Concerted efforts by focal points strengthen social dialogue in support of decent work in Madagascar

Since July 2021, Madagascar has intensified its efforts to promote the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration), the ILO instrument that provides explicit guidance to enterprises on social policy and inclusive, responsible and sustainable workplace practices. The Trade for Decent Work project, implemented by the ILO in Madagascar and financed by the European Union and the Government of Finland, has enabled the Government of Madagascar and employers’ and workers’ organizations to gain a better understanding of the instrument and of how the Declaration can be used and taken ownership of.

The first activities consisted of organizing a tripartite awareness-raising workshop aimed at strengthening a common understanding of its objectives and principles. In response to the growing interest of the government, social partners and enterprises, subsequent dialogues helped identify priorities and define concrete actions in favour of responsible business conduct, decent work and sustainable and inclusive growth. Based on the MNE Declaration, these exchanges led to the development of roadmaps and an action plan.

Madagascar officially appoints national focal points for the promotion of the MNE Declaration

In September 2023, the tripartite constituents reached a major milestone with the appointment of national focal points responsible for promoting and implementing the MNE Declaration. The four focal points, supported by alternates, represent the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Civil Service and Social Laws, the Groupement des Entreprises de Madagascar (GEM), the Confédération des Travailleurs de Madagascar (CTM) and Randrana Sendikaly. They coordinate awareness-raising activities and dialogues with enterprises to encourage better alignment of business practices with international labour standards, and they ensure the integration of social aspects into national, sectoral and investment-related policies. To structure their work, the national focal points developed a multi-year action plan addressing key themes such as social dialogue and the fight against child labour.

According to Christian Rakotozafinirina of the Confédération des Travailleurs de Madagascar (CTM) and national workers’ focal point for the promotion of the MNE Declaration, since the launch of the Trade for Decent Work project, workshops dedicated to promoting the MNE Declaration have significantly strengthened relations between workers, employers and public authorities. The Declaration has also helped workers better understand the responsibilities of enterprises and the government in improving working conditions and workers’ well-being. "The support of the Trade for Decent Work project and its donors has been decisive, particularly through the translation of the Declaration into Malagasy, which will facilitate workers’ access to information on responsible business conduct," he explains.

In order to support the focal points in their efforts and respond to expressed needs, the Trade for Decent Work project also supported the organization of training for labour inspectors in September 2024, in collaboration with the Vision Zero Fund and the Entr’Alliance project. This training strengthened inspectors’ capacities in responsible business conduct, improved their effectiveness in compliance inspections and reinforced their collaboration with the national focal points.

A Regional Approach to Promoting Responsible Business Conduct for the Achievement of Decent Work

As soon as the focal points were appointed, an innovative working method was put in place, centered on a regional approach in order to maximize the impact of their actions. Three regional dialogues were organized in 2024 and 2025, bringing together government representatives, social partners and enterprises to identify region-specific challenges linked to business activities in the northern, southern and central regions of Madagascar (where many large enterprises are concentrated) and to formulate recommendations to strengthen industrial relations and ensure the implementation of fundamental principles and rights at work.

Aware of current economic challenges and local priorities, the national focal points remain firmly committed to their efforts, particularly through strengthening tripartite dialogue and developing actions tailored to the specific needs of each region. In this context, in August 2025, they organized several working sessions and workshops to revise their national action plan and strengthen their territorial anchoring by appointing regional focal points in targeted areas.

The regional approach implemented in Madagascar reflects the ability of structures such as the focal points for the promotion of the MNE Declaration to adapt to country-specific contexts in order to promote decent work through targeted and effective actions. Furthermore, the establishment of thematic working groups, supporting regional focal points in the implementation and monitoring of activities related to the promotion of the MNE Declaration, demonstrates the commitment of stakeholders to mobilize all relevant actors toward this common objective. These thematic groups cover the areas of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and child labour, occupational safety and health, employment, and social dialogue, which are national priorities to ensure inclusive growth and the realization of decent work in Madagascar.