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P A G E 3
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programs. Madagascar’s population growth rate is among the highest in the developing world, growing at the dis-
turbing rate of 2.9%, with an average fertility rate of 4.5 births per woman. In some regions, the population is pre-
dicted to double within 15 years. With the majority of the population relying on subsistence agriculture for survival,
more people means more pressure on the remaining forests of the region as well as posing more challenges for chil-
dren’s wellbeing. Nearly 50% of the population is already below the age of 15, and the incidence of childhood pov-
erty in Madagascar is known to be
strongly positively correlated with the
number of children per household.
More than 50% of Malagasy children
exhibit stunted growth due to poor diet
(Harris et al. 2012; UNICEF 2010).
It has often been reported that
women in Madagascar frequently de-
sire more access to information about
contraception and service practitioners.
National statistics show that only 29%
of women married or in a sexual rela-
tionship have access to modern contra-
ception (Harris et al. 2012). Like other
environmental NGOs nationally, SAVA
Conservation made the decision to sup-
port the women’s health NGO, Marie
Stopes, to offer local women in the Ma-
rojejy National Park periphery the
choice of contraception. It was not a
decision that we took lightly, and by choosing Marie Stopes as a partner, we are collaborating with an organization
which has much expertise and experience working in family planning in Madagascar. Marie Stopes
has been working in Madagascar for 20+ years, providing
women with reproductive options, and their “Ladies” (nurses) are already working in the SAVA region. We are giving
them the means to expand their services into an area that they would not have otherwise been able to reach out to.
Community-based conservation takes many forms, and by working with local people to improve their lives we
hope to also build trusting relationships. Trusting relationships open the door for conservation action and forest pro-
tection.
References
Harris A., Mohan V., Flanagan M., and Hill, R. (2012). Integrating family planning service provision into community-
based marine conservation.
Oryx
46(2): 179 – 186.
UNICEF (2010). Etude sur la Pauvreté et les Déprivations des Enfants à Madagascar et Peace and Conflict Impact As-
sessment. Revue mi-année 2010.
UNICEF Madagascar
, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3
Nurse or "Lady" discussing the procedure before inserting an arm-implant.
Photo by Lanto Andrianandrasana
Marie Stopes International – A New Collaboration
Continued