Mozambique joined UNESCO as a Member State in 1976, one year after declaration of national independence. In the first years after independence, the cooperation of Mozambique with UNESCO focused mainly on education at a time when the illiteracy rate in the country was very high - approximately 93%. As a result of the increasing co-operation over the years, interventions were gradually widened to other fields of UNESCO competence, namely: culture, science and information. In 1990, the Government of Mozambique decided to give the National Commission for UNESCO institutional autonomy through a Presidential decree. Since then, the Mozambique National Commission for UNESCO has administrative and financial autonomy and covers all fields of UNESCO competence.

One of the major contributions in strengthening the cooperation between Mozambique and UNESCO was the intervention and action in short, medium and long term programmes aimed at mobilizing and sensitising all sectors in the society on the urgent need to consolidate peace in Mozambique. It was in 1993, following the signing of the General Peace Agreement between the Government and Renamo on the 4^th of October 1992, that Mozambique became part of the UNESCO Special Programme for a Culture of Peace, as the second country in the world. The UNESCO Office in Maputo (not to be confused with the National Commission) was subsequently established.

The National Commission is a policy-setting and consultative forum. It is composed of outstanding individuals, members or representatives of various ministerial departments, agencies, institutions, organizations, as well as civil society representatives such as women, youth, sport associations, religious institutions, entrepreneurial and environmental bodies. All members (18) of the National Commission meet twice every year to set priorities, policies and strategies for the National Commission, and to adopt the annual plan and report. 

The Executive Board is a restricted organ headed by the Chairperson of the National Commission, Ms. Graça Machel. It is composed of Ministers responsible for Education, Science, Culture, Information, Higher Education. The board meets four times a year to monitor activities and make recommendations to the National Commission.

The Secretariat is the implementing organ under the authority of the Secretary General, Dr. Januário Mutaquiha. It is composed of experts or specialists in the main fields of co-operation with UNESCO. 

The Permanent Delegation is the diplomatic mission of Mozambique to UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

Networks of the National Commission: In addition to the above, the Mozambique National Commission has contributed to establishing two networks within the country and across borders through which activities are implemented, namely UNESCO Clubs and UNESCO Associated Schools.