UN Human Rights in Madagascar

Profile

Achievements

• The Office has provided contribution in the development of the COVID-19 preparedness and response plans, including through the integration of human rights perspectives with a focus on vulnerable groups, including women and persons with disabilities..
• The Office set up of a joint NHRI-civil society and OHCHR human rights monitoring mechanism in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Advocacy with the authorities for an increased democratic space in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• OHCHR – backed human rights resources centres established in State and non-State institutions.
• 50.000 flyers and booklets on human rights in Malagasy and French language distributed on the following topics:
  • Human rights in the administration of justice,
  • Illustrated booklet on the Child’s rights,
  • Illustrated booklet on women’s rights,
  • Illustrated booklet on the rights of people living with disabilities.
  • Compilation of sub-regional, regional and international human rights instruments ratified by Madagascar,
  • Human Rights handbook for Parliamentarians,
  • Illustrated booklets on the UN guiding principles on business and human rights.
• Establishment and effective operationalization of the Independent National Human Rights Commission (INHRC): OHCHR facilitated various capacity-building workshops for the commissioners, supported the implementation of information campaigns in 25 cities of Madagascar on the mandate of the INHRC in relation to authorities and civil society organizations and provided financial and technical support for three investigation missions that were conducted by the INHCR. The reports were presented in December 2017. In addition, following advocacy that was undertaken by the commissioners with OHCHR’s support, the Government adopted a decree, in December 2017, which led to the allocation of a budget for the proper functioning of the INHRC.
• Institutionalizing Human rights Education
  • Memorandums of Understandings (MOU) with the Ministries of National Defence, of Public Security as well as the Secretary of State in charge of National Gendarmerie were signed within the framework of a Peace Building Fund project aiming at integrating Human rights modules into the Defence and Security forces academies curricula.
  • MOU signed with the Law Department of the University of Antananarivo on the integration of Human Rights module into the Faculty’s curricula,
  • A pool of specialized human rights trainers for Defence and Security Forces set-up,
  • A pool of specialized human rights trainers drawn from the civil society actors, ministry of justice, UN staff, Bar Association, and Magistrates and Registrars School set-up to implement human rights capacity-building programmes.
• Strengthening international human rights mechanisms
  • Since 2014, OHCHR has conducted intensive advocacy and capacity-building activities with parliamentarians. This has contributed to the ratification of six regional and international human rights instruments, including the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment, the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance

Partners and Donors

Partners: UN agencies, International and regional organizations, UN Peace Building Fund, Independent National Human Rights Commission, The Bar Association, Journalists Association, Civil society, Diplomatic Representations.

Donors: Switzerland, IOF, European Union, France, Norway, UN Peace Building Fund, UNDP, UNICEF, ILO, UNFPA, UNESCO, WFP, FAO.

UN Human Rights Focus Areas

Last reviewed: April 2019