Madagascar: Gender-based Violence

Mialy Rajoelina launches an appeal for the protection of children.

The First Lady reacts firmly to rapes and gender-based violence that have taken on an inhumane dimension in recent times. Like her husband, she requires firmness and severe sanctions against the perpetrators.

A cry from the heart. This is what Mialy Rajoelina, the First Lady, expressed in her speech at the ceremony marking International Women’s Day yesterday in Toamasina.

The First Lady took advantage of this platform to denounce increasingly atrocious acts of violence that have been making headlines in recent weeks. Acts of violence with dramatic consequences for women and children. In addition to her heartfelt plea, Mialy Rajoelina added firmness and demanded implacable sanctions against the perpetrators of “such inhumane acts”.

“I urge officials not to have any qualms, to enforce the laws in force and to impose severe penalties on the perpetrators of these inhumane acts,” said the First Lady, expressing her grief over acts of child rape, including infants and young children.

“Some victims die, others suffer physical and psychological sequelae for the rest of their lives, others have to bear unwanted pregnancies,” she described to substantiate her remarks. An unavoidable social issue at present, the First Lady could not ignore the proliferation of child rape cases. Especially since she is at the forefront of the fight against violence. Appointed ambassador of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in 2019, she has made the fight against violence one of the “three pillars” of her actions.

While the topic of surgical castration remains divisive, the First Lady cuts to the chase and calls for the enforcement of the most severe sanctions provided for by the laws in force. Sanctions proportional to the atrocities suffered by the victims and the sequelae they must endure. The new provisions of the penal code, which include, among other things, surgical castration for child rapists, came into force on February 26.

Empowerment

“I stand up to give a voice to innocent children, children who cannot speak yet, or say no, children and young people who are forced to remain silent out of fear or threat,” declares Mialy Rajoelina. Reaffirming her commitment to continue the fierce fight against child rape, the First Lady adds, “I will take care of the medical treatment of children victims of rape.”

Wanting, first of all, to bring together all actors in society, especially the driving forces for her cause, Mialy Rajoelina puts forward an argument that can bring everyone together: the protection of children. “Let us join hands and protect our children. Let us fight against violence and rape,” she says. An appeal that the First Lady addresses to mothers, parents, teachers, social actors, civil society organizations, human rights defenders, law enforcement, justice, and the state.

Listing each of these different actors is not accidental. Each in their own way plays a role of different but complementary dimensions in the fight against violence and rape, namely prevention, education, awareness and information, support, as well as protection and, where necessary, repression. In addition to child rape, the First Lady also expressed her aversion to all forms of violence, especially Gender-Based Violence (GBV), suffered by women.

“I condemn violence. I condemn rape. I condemn any inhuman act,” states the First Lady. As for International Women’s Day, the empowerment of women and its leverage effect for national development, is a point on which Mialy Rajoelina emphasized yesterday. “I am convinced that we, women, can truly change things for the better,” she asserts. For this, she emphasizes the importance of education.

“I urge parents to support our daughters, to support them so that they can study and go as far as possible, so that they can achieve their dreams. Stop the dropout of our daughters,” requests the First Lady. Still talking about education, Mialy Rajoelina adds, “it is our duty as parents to educate our boys to respect women.” A point often forgotten in the debates on the causes of violence and disrespect for women.

Garry Fabrice Ranaivoson