” WHY ?
- “Because despite efforts, women continue to be victims of violence, on the streets, in the workplace, and even in their own homes. In Madagascar we continue to face these problems, mainly because of the high rate of poverty and limited education. Madagascar advocates a program designed to culturally and politically empower women around the world in order to stop the cycle of violence.
- Several problems contribute to prevalence of violence against women in Madagascar that seem to reflect the pattern in other countries as well. Although many laws outlawing rape and sexual harassment are in place, it is difficult to enforce laws against domestic violence, and sexual harassment is rarely reported and therefore rarely prosecuted. Alarmingly, a larger number of women than men reported in a survey that domestic violence was justifiable. Also, prostitution has become a problem in Madagascar due to poverty and lack of education.”
(From www.yu.edu/yunmun/position_papers_december_2007/CEDAW-Madagascar.doc)
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- Violence against women is covered by various statutory provisions in Madagascar. However, there is no statute that specifically addresses domestic violence (United Nations 27 Feb. 2003, para. 352; Country Reports 2002 31 Mar. 2003, Sect. 5; Cybersolidaires 30 Dec. 2002).
- Domestic violence is a fact; but the public seems to be moved only by extreme cases in which women are killed-murdered by their husbands under the influence of alcohol or jealousy-as demonstrated by the incidents reported by the press. Otherwise, it is generally considered-even by battered women-that what happens to a woman is no one’s business but her own, unless she decides to divorce her husband (Madagascar Oct. 2000, 47).
(From http://www.cisr-irb.gc.ca/en/research/rir/?action=record.viewrec&gotorec=432336)
“ALTHOUGH
- … equality of access to education was stressed. She noted that in the provinces female enrolment was higher than male and that, in general, the success level was higher for girls than for boys.
- there was no prohibition against women representing the country at international levels, but no women had been appointed ambassador since independence.
- women enjoyed equal rights with men with regard to voting and holding office.
- prostitution was generally disapproved of but that the society was flexible in condemning women because of the existing poverty and the need to survive. Violence was considered a breach of the law whether it involved prostitutes or other women, but had degrees of seriousness that were penalized appropriately, ranging from fines to imprisonment.
- equality of access to education was stressed. (…) in the provinces female enrolment was higher than male and that, in general, the success level was higher for girls than for boys. The situation had been jeopardized by the acute economic crisis because, when individual choices had to be made to send only some children to school, boys would be given preference.
(http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/cedaw/cedaw-Madagascar.htm)
Come support us : read and listen to the Malagasy Vagina Monologues.
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