the fields of education, science, culture and communication.

UNESCO has been present in Mozambique since 1995, assisting the government and the people of Mozambique in building human and institutional capacities within the fields of education, culture, communication, natural sciences and social and human sciences.  

In the elaboration of programmes UNESCO uses a participatory approach involving staff in the office, at cluster, regional level and at the headquarters, the government counterparts, and in consultation with the civil society and the bilateral and multilateral partners. Management of the programmes is increasingly result based in order to ensure their effectiveness and to allow better monitoring and evaluation. In addition UNESCO, thanks to its wide mandate, uses a multi-sectoral approach to programme design and implementation by making use of synergies between sectors towards the achievement of results. 

The UNESCO Maputo programme for the biennium 2006/2007 has been designed as an instrument for the
achievement of the mandate and mission of UNESCO and for the assistance to Mozambique in the areas of UNESCO’s expertise. It takes into account the Medium Term Programme 31C/4 (2002-2007) and the budget and programme approved by the General Conference of UNESCO 33C5 (2006-2007), the UNDAF (United Nations Development Assistance Framework) plan for 2001-2007,  as well as the specific needs of the host country (Sectoral Strategic Plans, PARPA, etc.). The programme is part and parcel of the current reforms in UNESCO. Since November 2005, UNESCO Maputo is among the pilot offices for elaboration of a Country Programme for the host country. 

International & National Priorities 

UNESCO is actively pursuing the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, especially those aiming to:

• halve the proportion of people living in extreme poverty in developing countries by 2015.
• achieve universal primary education in all countries by 2015
• eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005.
• help countries implement a national strategy for sustainable development by 2005 to reverse current trends in
  the loss of environmental resources by 2015.

The following development frameworks have guided the elaboration of the UNESCO Maputo’s programmes:

- MDG’s (2,3,6,7)
- EFA Goals
- UNLD (United Nations Literacy Decade)
- Decade Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014)
- World Programme for Human Rights Education  (2005-2007)
- UND Culture of Peace & Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010)
- International Decade for Action “Water for Life”(05-15)
- UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001)
- Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972)
- Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003)
- Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions (2005)
- Declaration World Summit on Information Society (2003 & 2005)

National strategies:
- PARPA II (National PRSP - Poverty Reduction Strategy paper)
- ESSP II (National Education Sector Startegic programme)
- PEN II (National Strategic plan for HIV/AIDS)