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Commitment to end child labour in mica mines

March 8th, 2022

Stakeholders came together in Fort Dauphin and made a commitment to safeguard and promote children´s rights by eliminating child labor in the mica sector in Madagascar.

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FAMAHA Launch

On 11 February 2022, Terre des Hommes Netherlands team held the FAMAHA project launch event in Fort Dauphin. Over 30 participants including representatives from the Government, UNICEF, MICA Exporters group, ALT and FAFAFI partners graced the event.

Terre des Hommes Netherlands Programme Manager,  Lalalison Razafintsalama, gave a presentation on the FAMAHA (Fampiasana Ankizy @ Mica, Andao Fongorina, Atsahatra) project highlighting the goals and expected outcomes in the next 21 months. He stated that the project aims to mobilise stakeholders in order to safeguard and promote children’s rights by eliminating child labour in the mica sector in Madagascar. This will be done through improvement of education and increasing of additional income-generating activities for households working in mica mines who will be the beneficiaries of the project.

During the event, the participants were informed that there is no place for child labour in the mica sector or in any other sector. Local partners proposed the following solutions in ending child labour in the mica mines; Training communities on farming and agriculture, providing communities with seeds and training them as an income-generating activity, improving pre-school education, encouraging parents to send their children to school and disseminating books and resources to children for their education.

The region representatives along with other governmental bodies, Mica exporters, CSOs, and other stakeholders showed support to the project team made a commitment to intervene whenever needed to fulfil that support; and stated that they will work together, not alone, to eliminate child labour despite the known difficult situations.

Messages from Stakeholders

“As a mother, it makes me sad to see children helping their parents to make money in the mica sector” “It’s good that everyone here is aware that we must remove children from mica activities. ”Violette Rasoanambinina, Secretary-General of the Anosy Region.

“Provide communities with seeds and empower them to use these as an income-generating activity.” Gabriel Tiaro, FAFAFI Director.

¨The Government should issue permits including the scope of work, commitment and obligations to ensure that each #mica exporter is responsible for every action they take and can face legal implications if they violate the terms accepted when signing the permits."- Mr. Solo, HNOOR

"We need to help miners gain more income from their work in the mica sites - one way we can do this is through increasing the price of mica."- Ibrahim Marouf Hamed, Representative from MICA exporters Group.

"Local Authorities must take responsibility and enforce the law to protect children's rights in order to fight child labor."- Colonel Mami Patrick Andriambololona

The event which was the first one organised by TdH NL Madagascar team was successful. It provided the organisation with an opportunity to raise awareness of the FAMAHA project and encourage other stakeholders to take the necessary steps and actions towards eliminating child labor.

Learn more about the FAMAHA project
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