Intergenerational Social Mobility in Mozambique

This report is the result of an analysis of intergenerational social mobility in Mozambique using data collected from six administrative posts across four provinces (Maputo, Zambézia, Sofala, and Nampula) under the Vulnerable Lives Survey (VLS).

This survey was implemented within the Inclusive Growth in Mozambique (IGM) programme. IGM is a research and capacity development programme that has supported Mozambique since 2015 in designing evidence-based policies that support inclusive growth benefitting the poorest and most vulnerable groups. It is implemented by the National Directorate of Economic and Development Policies (DNPED) of the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Mozambique (MEF) and the Centre for Economic and Management Studies (CEEG) of the Faculty of Economics of the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) in partnership with the University of Copenhagen Development Economics Research Group (UCPH-DERG) and the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER).

The unique VLS dataset represents the first comprehensive effort in Mozambique to gather retrospective information on educational attainment, occupational status, and multidimensional and subjective well-being across generations. Through its innovative design and inclusion of detailed demographic and socio-economic data, the VLS enables a nuanced analysis of mobility dynamics across the dimensions of education, occupation, and multidimensional and subjective well-being.

The findings reveal a complex interplay of progress and persistent inequalities and offer a valuable lens to understand intergenerational mobility in Mozambique’s evolving socio-economic landscape. The report underscores disparities in mobility outcomes across gender and geographic regions, highlighting the pressing need for interventions to break cycles of intergenerational poverty and promote inclusive development in the country.

While the analysis focuses on selected locations in the North, Centre, and South of Mozambique, the insights lay the groundwork for subsequent studies, offering methodological approaches and tools that can be adapted for broader applications. We hope this report serves not only to enhance the understanding of mobility dynamics but also to inform evidence-based policymaking aimed at fostering greater equality of opportunity and improving livelihoods across Mozambique.

Download the social mobility report here