In collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Civil Service, UNICEF is launching a guide for "family-friendly workplaces" for all businesses

Antananarivo, 29 August 2025 – Together with the Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Civil Service, the Ministry of Industrialization and Commerce, and the “Groupement des Entreprises de Madagascar”, UNICEF is today launching the "Family-Friendly Workplaces" — a guide designed to support companies and government institutions in implementing essential policies to support the family life of their employees. These include, among others, paid parental leave, flexible working arrangements, and support for childcare and breastfeeding. The guide applies to four types of work environments: offices, factories, farms, and services.

Its implementation aims to foster child development and promote gender equality. In Madagascar, children make up 50 per cent of the population, with 12 per cent being between 0 and 23 months old. During these earliest years of life, special attention must be given to adequate nutrition, a nurturing environment, and responsive care that strengthen early brain development and give every young child the best start in life. Supporting parents is therefore crucial to meeting all these needs.

Essential workplace policies are also crucial for women's empowerment. They increase the likelihood of women returning to work after parental leave and encourage their full participation in the labour market.

The guide is also a major asset for both the government and businesses. In a global context where investors demand clear social commitments, integrating family-friendly policies has become a strategic lever for competitiveness and financial attractiveness.

Companies that protect parents, support early childhood development, and promote the inclusion of women save on recruitment costs and attract more talent and investments.

UNICEF calls upon Malagasy ministries and businesses to make workplaces a driver of social progress, for the benefit of families, children, and the national economy. UNICEF encourages the state and businesses to adopt these policies, which include:

1. Ensure there is no discrimination related to maternity and family responsibilities.
2. Provide paid maternity leave of at least six months to support exclusive breastfeeding during this period.
3. Establish paid breaks and appropriate spaces for breastfeeding. In Madagascar, less than 10 per cent of companies outside the textile sector have such spaces.
4. Support access to affordable and quality childcare services.
5. Allow employees to arrange flexible working hours.

“Being a parent is undoubtedly the most important job in the world. Let us give parents the time and support they need to raise their children, while ensuring their economic security. They should not have to choose between their family and their work,” says Christine Jaulmes, UNICEF Representative in Madagascar.

Through the Directorate General of Labour and its Labour Inspections, the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Public Service (MTEFoP) is in the front line ensuring the rigorous implementation of Law No. 2024-014 of 14 August 2024, establishing the Labour Code, in particular specific provisions for the protection of women workers in the private sector, such as maternity protection and special working conditions for women.

Moreover, as a member of the Interministerial Task Force on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF), the MTEFoP actively promotes the rights of breastfeeding women workers in companies and workplaces, thus helping to create a professional environment that is inclusive and respectful of family needs.

The MTEFoP has committed to supporting the implementation of the guide over the 2025–2027 period, particularly through the training of labour inspection officers, assisting companies, and regularly monitoring progress. This initiative aligns with the vision of a sustainable, high-performing professional sector that cares for the well-being of its employees.