Building social justice in Madagascar: the ILO and its partners working as one
Prime Minister Christian Ntsay inaugurated the Open Day organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Antananarivo.
2 December 2024
ANTANANARIVO (ILO News) - The open day was attended by Fanfan Rwanyindo Kayirangwa, ILO Regional Director for Africa, as well as several members of the government, the diplomatic corps, the United Nations system, representatives of employers‘ and workers’ organisations, and many more voices from the world of work in Madagascar.
In his speech, the Prime Minister underlined Madagascar's efforts to establish social justice, highlighting the recent adoption of the new labour law (Law 2024-014 of 14 August 2024). This law represents Madagascar's firm commitment to improving the working environment and prioritising employment for young people and women, as well as social protection. He also highlighted initiatives to help rural populations, who make up 80% of the population. The government is actively working to create jobs and improve working conditions for young farmers, fishermen and livestock breeders.
Under the leadership of President Andry Rajoelina, Madagascar has ratified at least ten international labour conventions in the last five years, demonstrating a strong commitment to promoting social justice and decent work in the country.
Rwanyindo reiterated the ILO's determination to work towards improving the living and working conditions of workers throughout the world. For her, the Open Day was an opportunity to highlight the ILO's many initiatives and to show how the organisation collaborates with all actors in the world of work to promote decent work, gender equality, the fight against child labour and social justice.
The open day also provided an opportunity for the ILO and its partners to present the various projects being carried out in Madagascar and their concrete impact on the lives of working men and women. Among these initiatives, visitors were able to discover innovative programmes focusing on social protection, improving vocational skills, promoting gender equality in the world of work, and efforts to eliminate child labour in rural communities.
Each stand featured success stories, interactive tools and testimonials from beneficiaries, illustrating the positive changes made in the daily lives of Malagasy citizens.
‘By joining forces, we can strengthen our impact and extend our reach to touch even more lives. Together, we can continue to build a future where decent work and social justice are accessible to all’, said the Regional Director.
This event not only strengthened the ties between the ILO and its local partners, but also underlined the importance of joining forces to build a better future for generations to come.
