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The text describes the historical obstacles to the development of civil society organizations (CSOs) in Mozambique, which experienced a more welcoming scenario in the 1990 Constitution. Mechanisms to support civil society empowered local leaders, making them better knowledgeable of legal provisions, capable of gathering evidence and making an impact on the population. However, the organizations faced internal problems, related to the lack of financial resources, the training of their members and problems of transparency and turnover. The education system develops few competencies of active citizenship, and the State is distrustful of initiatives to raise the awareness of the populations on fundamental rights or on mechanisms of civic participation. The maintenance of a political culture of subject has been functional to the penetration of big capital in the exploitation of natural resources. CSOs face obstacles to participation, related to the strong politicization of society, government distrust of public scrutiny, prohibition of public demonstrations and fear of their leadership, particularly after the beginning of the armed conflict. The spread of conflicts in extractive industry areas and the absence of formal channels for participation and access to justice intensified tensions, which were skilfully capitalized on by violent groups. The war dispersed the members of CSOs that were timidly flourishing in the various districts, taking away their organizational, advocacy and social pressure capacity. The arrival of international humanitarian organisations in response to the emergency included local associations, reproducing relations of assistance and dependency. The text demonstrates the urgency of identifying local leaders, (re)empowering CSOs and creating forums for social participation, reversing the belief that violence constitutes the possible and legitimate form of participation.