Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1997, published 86th ILC session (1998)

1. The Committee notes the communication from the Trade Union Confederation of Chad (CST) of 27 June 1997 alleging non-application by Chad of the principle of equality in employment and occupation for women workers. The CST notes that the new Constitution was adopted by referendum on 31 March 1996 and that several of its provisions aim at the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women. Nevertheless, it notes that the Government has taken no concrete measures to facilitate access of women to public and private employment. The CST proposes that the ILO should provide the Government with urgent technical assistance in order to remedy the technical shortcomings, particularly the lack of material facilities in the ministerial department responsible for the promotion of women, and to enable it to collect statistics and carry out comparative research on the employment situation of women.

2. The Committee notes that the CST's observations were sent to the Government for comment. It hopes that the Government's report will arrive soon and that it will contain full information on the various points raised by the CST as well as detailed information on the implementation of the new Constitution. On this latter point, the Committee notes that article 32 of the Constitution states that no one can be discriminated against in their work on the grounds of their origin, opinions, beliefs, sex or matrimonial situation but does not seem to include the other grounds of discrimination set out in Article 1, paragraph 1(a), of the Convention, namely race and colour.

3. In this regard, the Committee draws the Government's attention to paragraph 58 of its 1988 General Survey on equality in employment and occupation which states that where provisions are adopted in order to give effect to the principle contained in the Convention they should include all the grounds of discrimination laid down in Article 1, paragraph 1(a). The Committee hopes that the Government's next report will provide details on the manner in which protection against discrimination on the grounds of race and colour is provided under the national policy on equality in employment.

4. The Committee is addressing a direct request to the Government on other matters.