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Claiming Human Rights - in Madagascar

The Republic of Madagascar is a member of the United Nations and the African Union. It has ratified many UN Human Rights Conventions (compare list on the right) and thus has made binding international commitments to adhere to the standards laid down in these universal human rights documents.

Madagascar is a Malagasy-, French- and English-speaking country in Southeast Africa. The country is an island in the Indian Ocean with an area of 587,041 square km off the south eastern coast of Africa opposite Mozambique. On a global scale, its population density is low. The capital of the country, which became independent on 26 June 1960 from France, is Antananarivo. Madagascar is a member of the regional economic communities SADC and COMESA.

With a Human Development Index of 0.54 Madagascar ranks 145th of 182 countries ranked in the UNDP Human Development Report of 2009. Life expectancy of the 19.1 million inhabitants at birth is 61 years, population growth is 2.7 percent per year. GNI is 410 US-$ per capita. External debt is 22.7 percent of gross national income. Primary school enrolment is 98.5 percent.

In as far as Madagascar has ratified the Optional Protocols for UN Human Rights Conventions or has accepted the Competence of the corresponding UN Treaty Bodies (compare list on the right), the inhabitants of Madagascar and their representatives are able to invoke their human rights through these bodies.

All inhabitants of Madagascar may turn to the UN Human Rights Committee through procedure 1503, to the Special Rapporteurs for violations of specific human rights or to ECOSOC for women's rights violations.

Since Madagascar is a member state of UNESCO, its citizens may use the UNESCO procedure for human rights violations in UNESCO's fields of mandate.

Employers' or workers' and certain other organizations (not individuals) of Madagascar may file complaints through the ILO procedure in the cases of those conventions which Madagascar has ratified.

Since Madagascar is an AU member, its citizens and NGOs may file complaints to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

They may also file complaints according to the EU guidelines (on Human Rights Defenders, Death Penalty and Torture) to Embassies of EU Member States and the Delegations of the European Commission.

In cases of human rights violations by multinational enterprises, they may also invoke the National Contact Point in an OECD member state.

Madagascar has joined the International Criminal Court, it may thus be called upon in case of severe crimes.

Signature: 1969 Ratification: 1971 Reservations: no/non Signature optional protocol: 1969 Ratification optional protocol: 1971 Reservations: no/non Last State report: 2005 Last concluding observations: 2009  
Signature: 1970 Ratification: 1971 Reservations: yes/oui Last State report: 2008 Last concluding observations: 2009  
Signature: 1967 Ratification: 1969 Reservations: yes/oui Competence CERD acknowledged: no/non Last State report: 2004 Last concluding observations: 2004  
Signature: 1980 Ratification: 1989 Reservations: no/non Signature optional protocol: 2000 Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations: no/non Last State report: 1993 Last concluding observations: 2008  
Signature: 2001 Ratification: 2005 Reservations: no/non Article 22 competence acknowledged: no/non Last State report:   Last concluding observations: 2011  
Signature: 1990 Ratification: 1991 Reservations: no/non Last State report: 2010 Last concluding observations: 2003  
Signature:   Ratification:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 2007 Ratification:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 2007 Ratification:   Reservations:   Signature optional protocol: 2007 Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Ratification Banjul Charter: 1992 Ratification Protocol African Court:   Ratification Children's Charter: 2005 Ratification Maputo Protocol:   Last State report: 2007  
International Criminal Court joined: yes/oui  
Country Rapporteur: no/non  
National Human Rights Institute: yes/oui  

Last change: 28.01.10 - 12:00