Together, UNICEF and the Muslim Community of Madagascar Promote the Well-being of Children

Antananarivo, September 02, 2025 – Today, UNICEF and the Muslim Community of Madagascar (Fikambanana Silamo Malagasy - FSM) officially launched the "Booklet of Essential Family Practices in harmony with the vision of Islam".The guide aims to promote the adoption of behaviors that benefit the well-being of children, families, and communities, while drawing on the values and teachings of Islam. It is primarily intended for religious leaders, the community, and institutional stakeholders within this large community, to benefit places of worship and households, thereby ensuring a lasting contribution to the realization of children's rights.

Muslims make up about 10–15% of the Malagasy population, with a strong presence on the east, southeast, and northwest coasts. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure collaboration with the FSM, which is recognized as the reference structure ("mother") for all Islamic associations and mosques in Madagascar, thereby promoting the well-being of children throughout Madagascar. The booklet illustrates six priority areas for promoting children's rights, which are also values cherished in the Holy Quran. Specifically, these include preparation and resilience in the face of emergencies, access to water, hygiene, and sanitation, exclusive breastfeeding and child nutrition, education and keeping children in school, protection against child marriage, and the active participation of young people in community life.

For the Muslim Community of Madagascar, the popularization of this tool is the outcome of a collaboration with UNICEF in the implementation of several programs aimed at social and behavioral change.

For its part, UNICEF continues its commitment to fostering an inclusive interfaith dynamic, where each religious tradition contributes, according to its own values, to the development of children. In 2022, UNICEF supported the production of similar tools based on Christian Scriptures, which were led by the Catholic, Protestant, and Lutheran Churches.