Population figures
Total country population
31,056,610
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
81
Asylum-seekers:
1,128
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
0
Other people in need of international protection:
0
Other
Statelessness persons
0
Host community
0
Others of concern to UNHCR
19
Country context
Madagascar is the fourth-largest island in the world, located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. It shares maritime borders with Mozambique and the Comoros and is renowned for its rich biodiversity and unique ecosystems.
The country acceded to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees in 1967, albeit with declarations on Articles 7(1), 8, 9, and 17. However, it has not acceded to the 1967 Protocol nor ratified the 1969 OAU Convention. Madagascar previously acceded to the 1954 Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons in 1962 but withdrew in 1966 and has not joined the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
...Despite the existence of national provisions, such as Law No. 62-006 of 1962 and Decree No. 94-652, which refer to refugees and stateless persons, Madagascar has no operational asylum system. The Office for Refugees and Stateless Persons, legally created in 1962, has never been established in practice. Refugees and asylum seekers receive no formal protection or legal status.
While Madagascar does not host significant numbers of refugees or asylum seekers, the country is vulnerable to climate-related events such as cyclones and droughts, which have led to localized displacement. Affected populations often lack formal recognition and access to assistance.
Statelessness remains a significant issue, particularly for ethnic minorities such as the Karana—a community of Indian descent—as well as persons of Comorian and Chinese origin. Many individuals from these groups remain stateless despite longstanding residence in the country, limiting access to basic services such as healthcare, education, and employment.
Madagascar has made some important legal advancements related to statelessness. In 2017, the Nationality Code was amended to grant men and women equal rights to transmit nationality to their children, regardless of marital status—addressing long-standing gender discrimination. However, the Citizenship Law still lacks safeguards to ensure that children born in Madagascar to foreign parents who would otherwise be stateless can acquire nationality. In addition, a progressive reform bill to eliminate remaining discriminatory provisions, including ethnicity-based exclusions, has been drafted and is scheduled for a vote in 2025.
At the Global Refugee Forum, Madagascar pledged to establish a dedicated office for refugees and stateless persons and to develop a national legal framework on refugee protection by 2025. A draft Refugee Law has already been developed under the Ministry of Interior and Decentralization’s leadership. Madagascar’s recent legal initiatives and international pledges reflect growing political will to enhance protection for stateless persons and develop a functioning asylum framework.
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Sources: UNHCR Refugee Data finder https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/ | 2024 mid-year figures. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2022). World Population Prospects 2022, Online Edition https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Files/WPP2022_Data_Sources.pdf