On September 25, 2025, the Malagasy Generation Z rose up, rejecting a patriarchal system that imposes silence. One year later, as national consultations on the Constitution are underway, questions remain about whether these discussions—led by those historically opposed to reproductive rights—can truly be inclusive.
The book 3,000 Women: Clandestine Abortion in Madagascar highlights a grim reality: three Malagasy women die every day from unsafe abortions. Since the book’s inception in January 2024, nearly 3,000 lives have been lost. The author challenges the myth that abortion is contrary to Malagasy culture, noting that pre-colonial ancestors practiced traditional medicine to save the mother’s life, a practice later criminalized by the 1896 French colonial Penal Code.
Despite France legalizing and later constitutionalizing abortion, Madagascar remains bound by this colonial-era law. The article debunks the notion that only the ‘godless’ seek abortions, noting that 81% of those seeking the procedure are Christian, with an average age of 27. It highlights the inequality of the law: the wealthy can access safe procedures abroad, while the poor face dangerous, clandestine conditions.
Although Madagascar signed the Maputo Protocol, it has failed to ratify it, remaining among the few countries with a total ban on abortion. Legislative attempts to allow therapeutic abortions have been repeatedly blocked by religious pressure. As the country shapes its future, the author questions whether this future will finally include the rights of the women who bring life into the world.
Captured & Published at: 2026-09-26 05:39:08 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/09/apprendre-la-vie-celle-qui-la-donne.html