Madagascar
Introduction
Building safer and healthier construction supply chains in Madagascar
The construction sector plays an important role in Madagascar’s economic and social development, supporting infrastructure projects and creating employment across the country. However, construction is also one of the sectors with the highest levels of occupational safety and health (OSH) risks. The sector is characterized by a large informal economy, subcontracting and limited access to adequate prevention measures, particularly among workers involved in the extraction and processing of construction materials.
The Vision Zero Fund focuses on strengthening OSH across the construction supply chain, including upstream activities such as quarries supplying granite, limestone and bricks. Many of these sites are predominantly artisanal and expose workers to physical hazards, harmful dust, strenuous manual handling and other occupational risks.
The project builds on previous Vision Zero Fund interventions in Madagascar, which strengthened national OSH capacities, supported labour inspection and promoted prevention in the textile and agricultural supply chains. In the construction sector, the Fund has also supported assessments of the drivers and constraints affecting OSH compliance and research into how gender norms and perceptions of masculinity influence occupational risks.
INTERVENTIONS
- Assess the main drivers and constraints affecting OSH improvements across the construction value chain.
- Strengthen national legal and policy frameworks for occupational safety and health.
- Build the capacity of labour inspectors, employers’ and workers’ organizations and other key stakeholders.
- Promote practical prevention measures and safer working practices in construction enterprises and informal workplaces.
- Raise awareness among workers and employers about occupational risks and prevention.
- Integrate OSH considerations into technical education and vocational training.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
The project aims to strengthen the national OSH framework and improve the implementation of preventive measures throughout the construction supply chain, including in the informal economy. By bringing together government, employers, workers and other stakeholders, the project contributes to a stronger culture of prevention and to safer and healthier working conditions for construction workers.
