| MADAGASCAR Republic of Madagascar Republique de Madagascar/ Repoblikan'i Madagasikara Joined United Nations: 20 September 1960 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 03/02/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
Antananarivo
20,653,556 (July 2009 est.)
On 17 March 2009, Andry Rajoelina declared himself President
following a coup which culminated in the resignation of President
Marc Ravalomanana. According to the Madagascar Constitution
Rajoelina is not qualified to be President as he is only 34 and the
Constitution requires all candidates to be at least 40. Rajoelina has
suspended Constitutional rule. On 06 October 2009, rival parties
agreed to form a "unity" cabinet with the condition that Rajoelina will
not stand for candidacy in upcoming presidential elections
Next scheduled election: no later than March 2011
following a coup which culminated in the resignation of President
Marc Ravalomanana. According to the Madagascar Constitution
Rajoelina is not qualified to be President as he is only 34 and the
Constitution requires all candidates to be at least 40. Rajoelina has
suspended Constitutional rule. On 06 October 2009, rival parties
agreed to form a "unity" cabinet with the condition that Rajoelina will
not stand for candidacy in upcoming presidential elections
Next scheduled election: no later than March 2011
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
SELECTION PROCESS
According to the Madagascar Constitution, the Prime Minister is
the Head of Government
the Head of Government
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry -
Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
| RELIGIONS |
Indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Republic with 6 provinces (faritany); Legal system is based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Executive: On 17 March 2009, Andry Rajoelina declared himself President following a coup which culminated in the resignation of
President Marc Ravalomanana. According to the Madagascar Constitution Rajoelina is not qualified to be President as he is only 34
and the Constitution requires all candidates to be at least 40. Rajoelina has suspended Constitutional rule.
Next scheduled election: October 2010
Legislative: Bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (127 seats - reduced from 160 seats
by an April 2007 national referendum; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a Senate or Senat (100
seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies; the remaining one-third of seats appointed by the president; to serve
four-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 23 September 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
Judicial: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Executive: On 17 March 2009, Andry Rajoelina declared himself President following a coup which culminated in the resignation of
President Marc Ravalomanana. According to the Madagascar Constitution Rajoelina is not qualified to be President as he is only 34
and the Constitution requires all candidates to be at least 40. Rajoelina has suspended Constitutional rule.
Next scheduled election: October 2010
Legislative: Bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (127 seats - reduced from 160 seats
by an April 2007 national referendum; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a Senate or Senat (100
seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies; the remaining one-third of seats appointed by the president; to serve
four-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 23 September 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
Judicial: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle
| LANGUAGES |
English (official), French (official), Malagasy (official)
| BRIEF HISTORY |
Malagasy mythology portrays a tribe of pale dwarf-like people called the Vazimba as the original inhabitants. Some Malagasy
believe that these original inhabitants still live in the deepest recesses of the forest. In an island whose inhabitants practice ancestor-
worship, the inhabitants venerate the Vazimba as the most ancient of ancestors. The kings of some Malagasy tribes claim a blood
kinship to the Vazimba. Archaeologists place the arrival of humans on Madagascar in the centuries between 200 and 500 A.D.,
when seafarers from southeast Asia (probably from Borneo or the southern Celebes) arrived in their outrigger canoes. The original
Malagasy came to the island as part of the great Austronesian expansion, the movement of people that populated the Malay
Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, Micronesia, and all of Polynesia (including New Zealand, Hawaii and Easter Island). Medieval Arab
navigators and geographers may have known about Madagascar. Various names labelled the island off the southern coast of Ophir
(Africa): Phebol, Cernea, Menuthias, Medruthis, Sherbezat, Camarcada, and the Island of the Moon. Madagascar gets its current
name from Marco Polo, (1254 — 1324), the Venetian explorer, who described an African island of untold wealth called
Madeigascar in his memoirs (1298 - 1320). Polo heard about the island second-hand during his travels in Asia (1271 - 1295).
Most scholars believe that he described Mogadishu, the port located in present-day Somalia. Nevertheless, Italian cartographers
attached the name "Madagascar" to the island during the Renaissance. Bantu settlers probably crossed the Mozambique Channel to
Madagascar at about the same time as or shortly after the Indonesians arrived. Although the majority of words in the Malagasy
language have Malayan-Polynesian affinities, a smattering of Bantu words — omby (ox), ondry (sheep), and others — appears as
well. From this evidence, some anthropologists believe that Indonesian and Bantu settlers intermixed early in the island’s history.
According to the traditions of some Malagasy peoples, the first Arabs to settle in Madagascar came as refugees from the civil wars
that followed the death of Mohammed in 632. Beginning in the tenth or eleventh century, Arabic and Zanzibari slave-traders
worked their way down the east coast of Africa in their dhows and established settlements on the west coast of Madagascar.
Notably they included the Zafiraminia, traditional ancestors of the Antemoro, Antanosy and other east-coast ethnicities. The last
wave of Arab immigrants, the Antalaotra, immigrated from eastern African colonies. They settled the north-west of the island
(Majunga area) and introduced, for the first time, Islam to Madagascar. By the fifteenth century Europeans had wrested control of
the spice-trade from the Muslims. They did this by by-passing the Middle East and sending their cargo-ships around the Cape of
Good Hope to India. The Portuguese mariner Diogo Dias became the first European to set foot on Madagascar when his ship,
bound for India, blew off course in 1500. In the ensuing two-hundred years, the English and French tried (and failed) to establish
settlements on the island. Fever, dysentery, hostile Malagasy tribespeople, and the trying arid climate of southern Madagascar soon
terminated the English settlement near Toliary (Tuléar) in 1646. Another English settlement in the north in Nosy Bé came to an end
in 1649. The French colony at Taolañaro (Fort Dauphin) fared a little better: it lasted thirty years. In 1665, François Caron, the
Director General of the newly formed French East India Company, sailed to Madagascar. The Company failed to found a colony
on Madagascar but established ports on the nearby islands of Bourbon and Île-de-France (today's Réunion and Mauritius
respectively). Between 1680 and 1725, Madagascar became a pirate stronghold. Many unfortunate sailors became shipwrecked
and stranded on the island. Those who survived settled down with the natives, or more often, found French or English colonies on
the island or even pirate havens and thus become pirates themselves. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the Malagasy tribes
occasionally waged wars to capture and enslave prisoners. They either sold the slaves to Arab traders or kept them on-hand as
laborers. Following the arrival of European slavers, human chattels became more valuable, and the coastal tribes of Madagascar
took to warring with each other to obtain prisoners for the lucrative slave-trade. The Merina kingdom In the central highlands of
Madagascar, a state of rice-farmers, had lived in relative isolation from the rest of Madagascar for several centuries, but by 1824
the Merina had conquered nearly all of Madagascar — thanks to the leadership of two shrewd kings, Andrianampoinimerina (circa
1745 – 1810) and his son Radama I (1792 – 1828). The British, eager to exert control over the trade routes of the Indian Ocean,
had captured the islands of Réunion and Mauritius from the French in 1810. Although they returned Réunion to France, they kept
Mauritius as a base for expanding the British Empire. Mauritius’s governor, to woo Madagascar from French control, recognized
Radama I as King of Madagascar, a diplomatic maneuver meant to underscore the idea of the sovereignty of the island and thus to
preclude claims by any European powers. The Malagasy people remember Queen Rasoaherina for sending ambassadors to
London and Paris and for prohibiting Sunday markets. On June 30, 1865, she signed a treaty with the United Kingdom giving
British citizens the right to rent land and property on the island and to have a resident ambassador. With the United States of
America she signed a trade agreement that also limited the importation of weapons and the export of cattle. In 1896 the French
Parliament voted to annex Madagascar. The 103-year-old Merina monarchy ended with the royal family sent into exile in Algeria.
The British accepted the imposition of a French protectorate over Madagascar in 1890 in return for eventual British control over
Zanzibar (subsequently part of Tanzania) and as part of an overall definition of spheres-of-influence in the area. The French didn't
establish control over Madagascar by military force, instead they convinced the people of Madagascar to join their empire between
1895 and 1896. Malagasy troops fought in France, Morocco, and Syria during World War II. After France fell to the Germans in
1940, the Vichy government administered Madagascar until 1942, when British Empire troops occupied the strategic island in the
Battle of Madagascar in order to preclude its seizure by the Japanese. The United Kingdom handed over control of the island to
Free French Forces in 1943. The French subsequently established reformed institutions in 1956 under the Loi Cadre (Overseas
Reform Act), and Madagascar moved peacefully toward independence. The Malagasy Republic, proclaimed on October 14, 1958,
became an autonomous state within the French Community. A period of provisional government ended with the adoption of a
constitution in 1959 and full independence on June 26, 1960, with Philibert Tsiranana as President. Tsiranana's rule represented
continuation, with French settlers (or colons) still in positions of power. Unlike many of France's former colonies, the Malagasy
Republic strongly resisted movements towards communism. On 5 February 1975, Colonel Richard Ratsimandrava became the
President of Madagascar. After six days as head of the country, he died in an assassination while driving from the presidential
palace to his home. Political power passed to Gilles Andriamahazo. On 15 June1975 Lieutenant-Commander Didier Ratsiraka
(who had previously served as foreign minister) came to power in a coup. Elected president for a seven-year term, Ratsiraka
moved further towards socialism, nationalising much of the economy and cutting all ties with France. Eventually opposition — both
in Madagascar and internationally — forced him to reconsider his position, and in 1992 the country adopted a new and democratic
constitution. The first multi-party elections came in 1993, with Albert Zafy defeating Ratsiraka. Ravlomanana's I Love Madagascar
party achieved overwhelming electoral success in December 2002 and he survived an attempted coup in January 2003. He used his
mandate to work closely with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to reform the economy, to end
corruption and to realise the country's potential.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Madagascar
believe that these original inhabitants still live in the deepest recesses of the forest. In an island whose inhabitants practice ancestor-
worship, the inhabitants venerate the Vazimba as the most ancient of ancestors. The kings of some Malagasy tribes claim a blood
kinship to the Vazimba. Archaeologists place the arrival of humans on Madagascar in the centuries between 200 and 500 A.D.,
when seafarers from southeast Asia (probably from Borneo or the southern Celebes) arrived in their outrigger canoes. The original
Malagasy came to the island as part of the great Austronesian expansion, the movement of people that populated the Malay
Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, Micronesia, and all of Polynesia (including New Zealand, Hawaii and Easter Island). Medieval Arab
navigators and geographers may have known about Madagascar. Various names labelled the island off the southern coast of Ophir
(Africa): Phebol, Cernea, Menuthias, Medruthis, Sherbezat, Camarcada, and the Island of the Moon. Madagascar gets its current
name from Marco Polo, (1254 — 1324), the Venetian explorer, who described an African island of untold wealth called
Madeigascar in his memoirs (1298 - 1320). Polo heard about the island second-hand during his travels in Asia (1271 - 1295).
Most scholars believe that he described Mogadishu, the port located in present-day Somalia. Nevertheless, Italian cartographers
attached the name "Madagascar" to the island during the Renaissance. Bantu settlers probably crossed the Mozambique Channel to
Madagascar at about the same time as or shortly after the Indonesians arrived. Although the majority of words in the Malagasy
language have Malayan-Polynesian affinities, a smattering of Bantu words — omby (ox), ondry (sheep), and others — appears as
well. From this evidence, some anthropologists believe that Indonesian and Bantu settlers intermixed early in the island’s history.
According to the traditions of some Malagasy peoples, the first Arabs to settle in Madagascar came as refugees from the civil wars
that followed the death of Mohammed in 632. Beginning in the tenth or eleventh century, Arabic and Zanzibari slave-traders
worked their way down the east coast of Africa in their dhows and established settlements on the west coast of Madagascar.
Notably they included the Zafiraminia, traditional ancestors of the Antemoro, Antanosy and other east-coast ethnicities. The last
wave of Arab immigrants, the Antalaotra, immigrated from eastern African colonies. They settled the north-west of the island
(Majunga area) and introduced, for the first time, Islam to Madagascar. By the fifteenth century Europeans had wrested control of
the spice-trade from the Muslims. They did this by by-passing the Middle East and sending their cargo-ships around the Cape of
Good Hope to India. The Portuguese mariner Diogo Dias became the first European to set foot on Madagascar when his ship,
bound for India, blew off course in 1500. In the ensuing two-hundred years, the English and French tried (and failed) to establish
settlements on the island. Fever, dysentery, hostile Malagasy tribespeople, and the trying arid climate of southern Madagascar soon
terminated the English settlement near Toliary (Tuléar) in 1646. Another English settlement in the north in Nosy Bé came to an end
in 1649. The French colony at Taolañaro (Fort Dauphin) fared a little better: it lasted thirty years. In 1665, François Caron, the
Director General of the newly formed French East India Company, sailed to Madagascar. The Company failed to found a colony
on Madagascar but established ports on the nearby islands of Bourbon and Île-de-France (today's Réunion and Mauritius
respectively). Between 1680 and 1725, Madagascar became a pirate stronghold. Many unfortunate sailors became shipwrecked
and stranded on the island. Those who survived settled down with the natives, or more often, found French or English colonies on
the island or even pirate havens and thus become pirates themselves. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the Malagasy tribes
occasionally waged wars to capture and enslave prisoners. They either sold the slaves to Arab traders or kept them on-hand as
laborers. Following the arrival of European slavers, human chattels became more valuable, and the coastal tribes of Madagascar
took to warring with each other to obtain prisoners for the lucrative slave-trade. The Merina kingdom In the central highlands of
Madagascar, a state of rice-farmers, had lived in relative isolation from the rest of Madagascar for several centuries, but by 1824
the Merina had conquered nearly all of Madagascar — thanks to the leadership of two shrewd kings, Andrianampoinimerina (circa
1745 – 1810) and his son Radama I (1792 – 1828). The British, eager to exert control over the trade routes of the Indian Ocean,
had captured the islands of Réunion and Mauritius from the French in 1810. Although they returned Réunion to France, they kept
Mauritius as a base for expanding the British Empire. Mauritius’s governor, to woo Madagascar from French control, recognized
Radama I as King of Madagascar, a diplomatic maneuver meant to underscore the idea of the sovereignty of the island and thus to
preclude claims by any European powers. The Malagasy people remember Queen Rasoaherina for sending ambassadors to
London and Paris and for prohibiting Sunday markets. On June 30, 1865, she signed a treaty with the United Kingdom giving
British citizens the right to rent land and property on the island and to have a resident ambassador. With the United States of
America she signed a trade agreement that also limited the importation of weapons and the export of cattle. In 1896 the French
Parliament voted to annex Madagascar. The 103-year-old Merina monarchy ended with the royal family sent into exile in Algeria.
The British accepted the imposition of a French protectorate over Madagascar in 1890 in return for eventual British control over
Zanzibar (subsequently part of Tanzania) and as part of an overall definition of spheres-of-influence in the area. The French didn't
establish control over Madagascar by military force, instead they convinced the people of Madagascar to join their empire between
1895 and 1896. Malagasy troops fought in France, Morocco, and Syria during World War II. After France fell to the Germans in
1940, the Vichy government administered Madagascar until 1942, when British Empire troops occupied the strategic island in the
Battle of Madagascar in order to preclude its seizure by the Japanese. The United Kingdom handed over control of the island to
Free French Forces in 1943. The French subsequently established reformed institutions in 1956 under the Loi Cadre (Overseas
Reform Act), and Madagascar moved peacefully toward independence. The Malagasy Republic, proclaimed on October 14, 1958,
became an autonomous state within the French Community. A period of provisional government ended with the adoption of a
constitution in 1959 and full independence on June 26, 1960, with Philibert Tsiranana as President. Tsiranana's rule represented
continuation, with French settlers (or colons) still in positions of power. Unlike many of France's former colonies, the Malagasy
Republic strongly resisted movements towards communism. On 5 February 1975, Colonel Richard Ratsimandrava became the
President of Madagascar. After six days as head of the country, he died in an assassination while driving from the presidential
palace to his home. Political power passed to Gilles Andriamahazo. On 15 June1975 Lieutenant-Commander Didier Ratsiraka
(who had previously served as foreign minister) came to power in a coup. Elected president for a seven-year term, Ratsiraka
moved further towards socialism, nationalising much of the economy and cutting all ties with France. Eventually opposition — both
in Madagascar and internationally — forced him to reconsider his position, and in 1992 the country adopted a new and democratic
constitution. The first multi-party elections came in 1993, with Albert Zafy defeating Ratsiraka. Ravlomanana's I Love Madagascar
party achieved overwhelming electoral success in December 2002 and he survived an attempted coup in January 2003. He used his
mandate to work closely with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to reform the economy, to end
corruption and to realise the country's potential.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Madagascar
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has since the mid-1990s followed a World Bank- and IMF-led
policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low
level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and
employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US.
However, Madagascar's failure to comply with the requirements of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) led to the
termination of the country's duty-free access in January 2010. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the
primary source of fuel, are serious concerns. Former President RAVALOMANANA worked aggressively to revive the economy
following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. The current political crisis which began in early
2009 has dealt additional blows to the economy. Tourism dropped more than 50% in 2009, compared with the previous year.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Madagascar)
policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low
level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and
employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US.
However, Madagascar's failure to comply with the requirements of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) led to the
termination of the country's duty-free access in January 2010. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the
primary source of fuel, are serious concerns. Former President RAVALOMANANA worked aggressively to revive the economy
following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. The current political crisis which began in early
2009 has dealt additional blows to the economy. Tourism dropped more than 50% in 2009, compared with the previous year.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Madagascar)
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
In December 2001, a presidential election was held in which both major candidates claimed victory. The Ministry of the Interior
declared incumbent Ratsiraka of the AREMA party victorious. Marc Ravalomanana contested the results and claimed victory. A
political crisis followed in which Ratsiraka supporters cut major transport routes from the primary port city to the capital city, a
stronghold of Ravalomanana support. Sporadic violence and considerable economic disruption continued until July 2002 when
Ratsiraka and several of his prominent supporters fled to exile in France. In addition to political differences, ethnic differences
played a role in the crisis and continue to play a role in politics. Ratsiraka is from the coastal Betsimisaraka tribe and Ravalomanana
comes from the highland Merina tribe.
After the end of the 2002 political crisis, President Ravalomanana began many reform projects, forcefully advocating "rapid and
durable development" and the launching of a battle against corruption. December 2002 legislative elections gave his newly formed
TIM (Tiako-I-Madagasikara) (I Love Madagascar) Party a commanding majority in the National Assembly. November 2003
municipal elections were conducted freely, returning a majority of supporters of the president, but also significant numbers of
independent and regional opposition figures.
Following the crisis of 2002, the President replaced provincial governors with appointed PDSs (Presidents des Delegations
Speciales). Subsequent legislation established a structure of 22 regions to decentralize administration. In September 2004, the
Government named 22 Regional Chiefs, reporting directly to the President, to implement its decentralization plans. Financing and
specific powers for the regional administrations remain to be clarified.
On 17 March 2009, Andry Rajoelina declared himself President following a coup which culminated in the resignation of President
Marc Ravalomanana. According to the Madagascar Constitution Rajoelina is not qualified to be President as he is only 34 and the
Constitution requires all candidates to be at least 40. Rajoelina has suspended Constitutional rule. A "unity" government has been
established with Rajoelina agreeing to not stand for election as president. Next scheduled election: October 2010.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Madagascar
declared incumbent Ratsiraka of the AREMA party victorious. Marc Ravalomanana contested the results and claimed victory. A
political crisis followed in which Ratsiraka supporters cut major transport routes from the primary port city to the capital city, a
stronghold of Ravalomanana support. Sporadic violence and considerable economic disruption continued until July 2002 when
Ratsiraka and several of his prominent supporters fled to exile in France. In addition to political differences, ethnic differences
played a role in the crisis and continue to play a role in politics. Ratsiraka is from the coastal Betsimisaraka tribe and Ravalomanana
comes from the highland Merina tribe.
After the end of the 2002 political crisis, President Ravalomanana began many reform projects, forcefully advocating "rapid and
durable development" and the launching of a battle against corruption. December 2002 legislative elections gave his newly formed
TIM (Tiako-I-Madagasikara) (I Love Madagascar) Party a commanding majority in the National Assembly. November 2003
municipal elections were conducted freely, returning a majority of supporters of the president, but also significant numbers of
independent and regional opposition figures.
Following the crisis of 2002, the President replaced provincial governors with appointed PDSs (Presidents des Delegations
Speciales). Subsequent legislation established a structure of 22 regions to decentralize administration. In September 2004, the
Government named 22 Regional Chiefs, reporting directly to the President, to implement its decentralization plans. Financing and
specific powers for the regional administrations remain to be clarified.
On 17 March 2009, Andry Rajoelina declared himself President following a coup which culminated in the resignation of President
Marc Ravalomanana. According to the Madagascar Constitution Rajoelina is not qualified to be President as he is only 34 and the
Constitution requires all candidates to be at least 40. Rajoelina has suspended Constitutional rule. A "unity" government has been
established with Rajoelina agreeing to not stand for election as president. Next scheduled election: October 2010.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Madagascar
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
Claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France).
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) |
None reported.
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
Illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin.
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
2008 Human Rights Report: Madagascar
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
February 25, 2009
Madagascar is a multiparty democracy with a population of approximately 18 million. President Marc Ravalomanana, who was elected to
a second term in 2006, and his party, Tiako-I-Madagasikara (TIM), dominated political life. The legislative elections in September 2007
and April were generally free and fair, although international and domestic observers noted the continued unanswered need for electoral
reforms. The civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces.
The following serious human rights problems were reported:
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
February 25, 2009
Madagascar is a multiparty democracy with a population of approximately 18 million. President Marc Ravalomanana, who was elected to
a second term in 2006, and his party, Tiako-I-Madagasikara (TIM), dominated political life. The legislative elections in September 2007
and April were generally free and fair, although international and domestic observers noted the continued unanswered need for electoral
reforms. The civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces.
The following serious human rights problems were reported:
- unlawful killings;
- security force abuse;
- harsh prison conditions that resulted in deaths;
- arbitrary arrest;
- lengthy pretrial detention;
- censorship;
- official corruption and impunity;
- societal discrimination and violence against women and children;
- trafficking of women and children;
- child labor, including forced child labor.
7 November 2008
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Forty-second session 20 October-7 November 2008
Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Madagascar
Introduction
2. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for its combined second to fifth periodic reports, while regretting that the
submission was long overdue, did not fully comply with the Committee’s guidelines for preparation of reports, did not refer to the
Committee’s general recommendations and only partially took into account the Committee’s previous concluding comments. The
Committee commends the State party for the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group,
as well as the additional written information provided during the consideration of the report.
Positive aspects
4. The Committee commends the State party on the extensive legal reforms undertaken to eliminate discrimination against women and
promote gender equality. In particular, it welcomes Law No. 2007-002, which sets the age of marriage for both women and men at 18,
and Act No. 2000-021, amending and supplementing certain provisions of the Criminal Code relating to violence against women and
indecent assault.
Principal areas of concern and recommendations
8. The Committee recalls the State party’s obligation to implement, systematically and continuously, all the provisions of the Convention,
and views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring the State party’s priority
attention between now and the submission of its next periodic report. Consequently, the Committee urges the State party to focus on
those areas in its implementation activities and to report on actions taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It calls
upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, to the Parliament and to the judiciary, so as
to ensure their full implementation.
Parliament
9. While reaffirming that the Government has the primary responsibility and is particularly accountable for the full implementation of the
State party’s obligations under the Convention, the Committee, stressing that the Convention is binding on all branches of Government,
invites the State party to encourage its national parliament, in line with its procedures, where appropriate, to take the necessary steps
with regard to the implementation of these concluding observations and the Government’s next reporting process under the Convention.
Click here to read more »
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Forty-second session 20 October-7 November 2008
Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Madagascar
Introduction
2. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for its combined second to fifth periodic reports, while regretting that the
submission was long overdue, did not fully comply with the Committee’s guidelines for preparation of reports, did not refer to the
Committee’s general recommendations and only partially took into account the Committee’s previous concluding comments. The
Committee commends the State party for the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group,
as well as the additional written information provided during the consideration of the report.
Positive aspects
4. The Committee commends the State party on the extensive legal reforms undertaken to eliminate discrimination against women and
promote gender equality. In particular, it welcomes Law No. 2007-002, which sets the age of marriage for both women and men at 18,
and Act No. 2000-021, amending and supplementing certain provisions of the Criminal Code relating to violence against women and
indecent assault.
Principal areas of concern and recommendations
8. The Committee recalls the State party’s obligation to implement, systematically and continuously, all the provisions of the Convention,
and views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring the State party’s priority
attention between now and the submission of its next periodic report. Consequently, the Committee urges the State party to focus on
those areas in its implementation activities and to report on actions taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. It calls
upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, to the Parliament and to the judiciary, so as
to ensure their full implementation.
Parliament
9. While reaffirming that the Government has the primary responsibility and is particularly accountable for the full implementation of the
State party’s obligations under the Convention, the Committee, stressing that the Convention is binding on all branches of Government,
invites the State party to encourage its national parliament, in line with its procedures, where appropriate, to take the necessary steps
with regard to the implementation of these concluding observations and the Government’s next reporting process under the Convention.
Click here to read more »
Freedom In The World 2009 Report
Political Rights Score: 4
Civil Liberties Score: 3
Status: Partly Free
Overview
While Madagascar was buffeted by three cyclones in 2008, the political environment was relatively calm. Local elections in December
2007 had effectively confirmed the dominant role of President Marc Ravalomanana and his I Love Madagascar party, although a political
rival was elected as mayor of Antananarivo.
A constitutional referendum in April 2007 increased presidential powers and made English an official language, among other changes.
Ravalomanana’s authority was bolstered again in September, when his TIM party won 106 of the 127 seats in the National Assembly.
Also during the year, Roland Ratsiraka, a nephew of the former president and a candidate in the 2006 presidential election, received an
18-month suspended prison sentence for embezzling public funds after a prosecution that many viewed as politically motivated. Local
elections in December 2007 largely confirmed TIM’s dominance, but Andry Rajoelina, a young and charismatic opposition candidate
won the mayoral race in the capital.
Madagascar was hit by three cyclones in 2008. One of the storms, Ivan, struck the island in February, killing roughly 100 people and
displacing 190,000 others. However, the political atmosphere was relatively calm during the year. President Ravalomanana explicitly
stated in January that he would not seek a constitutional revision to allow a third presidential term. Two-thirds of the Senate was elected
by regional councils in April; all seats were won by supporters of President Ravalomanana. Separately, a key opposition figure, Herizo
Razafimahaleo, died of natural causes in July.
Madagascar has experienced overall economic growth in recent years, due in part to large mining projects, but the World Bank estimates
that annual per capita income is still only around $300. Poverty and demand for agricultural land have put pressure on the island’s
forests, which are home to much of Madagascar’s unique wildlife and essential to its nascent tourism industry. However, satellite
imagery shows that deforestation has fallen to 0.1 percent of existing forest per year, from 0.8 percent in the 1990s.
Madagascar is an electoral democracy. However, the violence that followed the 2001 presidential election served as a reminder that
peaceful democratic succession is not yet enshrined in the country’s political culture. Opposition parties, independent observers, and
members of the diplomatic community criticized the government of President Marc Ravalomanana for failing to enact necessary
reforms—including the establishment of an independent electoral commission, the adoption of a single-ballot system, and improved
transparency in voter registration, particularly in rural areas—prior to the 2006 presidential election.
Click here to read more »
Political Rights Score: 4
Civil Liberties Score: 3
Status: Partly Free
Overview
While Madagascar was buffeted by three cyclones in 2008, the political environment was relatively calm. Local elections in December
2007 had effectively confirmed the dominant role of President Marc Ravalomanana and his I Love Madagascar party, although a political
rival was elected as mayor of Antananarivo.
A constitutional referendum in April 2007 increased presidential powers and made English an official language, among other changes.
Ravalomanana’s authority was bolstered again in September, when his TIM party won 106 of the 127 seats in the National Assembly.
Also during the year, Roland Ratsiraka, a nephew of the former president and a candidate in the 2006 presidential election, received an
18-month suspended prison sentence for embezzling public funds after a prosecution that many viewed as politically motivated. Local
elections in December 2007 largely confirmed TIM’s dominance, but Andry Rajoelina, a young and charismatic opposition candidate
won the mayoral race in the capital.
Madagascar was hit by three cyclones in 2008. One of the storms, Ivan, struck the island in February, killing roughly 100 people and
displacing 190,000 others. However, the political atmosphere was relatively calm during the year. President Ravalomanana explicitly
stated in January that he would not seek a constitutional revision to allow a third presidential term. Two-thirds of the Senate was elected
by regional councils in April; all seats were won by supporters of President Ravalomanana. Separately, a key opposition figure, Herizo
Razafimahaleo, died of natural causes in July.
Madagascar has experienced overall economic growth in recent years, due in part to large mining projects, but the World Bank estimates
that annual per capita income is still only around $300. Poverty and demand for agricultural land have put pressure on the island’s
forests, which are home to much of Madagascar’s unique wildlife and essential to its nascent tourism industry. However, satellite
imagery shows that deforestation has fallen to 0.1 percent of existing forest per year, from 0.8 percent in the 1990s.
Madagascar is an electoral democracy. However, the violence that followed the 2001 presidential election served as a reminder that
peaceful democratic succession is not yet enshrined in the country’s political culture. Opposition parties, independent observers, and
members of the diplomatic community criticized the government of President Marc Ravalomanana for failing to enact necessary
reforms—including the establishment of an independent electoral commission, the adoption of a single-ballot system, and improved
transparency in voter registration, particularly in rural areas—prior to the 2006 presidential election.
Click here to read more »
MADAGASCAR: URGENT NEED FOR JUSTICE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS DURING THE POLITICAL CRISIS
04 February 2010
INTRODUCTION
“No one from the courts or the police came to see me in hospital to conduct an investigation. I’m not intending to file a complaint, I
believe in God’’- A victim interviewed in Antananarivo
This report, covering the period December 2008 to January 2010, focuses on the human rights violations committed since the beginning
of the current political crisis in Madagascar. The report does not claim to cover all human rights violations committed in Madagascar
during that period but the cases mentioned are representative.
The respect and protection of human rights should not be set aside in the search for a lasting solution to the political crisis that is rocking
Madagascar. Those suspected of having committed, ordered or condoned serious human rights violations must be brought to justice
in line with the relevant international standards of fair trial and without recourse to the death penalty. The victims of such abuses must be
recognized and their rights respected. They must receive adequate, effective and prompt reparation. Finally, the report makes
recommendations to the different authorities and bodies involved in seeking a solution to the current political crisis in Madagascar with a
view to ensuring that the Malagasy authorities respect, protect and promote human rights at all times.
While noting the international community’s efforts to resolve the current political crisis in Madagascar through the facilitation of the Joint
Mediation Team for Madagascar,1 Amnesty International remains concerned about the limited attention given, in the political negotiations
so far, to ongoing human rights violations. Any measure related to the question of amnesties, pardons or other similar measures should
be taken in respect of international law which excludes amnesties for serious human rights violations.
Amnesty International does not support or oppose any government or political system. The organization does not take position on the
constitutional or otherwise legitimacy of the political authorities in a country, or on claims for international recognition. Amnesty
International instead seeks to ensure that any and all governments which exercise de jure or de facto authority respects and protects
human rights on its territory.
Click here to read more »
04 February 2010
INTRODUCTION
“No one from the courts or the police came to see me in hospital to conduct an investigation. I’m not intending to file a complaint, I
believe in God’’- A victim interviewed in Antananarivo
This report, covering the period December 2008 to January 2010, focuses on the human rights violations committed since the beginning
of the current political crisis in Madagascar. The report does not claim to cover all human rights violations committed in Madagascar
during that period but the cases mentioned are representative.
The respect and protection of human rights should not be set aside in the search for a lasting solution to the political crisis that is rocking
Madagascar. Those suspected of having committed, ordered or condoned serious human rights violations must be brought to justice
in line with the relevant international standards of fair trial and without recourse to the death penalty. The victims of such abuses must be
recognized and their rights respected. They must receive adequate, effective and prompt reparation. Finally, the report makes
recommendations to the different authorities and bodies involved in seeking a solution to the current political crisis in Madagascar with a
view to ensuring that the Malagasy authorities respect, protect and promote human rights at all times.
While noting the international community’s efforts to resolve the current political crisis in Madagascar through the facilitation of the Joint
Mediation Team for Madagascar,1 Amnesty International remains concerned about the limited attention given, in the political negotiations
so far, to ongoing human rights violations. Any measure related to the question of amnesties, pardons or other similar measures should
be taken in respect of international law which excludes amnesties for serious human rights violations.
Amnesty International does not support or oppose any government or political system. The organization does not take position on the
constitutional or otherwise legitimacy of the political authorities in a country, or on claims for international recognition. Amnesty
International instead seeks to ensure that any and all governments which exercise de jure or de facto authority respects and protects
human rights on its territory.
Click here to read more »
African Civil Society Urges African States Parties to the Rome Statute to Reaffirm Their Commitment to the ICC
July 30, 2009
On 3 July 2009 the African Union (AU) agreed that its members should withhold cooperation from the International Criminal Court
(ICC) in the arrest and surrender of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. The court issued its arrest warrant for President al-Bashir on 4
March 2009 for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.
The AU's decision threatens to block justice for victims of the worst crimes committed on the continent. It is inconsistent with article 4
of the AU's constitutive act that rejects impunity, as well as the treaty obligations of the 30 African governments that ratified the Rome
Statute of the ICC. The decision also undermines the consensus reached by African ICC States Parties at a meeting in Addis Ababa in
June 2009.
Recognizing our obligation to help protect human rights and uphold the rule of law, we, the undersigned civil society organizations,
appeal to African ICC States Parties to reaffirm their support for the ICC and their commitment to abide by their obligations under the
Rome Statute, particularly in relation to the arrest and transfer of the President of Sudan to the ICC.
The ICC was created to bring accountability for the most serious crimes of international concern: genocide, war crimes and crimes
against humanity. African governments, together with civil society, played an active role in establishing the court and African
governments were among the founding ratifiers of the Rome Statute.
A majority of African countries are now Parties to the ICC: Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad,
Comoros, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. In
ratifying the Rome Statute, these states signaled their dedication to cooperate with the ICC to defend the rights of victims and to ensure
that the perpetrators of the most serious crimes known to humankind, whoever they might be, are brought to justice.
Click here to read more »
July 30, 2009
On 3 July 2009 the African Union (AU) agreed that its members should withhold cooperation from the International Criminal Court
(ICC) in the arrest and surrender of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. The court issued its arrest warrant for President al-Bashir on 4
March 2009 for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.
The AU's decision threatens to block justice for victims of the worst crimes committed on the continent. It is inconsistent with article 4
of the AU's constitutive act that rejects impunity, as well as the treaty obligations of the 30 African governments that ratified the Rome
Statute of the ICC. The decision also undermines the consensus reached by African ICC States Parties at a meeting in Addis Ababa in
June 2009.
Recognizing our obligation to help protect human rights and uphold the rule of law, we, the undersigned civil society organizations,
appeal to African ICC States Parties to reaffirm their support for the ICC and their commitment to abide by their obligations under the
Rome Statute, particularly in relation to the arrest and transfer of the President of Sudan to the ICC.
The ICC was created to bring accountability for the most serious crimes of international concern: genocide, war crimes and crimes
against humanity. African governments, together with civil society, played an active role in establishing the court and African
governments were among the founding ratifiers of the Rome Statute.
A majority of African countries are now Parties to the ICC: Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad,
Comoros, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. In
ratifying the Rome Statute, these states signaled their dedication to cooperate with the ICC to defend the rights of victims and to ensure
that the perpetrators of the most serious crimes known to humankind, whoever they might be, are brought to justice.
Click here to read more »
TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
STATEMENT BY HE THE PRESIDENT OF THE HIGH AUTHORITY OF THE TRANSITION ANDRY Nirina RAJOELINA AT
THE PRESS BRIEFING
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
"The challenge is to organize elections recognized by all national and international. We are determined to move forward and implement
change "
"I instructed the Prime Minister Camille Vital, currently on mission in Addis Ababa to explain to members of the International Contact
Group, that while remaining true to our commitments, we are ready and determined to implement, with the help of the international
community, all possible measures to promote the holding of free, democratic and fast with the elections of May for the establishment of
a Constituent Assembly.
An Independent National Electoral Commission, whose implementation should be immediate will watch with international observers in
the conduct of these elections. In all consultations made recently, I come away more determined than ever to quickly leave this political
crisis by making the Malagasy people's natural right to choose its own future through the ballot box.
I sincerely hope that the proposal that the Prime Minister bears, is understood by members of the International Contact Group and all
those who wish to preserve peace and national unity for reconstruction Madagascar.
Our challenge is to hold elections recognized by all, nationally and internationally, we remain ready to consider proposals from the
meetings of the ICG and the Council of Peace and Security of the African Union.
I also request all the Democrats, who do not fear a free and democratic vote to work in this direction, to the best interests of the nation.
This is my fight and I take him until his term never forgetting that Madagascar is the Malagasy.
Ambohitsorohitra On February 17, 2010
The Presidency of the High Authority of the Transition
Click here to read more »
STATEMENT BY HE THE PRESIDENT OF THE HIGH AUTHORITY OF THE TRANSITION ANDRY Nirina RAJOELINA AT
THE PRESS BRIEFING
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
"The challenge is to organize elections recognized by all national and international. We are determined to move forward and implement
change "
"I instructed the Prime Minister Camille Vital, currently on mission in Addis Ababa to explain to members of the International Contact
Group, that while remaining true to our commitments, we are ready and determined to implement, with the help of the international
community, all possible measures to promote the holding of free, democratic and fast with the elections of May for the establishment of
a Constituent Assembly.
An Independent National Electoral Commission, whose implementation should be immediate will watch with international observers in
the conduct of these elections. In all consultations made recently, I come away more determined than ever to quickly leave this political
crisis by making the Malagasy people's natural right to choose its own future through the ballot box.
I sincerely hope that the proposal that the Prime Minister bears, is understood by members of the International Contact Group and all
those who wish to preserve peace and national unity for reconstruction Madagascar.
Our challenge is to hold elections recognized by all, nationally and internationally, we remain ready to consider proposals from the
meetings of the ICG and the Council of Peace and Security of the African Union.
I also request all the Democrats, who do not fear a free and democratic vote to work in this direction, to the best interests of the nation.
This is my fight and I take him until his term never forgetting that Madagascar is the Malagasy.
Ambohitsorohitra On February 17, 2010
The Presidency of the High Authority of the Transition
Click here to read more »
TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Committee on Human Rights United Nations
Implementation of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Consideration of the report of Madagascar
(pursuant to Article 40)
March 2007
THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN MADAGASCAR
In addition to the mission of OMCT has had the opportunity to visit a penitentiary center located Moramanga (see section on Article 10
of the Covenant).
OMCT wishes to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Charette for Mission Support management program to consolidate the rule of law in
Madagascar, Ms. Sara Sighinolfi UNDP and particularly Maria Raharinarivonirina of ACAT-Madagascar.
b) The National Commission of Human Rights (NCHR)
Regarding the National Commission of Human Rights (NCHR), established by Decree No. 96,282 of December 18, 1996, its members
were appointed by order of Prime Minister for a term of 4 years not renewable, except for its chairman who may be renewed. The
appointment order was signed in 1998 (Decree No. 8415/98 of 05 October 1998) to expire on 08 October 2002, date and so far
new members not yet appointed.
Despite the efforts and recommendations, both local NGOs at the level of treaty bodies, the National Commission on Human Rights is
still not functional.
Moreover, these two bodies have been the subject of recommendations by, among others, Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination (CERD) 5. These bodies have regretted that these bodies have no competency
model "to receive complaints" and "make recommendations prior to the authorities court.
Click here to read more »
Committee on Human Rights United Nations
Implementation of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Consideration of the report of Madagascar
(pursuant to Article 40)
March 2007
THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN MADAGASCAR
In addition to the mission of OMCT has had the opportunity to visit a penitentiary center located Moramanga (see section on Article 10
of the Covenant).
OMCT wishes to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Charette for Mission Support management program to consolidate the rule of law in
Madagascar, Ms. Sara Sighinolfi UNDP and particularly Maria Raharinarivonirina of ACAT-Madagascar.
b) The National Commission of Human Rights (NCHR)
Regarding the National Commission of Human Rights (NCHR), established by Decree No. 96,282 of December 18, 1996, its members
were appointed by order of Prime Minister for a term of 4 years not renewable, except for its chairman who may be renewed. The
appointment order was signed in 1998 (Decree No. 8415/98 of 05 October 1998) to expire on 08 October 2002, date and so far
new members not yet appointed.
Despite the efforts and recommendations, both local NGOs at the level of treaty bodies, the National Commission on Human Rights is
still not functional.
Moreover, these two bodies have been the subject of recommendations by, among others, Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination (CERD) 5. These bodies have regretted that these bodies have no competency
model "to receive complaints" and "make recommendations prior to the authorities court.
Click here to read more »
06.03.2008
Madagascar's Women 'Wake Up' to Their Rights
Mathilde Rabary launched first legal clinic for women
Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Mathilde Rabary, the women of Madagascar are “waking up” to their rights.
Rabary is a passionate advocate for women’s rights and human rights. She is the president of the nationwide nongovernmental
organization S.O.S. to Human Rights Victims, which was created in 1999 to assist victims of human rights abuses in Madagascar. S.O.
S. also works to educate citizens of this island nation in the Indian Ocean about their rights.
In 2003, in collaboration with women law graduates in the city of Fianarantsoa, S.O.S opened Madagascar’s first legal clinic that
counsels primarily women. Named Mifohaza (Wake Up), the clinic educates women about their inheritance, family, domestic and work
rights. The clinic, which handles more than 2,000 cases per year, is a proven success in a country plagued by corruption and a weak
judiciary system.
Rabary and her legal experts also travel around the county to raise public awareness of human rights and to handle cases involving
domestic violence, land issues, torture under interrogation and other issues.
Rabary has fought for human rights both inside and outside Madagascar’s government. She has taught human rights at Madagascar’s
School of Nursing and Midwifery since 1995, and from 1994 to 1996 worked as the director of well-being of families and children at the
Ministry of Population. From 1998 to 2002, she was a member of the National Assembly.
In 2002, she took her fight to protect human rights to the international level by filing a lawsuit with the U.N. High Commissioner for
Human Rights against violations of human rights in Madagascar.
The U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized her work. In the same year, Rabary initiated the first
international colloquium on human rights in the Indian Ocean region.
She spoke in Geneva in 2004 before the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination about racial intolerance in
Madagascar. In 2007, she represented Malagasy civil society before the U.N High Commissioner for Human Rights on the issue of
torture in Madagascar.
Rabary was nominated for the U.S. Secretary of State’s 2008 Women of Courage Award. The award, founded in 2007 by Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice, celebrates exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights and advancement.
Click here to read more>>
Madagascar's Women 'Wake Up' to Their Rights
Mathilde Rabary launched first legal clinic for women
Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Mathilde Rabary, the women of Madagascar are “waking up” to their rights.
Rabary is a passionate advocate for women’s rights and human rights. She is the president of the nationwide nongovernmental
organization S.O.S. to Human Rights Victims, which was created in 1999 to assist victims of human rights abuses in Madagascar. S.O.
S. also works to educate citizens of this island nation in the Indian Ocean about their rights.
In 2003, in collaboration with women law graduates in the city of Fianarantsoa, S.O.S opened Madagascar’s first legal clinic that
counsels primarily women. Named Mifohaza (Wake Up), the clinic educates women about their inheritance, family, domestic and work
rights. The clinic, which handles more than 2,000 cases per year, is a proven success in a country plagued by corruption and a weak
judiciary system.
Rabary and her legal experts also travel around the county to raise public awareness of human rights and to handle cases involving
domestic violence, land issues, torture under interrogation and other issues.
Rabary has fought for human rights both inside and outside Madagascar’s government. She has taught human rights at Madagascar’s
School of Nursing and Midwifery since 1995, and from 1994 to 1996 worked as the director of well-being of families and children at the
Ministry of Population. From 1998 to 2002, she was a member of the National Assembly.
In 2002, she took her fight to protect human rights to the international level by filing a lawsuit with the U.N. High Commissioner for
Human Rights against violations of human rights in Madagascar.
The U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized her work. In the same year, Rabary initiated the first
international colloquium on human rights in the Indian Ocean region.
She spoke in Geneva in 2004 before the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination about racial intolerance in
Madagascar. In 2007, she represented Malagasy civil society before the U.N High Commissioner for Human Rights on the issue of
torture in Madagascar.
Rabary was nominated for the U.S. Secretary of State’s 2008 Women of Courage Award. The award, founded in 2007 by Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice, celebrates exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights and advancement.
Click here to read more>>
| Click map for larger view |
| Click flag for Country Report |
Andry Rajoelina
President since 17 March 2009
President since 17 March 2009
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
None reported.
Albert Camille Vital
Prime Minister since 18 December 2009
Prime Minister since 18 December 2009
Emmanuel Rakotovahiny
Vice President since 06 October 2009
Vice President since 06 October 2009
