In Madagascar, 71% of the population is under the age of 25, but young people, especially girls and persons with disabilities, face severe inequalities in access to education, employment and civic participation. In the Diana and Analamanga regions, over 30% of women aged 15 to 49 are illiterate, with school dropout rates of up to 30%. Only 21% of girls receive adequate information on sexual and reproductive health, and 30% of adolescents aged 15 to 19 have already begun their reproductive lives.
People with disabilities are excluded from essential public services and there is no official data on their condition, while gender-based violence remains widespread (37.6% of women in Analamanga). Local CSOs, often poorly structured and with little youth representation,
struggle to address these issues in an integrated manner and to influence public decision-making processes. All this hinders the construction of a more equitable, inclusive and participatory society. The project ‘ATSIKA JIABY - Together for an active, inclusive and supportive youth in Madagascar’, funded by the European Union, and led by CO.P.E, aims to contribute to the strengthening of a supportive, independent and inclusive civil society in the Diana and Analamanga regions of Madagascar through the active involvement of young people, particularly young women and people with disabilities, with the support of youth civil society organisations (CSOs).
The intervention aims to expand access to health prevention services and inclusive education, with the following results to be achieved:
· strengthening the skills of young people and CSO operators;
· promoting dialogue between public institutions and civil society;
· strengthening youth participation in decision-making processes;· raising community awareness of the active role of youth and CSOs in social change.
CO.P.E Cooperazione Paesi Emerenti: Lead partner
AFHAM – Association of Women with Disabilities of Madagascar in Ambanja;
FIVEDISAB – Network of 300 women's associations in Madagascar in the District of Ambanja;
The direct beneficiaries will be a total of 3,999 people, including 840 young CSO operators aged between 18 and 35 (73% women, 15% with disabilities); 9 representatives of the public institutions involved; 350 young people aged between 13 and 35 who are beneficiaries of CSO activities (60% women, 10% with disabilities); 480 students from selected secondary schools aged between 13 and 18 (53% women, 4% with disabilities). In addition, 2,320 people will be reached through the awareness campaign carried out by CO.P.E. Madagascar (participants in public events and radio audiences).
Indirectly, approximately 59,350 people will be involved, including approximately 10,200 young beneficiaries of partner CSOs, 4,150 family members of the young people involved and the communities of the Diana and Analamanga regions, who will benefit from the new measures adopted in favour of Activities/areas of intervention.The project has four areas of intervention.
The first concerns strengthening the technical and thematic skills of young people and CSO operators to promote an active, inclusive and supportive youth.
The second axis promotes open dialogue between institutions and CSOs, enhancing initiatives and opportunities proposed by young people.
The third aims to strengthen collaboration networks between youth CSOs, especially those involving young people with fewer opportunities, in order to encourage their engagement in society.
The fourth involves an awareness campaign aimed at young people, institutions and communities on the role of youth and civil society as agents of change.
