Mozambique revised its penal code on Wednesday to decriminalize homosexuality, making it one of a few African countries where gay and lesbian relationships are not illegal. This new revision drops a clause dating back to the colonial era that prohibited "vices against nature," the BBC reports.
While Mozambique has not had many issues with violence against gay and lesbian couples, activists hope that the country's decriminalization will set an example for other African countries where homosexuality is a divisive and controversial subject. However, even in Mozambique where people have a relatively relaxed stance on homosexuality, the promotion of gay rights is still viewed as an affront to religion.
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