Organization of Mozambican Women

OMM

Organization of Mozambican Women
Organização da Mulher Moçambicana
Formation	March 16, 1973; 51 years ago (1973-03-16)
Secretary General	Mariazinha Niquice[1]

The Organization of Mozambican Women (Portuguese: Organização da Mulher Moçambicana OMM) is the women's section of FRELIMO. Founded in 1973, during the Mozambican War of Independence, in recognition of women's growing roles in the conflict against Portuguese colonialism, the OMM was created as a non-military structure to promote women's education, emancipation and mobilization.^[2][3] Following independence in 1975, the OMM focussed on issues related to women's education, ethnic division, divorce, family planning, adultery and promiscuity, prostitution, and alcoholism. In 1990, the OMM voted to separate from FRELIMO, although shortly thereafter, the organization re-affiliated.^[4]

Origins

Women's participation in the armed struggle against Portuguese colonialism beginning in the 1960s has been described as "massive" and led to the formation of a women's detachment, Destacamento Feminino, in the People's Forces for the Liberation of Mozambique in 1967.^[5][6]

Secretaries General

• Deolinda Guezimane (1973–1976)
• Salomé Moiane (1977–1990)
• Teresa Tembo (1990–1996)
• Paulina Mateus Nkunda (1996–2011)
• Muania Mussa (2011)
• Amélia Franklin (2011–2013)
• Maria de Fátima Muanza Pelembe (2013–2016)
• Mariazinha Niquice (2016–current)

References

1. "Mariazinha Niquice reeleita secretária-geral da OMM -". evidencias.co.mz (in Portuguese). 12 April 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
2. Arnfred, Signe (September 1988). "Women in Mozambique: gender struggle and gender politics". Review of African Political Economy. 15 (41): 5–16. doi:10.1080/03056248808703759.
3. Hansen, Helena; Hansen, Ragnar; Gjerstad, Ole; Sarazin, Chantal (1985). "The Organization of Mozambican Women (A Organizacao Mulher Mocambicana/Omm)". Journal of Eastern African Research & Development. 15: 230–244. ISSN 0251-0405. JSTOR 24325658.
4. Darch, Colin (2019). Historical Dictionary of Mozambique. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 299. ISBN 978-1-5381-1135-2.
5. Machel, Samora (1975). "The People's Republic of Mozambique: The Struggle Continues". Review of African Political Economy (4): 17. ISSN 0305-6244. JSTOR 3997882.
6. Arnfred, Signe (1988-09-01). "Women in Mozambique: gender struggle and gender politics". Review of African Political Economy. 15 (41): 5. doi:10.1080/03056248808703759. ISSN 0305-6244.

External links

• Organização da Mulher Moçambicana, 1973-1996