Madagascar
Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. People with disabilities often find themselves living in extremely challenging circumstances.


Humanity & Inclusion Mobile Rehabilitation Team visits Anie, 12 years old | © Nicolas Früh / Handicap International
Actions in process
HI has been working in Madagascar for more than 25 years. After setting up several orthopaedic fitting centres and rehabilitation projects, the organisation has focused on facilitating people with disabilities' access to healthcare, promoting their social participation and upholding their rights, as well as improving the education of children with disabilities.
HI works to promote the rights of people with disabilities by strengthening the organisations which represent them. It notably organises training courses and national communications campaigns on the rights of people with disabilities. By raising the awareness of the parents and teachers of school children, it contributes to improving the inclusion of children with disabilities in the education system.
HI also runs a mother and child health programme which aims to both reduce mother and infant mortality and increase access to services. Its main interventions in this area are providing training for health personnel, making structures accessible, and offering technical support.
The organisation fights against discriminatory diseases such as epilepsy by running awareness-raising campaigns and providing care to the affected population and building the capacities of healthcare personnel.
Areas of intervention
concretely
Situation of the country

Although Madagascar seems to have returned to a period of relative stability after a phase of political unrest, it remains one of the poorest countries in the world.
Although Madagascar seems to have returned to a period of relative stability after a phase of political unrest, it remains one of the poorest countries in the world.
A new President and government were elected in 2018. The return to constitutional order continues, there are still widespread difficulties, but most stakeholders are clearly determined to turn the page.
There is a high rate of unemployment and people with disabilities face specific difficulties. They are also subject to severe discrimination in their communities. Marginalised, their economic and social inclusion is still complicated. Less than 10% of children with disabilities are in education. This lack of education hinders their social inclusion when they become adults. Mental health is a particular taboo on the island.
Number of HI staff members: 108
Date the programme opened: 1986
Madagascar / Partners
Contribute to increasing access, successful learning, and maintaining vulnerable girls and boys in quality inclusive education
- CONAMEPT
- FANARENANA Association
- Réseau national des femmes handicapées
- Fédération des associations d’aveugles de Madagascar (FAAM)
Develop and implement a strategy on the "Education - Training" continuum
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Employment, Technical Teaching and Professional Training
- FANARENANA association
Contribute to an improved understanding and care management of epilepsy at national and community level
- Ministry of Public Health
Contribute to the effective and sustainable implementation of rehabilitation services to support vulnerable people
- Ministry of Public Health
- Rehabilitation units in teaching hospitals in Toamasina, Toliara and Mahajanga
- PFPH
- 3 Disabled People's Organisations
- GNTP
- ATOM
- AMPR
- AKIMA
Improve the health, living conditions, social participation and socio-economic development of people with disabilities
- Ministry of Health
- Ministry of the Population
- Social Protection and Promotion of Women
- Young peer-educators and ambassadors
- AFHAM (Association of Disabled Women in Madagascar)
- ASOS (Organisation for emergency social and health action)
- Growing the Nations Therapy Programmes (GNTP)
Practically improve the living conditions of people with disabilities and vulnerable populations through an inclusive, participative approach (no partner)
Contribute to promoting human rights and equal opportunities for vulnerable people in Madagascar by building the capacities of civil society actors
- PFPH/MAD (platform of federations of people with disabilities in Madagascar)
Contribute to diversifying the social and educational service offer
- EPHATA
- ECAR
- FAAM
- UNHAM
- Orchidées blanches
- FANARENANA
Build the capacities of communities and institutions in disaster risk reduction by adopting an inclusive, gender-sensitive, multi-risk approach
- BNGRC (National Office of Disaster Risk Management)
Contribute to rebuilding and renovating identified schools to allow for the rapid re-integration of schoolchildren (no partner)