ILO and journalists join forces to promote occupational safety and health in Madagascar

Content also available in: français

AMBANJA, MADAGASCAR (ILO News) - On 28 October, journalists visited a major road construction site in north-eastern Madagascar, where the ILO's Vision Zero Fund (VZF) has been working with several partners to improve the occupational safety and health (OSH) of construction workers. The initiative, which is at the heart of the ILO's mission to reduce workplace risks in global supply chains, seeks to eliminate work-related accidents, deaths and diseases.

On site, Frederick Muia, Director of the ILO Country Office for Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius and Seychelles, hailed the project's success. "The Vision Zero Fund has been one of our most successful initiatives in Madagascar, ensuring that workers understand and deal with potential risks," he said. "It's about preserving lives through appropriate training, equipment and practices."

Construction workers crowd around ILO experts on Occupational Safety and Health during a presentation on OSH organized by the VZF Project in Madagascar on 28 October 2024.

The road construction project, which will link Ambanja and Diego, serves as a model for VZF's approach. Thanks to this initiative, workers have the tools, knowledge and understanding to ensure a safer working environment. "As you can see, everyone is dressed and equipped properly," said Muia, pointing to workers who comply with occupational health and safety protocols at the site. "We are aiming for zero accidents, zero deaths and zero occupational illnesses."

The ILO's collaboration with the Madagascar Network of Journalists Specialising in Employment and Decent Work (RJSET) has amplified the reach of these crucial messages on occupational safety and health. This group, made up of 72 journalists from 24 regions, has helped to amplify the reach of these crucial messages on safety and health at work.

"We are proud to be associated with RJSET, which has been a valuable ally in disseminating our messages across the country," said Muia. "This partnership strengthens our impact by promoting safety not only at this site, but across all industries in Madagascar. By taking journalists out into the field, the visit gave RJSET members an in-depth look at how safety standards can transform workplaces and protect workers in real time."

Close up on an Occupational Safety and Health fact-sheet held by a construction worker during a presentation on OSH organized by the VZF Project in Madagascar on 28 October 2024.

The Vision Zero Fund complements the ILO's wider employment and infrastructure initiatives in Madagascar, including the Labour-Intensive Investment Programme (HIMO), which supports projects such as the improvement of rural roads and irrigation. Thanks to this programme, more than 1,200 people, 25% of them women, have obtained decent and productive jobs, contributing to the rehabilitation of 40 kilometres of rural tracks and 990 hectares of irrigated land. These efforts are creating sustainable benefits for communities, contributing to Madagascar's goals of human capital development, industrialisation and good governance.

This partnership between the ILO and journalists underlines the importance of OSH as a cornerstone of sustainable development and social justice. By focusing on safe working conditions and decent work, the ILO and its partners are helping to build a more resilient and equitable future for Malagasy communities.