Caso individual (CAS) - Discusión: 2023, Publicación: 111ª reunión CIT (2023)

Written information provided by the Government

Article 1 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. The Government has the honour of informing the Conference Committee that a national employment policy has already been developed, with the active participation of employers’ and workers’ organizations, and submitted to the competent authority for adoption. The Government will keep the Committee informed of any new developments in this regard. A copy of the policy will be provided once it has been adopted.

Article 1(3). Coordination of education policy with employment policy. The State has undertaken a number of initiatives to remedy the difficulties in aligning education policy with employment policy, with the aim of providing a skilled workforce for various employment sectors and reinforcing a technological culture. At the secondary school level during the 2021‑22 academic year, technical secondary education was broadened with 11 new courses in 2 establishments, namely the Nsam technical college in Yaoundé and the Maroua technical college in the Far North. These new courses are in office automation, business computing, baking and pastry-making, meat processing, painting, stenotyping, ceramics and sculpture, textiles and dry cleaning, taxation and the tanning and leather industry. The secondary education authority has opted for a learning approach that alternates between theoretical teaching and practical experience in an enterprise or professional workshop. These courses have been chosen to meet the needs of the labour market and will enable the students trained to benefit from enhanced employability. At the tertiary level, the Government has established state universities in the ten regions of the national territory, including the University of Bertoua, established through Decree No. 2022/003 of 5 January 2022, and the University of Ebolawa established through Decree No. 2022/009 of 6 January 2022. These higher education institutions cover a number of vocational fields, including cinema and broadcasting, visual arts and art history, architecture and urban planning and aquaculture: aquatic systems management and fisheries management. In addition, several vocational training centres have been set up and accredited in the ten regions by the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training. With regard to the consultation of social partners in the process of developing and implementing draft legislation and policies on education, the sectoral administrations concerned draw up this draft legislation and involve the relevant ministries and public administrations, as well as employers’ and workers’ organizations and any other stakeholders concerned. Examples include: the Inter-ministerial Committee on Employment Monitoring and the tripartite working group of the national action plan for youth employment (PANEJ), set up within the Ministry of Employment and Professional Training. The Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) (2023–26), which is currently being finalized, was developed with the active participation of the tripartite constituents.

Informal economy: impact of the measures adopted for the transition from the informal to the formal economy. The Government draws the Committee’s attention to the positive results of the action taken by the State to facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal economy, including: (i) the promotion of self-employment: According to statistics from the 2022 statistical yearbook of the Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts (MINPMEESA), 15,591 enterprises were registered with the centre for the formal establishment of enterprises (CFCE) in 2021. The majority of these enterprises are sole traders operating in the services sector; (ii) better access to financing mechanisms: With the move towards the formal economy, many small and medium-sized enterprises have benefited from financing from the State or international organizations. Examples of these enterprises can be found in the agriculture and livestock sector, which holds an important place in the country’s growth and development forecasts. This sector has enjoyed support through the Programme to Promote Youth Agropastoral Entrepreneurship (PEA-youth), which has granted funding to more than 2,600 young people and created more than 10,000 jobs in six years; and (iii) the development of new economic niches, offering an abundance of job opportunities and promising cohesion (the green and digital economy). Under the steering committee for the Programme for the Promotion of Green Jobs, the Government has endeavoured to foster the promotion of green jobs in order to protect young people from unemployment. Cameroon has roughly a hundred microenterprises operating in sectors linked to the green economy, including reforestation, sanitation, sustainable agriculture, waste collection and recycling. As part of the implementation of the Programme for the Promotion of Green Jobs in Cameroon (PPEVC), some 51 women microentrepreneurs in Yaoundé II and Douala IV, victims of health crises, received a grant to scale up activities to promote this economy and create decent jobs in 2021. Other sectors, such as information and communications technology (ICT) and the digital economy, generate many jobs on a daily basis through major telecommunications companies such as Orange and MTN Cameroon, e‑commerce and new business professions (for example, community management, influencing and digital marketing).

Article 2. Collection and use of employment data. Two bodies are responsible for collecting information on employment: the National Observatory for Employment and Vocational Training (ONEFOP) and the National Employment Fund (FNE). The ONEFOP carries out a number of activities that foster the provision of employment data: it produces employment and training reports, statistical yearbooks on the labour market and employment conjuncture notes, and conducts various specific studies, including studies on employment niches. As to the FNE, it has set up a number of programmes aimed at reducing unemployment. These include the Rural Employment Development Support Programme (PADER), which provides beneficiaries with training in farming methods, material and financial resources, as well as support in product management and sales; the Graduate Employment Programme (PED), a pre-employment internship programme designed to provide young graduates with practical experience (strengthening their CVs) so as to facilitate their integration into the production circuit; the Integration of Higher Education Graduates Support Programme (PRAIDES), in partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education, which aims to support the professional integration of higher education graduates; the FNE/PME Programme, which enjoys a special endowment from the Head of State and aims to promote youth self-employment and entrepreneurship, managed in partnership by the FNE and MINPMEESA; and Career Guidance in the Public Sector (OPP), an information programme on seeking employment in public institutions (sub-prefectures, town halls, chiefdoms, and so on) available to the public, particularly young people.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners in the development and implementation of employment policies. The Government is pleased to draw the Committee’s attention to the fact that the social partners were consulted during the development of the national employment policy, as mentioned above. However, it has taken note of the Committee of Experts’ recommendation to involve representatives of rural workers and informal economy workers in the next stages.

Discussion by the Committee

Chairperson – The next case on our agenda today is Cameroon on the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122). I invite the Government representative of Cameroon to take the floor.

Government representative – Thank you for giving the Government of Cameroon, which has already submitted written information, the opportunity to address the Committee.

Cameroon ratified Convention No. 122 on 25 May 1970 and, since then, has brought its institutional, legislative and regulatory frameworks into line with the Convention’s provisions. With regard to the institutional framework, through Decree No. 2004/320 of 8 December 2004, the Head of State created the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, whose many responsibilities include drawing up employment policy, protecting and promoting employment and providing guidance and placement services to the workforce. Operationally, the State has established structures to implement the national employment policy, such as the National Employment Fund, which is the State’s main secular arm in promoting employment and is principally responsible for intermediation between jobseekers and employment-generating enterprises, and the Integrated Support Project for the Informal Economy, which specifically addresses the youth labour force in the informal economy.

In addition to these steps to promote employment, the Government has devised the national action plan for youth employment, whose main aims are: (i) to advocate for employment; (ii) to promote a macroeconomic framework for employment; (iii) to promote employment in rural areas; (iv) to promote the return and employment of young persons in the diaspora and (v) to ensure specific gender balance while protecting vulnerable groups’ access to employment. All these measures, and a great many others, demonstrate clearly that while the national employment policy is in the process of being adopted in our country, the activities set out in the policy document are being implemented. With regard to legislation and regulations, Cameroon has promulgated the Vocational Training Act, was well as all the relevant implementing decrees. All this information has been submitted to the Committee of Experts and to this Committee in our previous correspondence.

Turning to the Committee of Experts’ specific questions, in relation to Article 1 of Convention No. 122, it should be highlighted that, as noted by the Committee, the process of drawing up the national employment policy is at a very advanced stage, with the only remaining step being its official formalization. The draft was drawn up with the support of all actors in the labour market, and the text will be communicated to the Office once it is officially published.

Concerning Article 1 (3) of the Convention on the coordination of education policy with employment policy, as part of its work to align education and employment policy, the State has undertaken a number of initiatives to ensure that the workforce is qualified for different employment sectors. This coordination also improves students’ prior knowledge of the labour market and allows enterprises’ workforce needs to be identified to improve the composition and guidance of training curricula. To facilitate learning, the body responsible for secondary education has introduced alternating training, that is, training that alternates between theoretical education and practical experience in enterprises or professional workshops. These courses have been selected chosen to meet the needs of the labour market, in which students will be more competitive as a result. Regarding higher education, the Government has established state universities in the country’s ten regions, including the University of Bertoua, established through Decree No. 2022/003 of 5 January 2022, and the University of Ebolowa, established through Decree No. 2022/009 of 6 January 2022. These higher education institutions cover a number of vocational fields, including cinema and broadcasting, visual arts and art history, architecture and urban planning, aquaculture, aquatic systems management and fisheries management, and many more. Additionally, many vocational training centres of excellence have been created in a number of the country’s regions.

With regard to the social partners’ participation in the process of developing and implementing draft legislation and policies on education, the sectoral administrations concerned draw up this draft legislation and involve the relevant ministries and public administrations, as well as the most representative employers’ and workers’ organizations and any stakeholders concerned. By way of example, we could mention, once again, the Inter-ministerial Committee on Employment Monitoring; the tripartite working group of the national action plan for youth employment, set up by the Government; the programme for supporting self-employed workers and microenterprise; the programme for supporting returning migrants; the Urban Special Employment Programme and the Decent Work Country Programme, which is being finalized, to name but a few. It should be noted, nevertheless, that awareness will continue to be raised among all bodies of the importance of tripartism and prior consultation of the social partners on all labour matters, in line with the provisions of the Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144).

Turning to the informal economy, particularly the impact of the measures adopted as part of the transition from the informal to the formal economy, the Government wishes to draw the Committee’s attention to the positive results of its action to facilitate that transition, particularly the promotion of self-employment. According to statistics from the 2022 statistical yearbook of the Ministry of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts, 15,591 businesses were registered with the centre for the formal establishment of enterprises in 2021. Most were sole traders operating in the services sector. Access to financing mechanisms has improved, and with the move towards the formal economy many small and medium-sized enterprises have benefited from financing from the State or international organizations. The agriculture and livestock farming sector, for example, holds an important place in the country’s growth and development forecasts. This sector has benefited from support through the Programme to Promote Youth Agropastoral Entrepreneurship, which has granted funding to more than 2,600 young persons and created more than 10,000 jobs in six years. New economic niches that offer an abundance of job opportunities and promise cohesion – the green and digital economies – have also been developed.

With regard to Article 2 of the Convention on the collection and use of data on employment, there are two bodies responsible for collecting information on employment and for intermediation: the National Observatory for Employment and Vocational Training and the National Employment Fund. The Observatory carries out a number of activities that foster the provision of employment data: it produces employment and training reports, statistical yearbooks on the labour market and employment conjuncture notes and conducts various specific studies, including studies on employment niches. As to the Fund, it has set up a number of programmes aimed at reducing unemployment. These include the Rural Employment Development Support Programme, which provides beneficiaries with training in farming methods, material and financial resources, as well as support in product management and sales; the Graduate Employment Programme, a pre-employment internship programme designed to enable young graduates who lack practical experience to strengthen their CVs so as to facilitate their integration into the production circuit; the Integration of Higher Education Graduates Support Programme; the Vulnerable Persons Integration and Reintegration Support Programme, aimed at all vulnerable persons; and, lastly, career guidance in the public sector.

Concerning Article 3 of the Convention on the participation of the social partners in the development and implementation of employment policies, the Government reiterates that all participants in the labour market were consulted during the drafting of the national employment policy. However, it has taken note of the Committee of Experts’ recommendation to involve representatives of rural workers and informal economy workers in the next stages.

To conclude, the Government of Cameroon remains determined to implement the ILO Conventions. Cognizant that disregarding these instruments hinders the country’s development, it has, since 2018, undertaken ongoing efforts to disseminate the ratified texts to all actors and administrations concerned for implementation, with the principal aim of raising the texts’ profile. These efforts are continuing, and to that end, and has always been the case, we request technical support from the International Labour Office.

Worker members – We are, for the first time, discussing the application of Convention No. 122 by the Government of Cameroon. Convention No. 122 is aimed at stimulating economic growth and development, raising levels of living, meeting manpower requirements and overcoming unemployment and underemployment based on pursuing an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment. This is to ensure that there is work for all who are available for and seeking work, that such work is as productive as possible, that there is freedom of choice of employment and the fullest possible opportunity for each worker to qualify for, and to use his or her skills and endowments in a job for which he or she is well suited, irrespective of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin.

Under Article 3 of the Convention, there is an obligation on governments to ensure that in the application of the Convention, representatives of the persons affected by the measures to be taken, and in particular representatives of employers and workers, are consulted concerning employment policies, with a view to taking fully into account their experience and views and securing their full cooperation in formulating and enlisting support for such policies.

The Worker members note that Cameroon ratified this Convention in 1970 and that the Committee of Experts made observations on the Government’s application of this Convention in 2006, 2007, 2015, 2017 and 2022. The observations of the Committee of Experts in this report reveal major gaps in the Government’s application of the Convention.

The Worker members note that the Government recently embarked on a process of structural reforms and macroeconomic policies, set out in its National Development Strategy 2020–30, with a focus on the rural sector, agriculture and the social economy. As part of the promotion of self-employment, the Government also adopted Framework Act No. 2019/004 governing the social economy in Cameroon. We further note that by virtue of Act No. 2018/010, the National Council for Vocational Guidance and Training was created, with a view to monitoring and evaluating the implementation of vocational training policy and strategies. The Act also stipulates that the State shall ensure the relevance, quality and continuous adaptation of vocational training to national economic and socio-cultural realities and to the international environment. While taking note of these laws and strategies, the Worker members regret, however, that the Government of Cameroon has not yet adopted a national employment policy which, as the Committee of Experts underlined, constitutes the main requirement of the Convention. More specifically, we note that in May 2017, the strategic components of the national employment policy were developed with the technical and financial support of the ILO and approved by the inter-ministerial committee responsible for monitoring employment in Cameroon. However, six years later, the Government has taken no further steps to declare and pursue a national employment policy in line with the requirements of the Convention.

The Worker members recall that to comply with Convention No. 122, governments must demonstrate their commitment to full, productive and freely chosen employment by declaring and pursuing a national employment policy which should reflect a concerted and coherent vision of the country’s employment objectives and set out specific means of achieving them. The absence of a declared national employment policy inevitably causes a lack of coherence and coordination in the various initiatives adopted by the Government. This is a key point emphasized by the Committee of Experts which raised the question of consistency in the organization of vocational training as part of national or regional planning, in order to overcome the difficulty of coordinating education and training policy with employment policy. In this regard, the Worker members take note of the Government’s indication that it has created 11 new courses for technical vocational training and opened universities in 10 regions of the country. We welcome these initiatives. However, we must recall that without a national employment policy to set the course and ambitions, these stand-alone initiatives bear the risk of being disconnected, and they will not meet the objectives of the Convention. The Government must finalize the development of the national employment policy, in full consultation with the social partners, and start its implementation without delay. With reference to the Committee of Experts’ point on the collection and use of data, we emphasize that the national employment policy and its implementation measures should be based on information and statistical data compiled regularly so as to allow for the monitoring of progress and policy evaluation.

Furthermore, the Worker members take particular note of the measures taken by the Government of Cameroon to provide facilitation and support to workers in the informal economy, including measures to facilitate the registration of enterprises with the creation of the Enterprise Creation Formality Centres; better access to financing mechanisms, including in the agricultural sector; and the development of new economic sectors like the green and digital economies. We particularly welcome the targeted efforts of the Government of Cameroon to facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal sector, especially in view of its overwhelming prevalence in the country’s economy. The most recent ILO statistics indicate that the informal economy represents 50 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) and employs nearly 90 per cent of the active population. The Worker members encourage the Government to continue and strengthen its efforts to create decent jobs and to provide adequate protection to workers in the informal economy. Such measures should be part of a broader approach and reflected in the national employment policy.

Additionally, the Government of Cameroon should adopt, in the framework of the national employment policy, measures and programmes to promote the participation of women and youth in the labour market, to reduce unemployment and to promote their long-term integration into the labour market.

Finally, the Worker members note a persistent deficit of social dialogue in the elaboration and implementation of programmes and strategies related to employment. For example, representative trade union organizations were not consulted on Framework Act No. 2019/004 governing the social economy, nor are they part of the National Council for Vocational Guidance and Training. There is also a lack of representativeness in the sectors of activity and an absence of a forum for inter-union reflection. Social dialogue and respect for the role of employers’ and workers’ organizations gives meaning to the implementation of the obligations of this Convention. We must emphasize, as did the Committee of Experts in its comments, the importance of engaging in meaningful consultations with the social partners with respect to the development and implementation of a national employment policy. Very serious matters, including addressing youth unemployment, women’s participation in the labour market, matters related to social and solidarity economy units, the identification of priority value chains and others, will have to be addressed with the support and guidance of the ILO. The Government should take measures to ensure the full participation and consultation of the social partners in employment policies in line with Article 3 of the Convention.

Employer members – The Employer members would like to thank the Government of Cameroon for the oral and written information presented on this case. The Committee is examining for the first time the application of Convention No. 122 by the Government of Cameroon, which ratified this governance Convention in 1970. The Committee of Experts provided observations five times in this case, in 2006, 2007, 2015, 2017 and 2022. In its latest observations, the Committee of Experts raised issues under five areas. The first one is the implementation of an active employment policy: Article 1 of the Convention requires a ratifying Member State to “declare and pursue, as a major goal, an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment”. The Committee of Experts noted various pieces of legislation in the sphere of employment, especially regulating the social economy. The Committee of Experts also noted that, with the technical and financial assistance of the ILO, the Government had also developed strategic components of the national employment policy in May 2017, which were approved by the inter-ministerial committee responsible for monitoring employment in Cameroon. The Committee of Experts also noted a series of structural reforms and macroeconomic policies, set out in Cameroon’s National Development Strategy 2030, which is reflected in Cameroon’s development policy documents for the next ten years. Whilst noting the Government’s efforts, the Committee of Experts called on the Government to demonstrate compliance with Article 1 of the Convention by declaring and pursuing a national employment policy for the promotion of employment and decent work. The Government has subsequently submitted information and confirmed here today that a draft national employment policy has indeed been developed, in consultation with its social partners. and it has been submitted to the competent authority for approval. The Government will also share a copy of the policy with the Committee of Experts after it has been approved. While acknowledging the Government’s response that a national employment policy has been developed in consultation with its social partners, the Employer members wish to underscore the importance of the timeous submission of information to the Committee of Experts to enable a proper assessment of a government’s compliance with its obligations under a ratified Convention. Accordingly, the Employer members would like to urge the Government to take the necessary measures to finalize a draft national employment policy and obtain the necessary approval from the relevant competent authority and share a copy thereof with the Office and the Committee of Experts once done.

With regard to the coordination of education and training policy with employment policy, the Government had previously highlighted Act No. 2018/010 of 11 July 2018 as part of its employment strategy. This Act provides for the creation of the National Council for Vocational Guidance and Training, which is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of vocational training policy and strategies, and the modalities of its application are established by eight signed regulatory texts. The Act provides that vocational training is governed by the principles of tripartism between the State, the Employer and the Worker and obliges the State to ensure that vocational training meets the needs expressed by socio-occupational groups in order to minimize mismatch between training and employment. The Act also enjoins the State to ensure the relevance, quality and continuous adaptation of vocational training to national economic and socio-cultural realities, and to the international environment. In its subsequent response, the Government has highlighted several initiatives undertaken in the area of coordinating education and training policy with employment policy, as well as the participation of social partners in the process. Once again, the Employer members remind the Government of the importance of timeous submission of information to the Committee of Experts. The Employer members look forward to the assessment by the Committee of Experts of the information provided.

With respect to the informal economy, the Committee of Experts noted that the Government had implemented initiatives to reduce the size and expansion of the informal sector, including the establishment of Enterprise Creation Formality Centres and Approved Management Centres to limit or address barriers to entry into the formal sector. The Government information highlights growth in self-employment and small businesses, including in the areas of agriculture, green jobs and information and communication technology, with some 15,591 companies registered in the Enterprise Creation Formality Centres in 2021 according to statistical data from the Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts.

With regard to the collection and use of data on employment, the Government was requested to specify the active employment policy measures adopted as a result of the establishment of the various bodies responsible for collecting information on employment, and to indicate to what extent and the manner in which labour market information is used as a basis for the establishment of the new employment policy. In this regard, the Employer members note the information provided by the Government, including on the National Observatory for Employment and Vocational Training and the National Employment Fund, two institutions that play a significant role in providing employment data. However, the Employer members once more urge the Government in future to provide the requested information timeously to enable assessment of compliance by the Committee of Experts.

Finally, with regard to the participation of the social partners in the development and implementation of employment policies, the Committee of Experts noted complaints about inadequate social partner participation, including the absence of trade unions in the National Council for Vocational Guidance and Training, lack of representativeness in the sectors of activity and the absence of a forum for inter-union reflection. Given the importance of an inclusive approach in the development and implementation of employment policies, the Committee of Experts again requested the Government to provide information on the participation of the social partners in the development and implementation of the national employment policy and to take all necessary measures to facilitate the consultation of representatives of workers, including rural and informal economy workers, in the development and implementation of employment policy. In its response, the Government states that social partners were consulted in the drafting of the national employment policy and undertakes to involve informal workers in future iterations of the policy. Once again, the Employer members underscore the importance of timeous submission of information to the Committee of Experts.

Worker member, Cameroon – Our continent and our country have a young, and growing, population; well-managed, that represents an opportunity, but ignored or managed haphazardly, it could constitute a challenge. Young persons need decent jobs to earn legitimate incomes to meet their needs and those of their families, and to be useful to society as a whole through their participation and contribution to the national economy. We can see how some young persons react to the frustration and despondency caused by underemployment and unemployment. Many of them, under pressure from their families, embrace crime or turn to smugglers to help them leave their country, sometimes without considering the dangerous and deadly costs.

On the other side of the coin, the creation of remunerative employment would help our economy benefit from the energy, ideas, skills, knowledge and enthusiasm of young persons. For that reason, we have been tireless in demanding that our Government develop and implement an imaginative short-, medium- and long-term employment policy, underpinned by specific programmes. While it is positive that the Government heard our call for a policy, it, unfortunately, proceeded to draft it differently. We wonder whether that was a deliberate attempt to cause the policy to fail, or merely a smokescreen to give the impression that action was being taken when, in fact, it was not.

As the Committee of Experts quite rightly reported, trade unions were consulted on only part of the policy development process, despite our insistence. It is difficult to imagine how we could be involved in its implementation. Our insistence stemmed from a patriotic desire to contribute to the development of a broad, effective employment policy based on our knowledge of the realities of the labour market in Cameroon. To demonstrate our genuine concern and desire to be involved, we refrained from disrupting the establishment of the projects designed under the policy. Once the projects were decided upon, however, we asked for them to be submitted to the National Labour Advisory Commission so that we could share our opinions and suggestions. Unfortunately, the document was not approved or promoted by the offices of the Prime Minister or the President. Our Government’s most paternalistic approach is problematic, useless and untenable.

Act No. 2018/010 of 11 July 2018 governing vocational training and Framework Act No. 2019/004 of 25 April 2019 governing the social economy in Cameroon have yet to be adopted by the National Labour Advisory Commission. Decree No. 2020/001 on the structuring and functioning of the network of social economy units must also be the subject of in-depth discussion by the appropriate advisory and legislative bodies. This failure to embrace consultation, consciously and graciously, runs counter to Cameroon’s ratification of Convention No. 144.

In the same vein, the Confederation of Cameroon Trade Unions considers that our policy and employment programmes have well-funded skills and capacity-building components. We have insisted, and we will continue to insist, on the vital need for programmes relating to localization and beneficiaries to reach rural areas and disadvantaged households so that they may benefit. In that connection, we are excited at the ongoing process of developing an apprenticeship standard. It is also vital that social security nets are provided to improve access to, and completion of, skills and capacity-building programmes.

We are witnessing a steady increase in the rate of women’s access to the labour market. An inclusive and enabling employment policy should consider women’s fair participation by including ways and means to reduce and remove barriers to their effective participation in the labour market.

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the urgency with which our country must increase investment in knowledge, education and digital infrastructure. Internet and telecommunications density remains low in Cameroon and could benefit from deliberate, progressive improvement. Our employment policy must consider digitization. It is clear that our Government will benefit from assistance in improving and implementing an effective, inclusive and collaborative national employment policy based on needs. The ILO must also ensure that the policy comes with clear, measurable results and includes monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.

Government member, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela – The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela thanks the Government of Cameroon for its presentation on compliance with the Convention. We have noted that the Government has solid structures for implementing the national employment policy, such as the National Employment Fund, the Integrated Support Project for the Informal Economy and the national action plan for youth employment, among others, which demonstrate that the Government is implementing sound policy in relation to the matter addressed by the Convention.

The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is pleased to note that the Committee of Experts, in its 2023 report, refers to, among other things, the strategic components of the national employment policy in Cameroon, developed with the technical and financial support of the ILO. We welcome Cameroon’s adoption of the Vocational Training Act and the relevant implementing decrees, and the fact that, as reported by the Government, the development of the national employment policy benefited from the participation of the social partners and is at a very advanced stage, with only its official formalization remaining. It is also very positive that the Government of Cameroon is implementing measures to facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal economy, providing funding to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Lastly, the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela trusts that this Committee’s conclusions will be objective and balanced so that the Government of Cameroon may continue to make progress and strengthen compliance with the Convention, taking advantage of consultation with the social partners and ILO technical assistance, where necessary.

Worker member, United States of America – In an era where information is power, understanding the role of data and statistics in shaping effective employment policies is crucial for sustainable development and inclusive growth. The International Labour Organization has provided invaluable guidance through its Conventions and Recommendations. Two relevant ILO instruments in this context are Convention No. 122 and the Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160).

Convention No. 122 emphasizes the importance of comprehensive and integrated employment policies that promote full, productive and freely chosen employment. It highlights the need for policies to be based on accurate and up-to-date data and analysis. This Convention recognizes that reliable data and statistics are the building blocks of effective employment policies, enabling governments, social partners and other stakeholders to identify labour market trends, assess challenges and devise targeted interventions.

Additionally, Convention No. 160 underscores the importance of high-quality labour statistics for informed policymaking. It emphasizes the need for countries to develop robust statistical systems that capture a wide range of labour-related information, including employment levels, unemployment rates, wages, working conditions and more. Such data enables policymakers to monitor progress, identify disparities and design evidence-based interventions to address labour market challenges.

In the specific context of Cameroon, harnessing the power of data and statistics is crucial for informed employment policy formulation. By prioritizing collection, analysis and utilization of labour market data, Cameroon can effectively address the employment challenges it faces and promote decent work opportunities for all its citizens. Moreover, the importance of data and statistics in employment policy aligns with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainable Development Goal 17, which focuses on partnerships for the Goals, emphasizes the significance of reliable, timely, and disaggregated data to support evidence-based decision-making.

In the United States, the labour movement has seen the importance of timely and accurate labour market data to inform not only government policy, but also our efforts to organize workers and raise standards in several sectors. For example, businesses and trade unions alike rely on the data produced by our Bureau of Labour Statistics, which includes several key indicators related to labour market activity, working conditions, price changes and productivity in the United States’ economy. In addition, we applaud the Biden Administration’s use of this data to make historic investments that have generated economic growth and the creation of good jobs across the country.

To conclude, we encourage the Government of Cameroon to follow the Committee of Experts’ recommendation to take the necessary measures to finalize the development of the new data-driven national employment policy, in consultation with the social partners and relevant stakeholders.

Interpretation from Chinese: Government member, China – The Government of China thanks the Government representative for the introduction. We carefully read through the report of the Committee of Experts and note that the Government of Cameroon has provided additional information regarding this case. The Government is now actively formulating the employment policy, introducing a series of measures in the field of education, improving workers’ skills, vigorously promoting the transition from the informal to the formal economy, actively collecting and using data on employment, and consulting with social partners in the formulation of employment policy. According to official statistics, there are 15,591 enterprises registered in the Enterprise Creation Formality Centres in 2021.

The Government of China is of the opinion that when discussing country cases, the Committee should pay full attention to the authoritative information provided by governments, take into account the basic national circumstances of Member States, extensively listen to the will of all stakeholders and come to a fair, convincing conclusion on the basis of a comprehensive and objective assessment. We support the Government of Cameroon in continuing to advance its work on the basis of full consultation with the social partners, and we encourage the ILO to provide necessary technical assistance to Cameroon in the formulation of employment and vocational education policies and collect employment data.

Worker member, Italy – The Committee of Experts noted the provisions of Act No. 2018/010, in particular Section 8(1) and (2), that vocational training is governed by the principles of tripartism between the State, the Employers and Workers. However, in its report, the Government did not indicate how the State ensures consistency in the organization of vocational training as part of national or regional planning to overcome the difficulty of coordinating the education and training policy with the employment policy.

In this era marked by rapid technological advancements and changing economic landscapes, it is imperative that we prioritize education and skills development as key drivers of sustainable and inclusive employment opportunities. The ILO Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142), emphasizes the need to create opportunities for lifelong learning, ensuring that individuals have access to quality education and training throughout their careers. The ILO Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2004 (No. 195), also underlines the importance of promoting skill formation and employability. Sustainable Development Goal 4 focuses explicitly on quality education, aiming to ensure inclusive and equitable education for all. Goal 8 emphasizes decent work and economic growth, highlighting the need to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth through productive employment and decent work for all. Education and skills development play a pivotal role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. By investing in education, we equip individuals with the necessary knowledge and competencies to adapt to the changing demands of the labour market. A well-educated and skilled workforce contributes to higher productivity, innovation and competitiveness, driving economic growth and development. Education and skills development also contribute to reducing inequalities by providing equal opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their background or circumstances. By ensuring access to quality education and training, we empower marginalized groups, including women, youth and persons with disabilities, to participate fully in the labour market. Moreover, education and skills development enhance individuals’ employability and resilience in the face of technological advancements and automation. As industries evolve and job requirements change, continuous learning becomes essential. Equipping individuals with the ability to acquire new skills and adapt to emerging technologies ensures that they remain employable and can navigate labour market transitions successfully.

Effective employment policies should prioritize investment in public education and skills development at all levels, from early childhood education to lifelong learning opportunities. In collaboration with employers’ and workers’ organizations, and educational institutions, governments must create an enabling environment for education and skills development. This includes developing comprehensive national strategies, allocating sufficient resources and strengthening partnerships to promote relevant and high-quality education and training programmes. For this, employment policies should also foster closer collaboration between educational institutions and industries. Italian workers urge the Government of Cameroon to work with its social partners to design and implement national employment policies that promote education and skills development.

Government member, Algeria – The Government of Algeria welcomes the information provided by the Government representative of Cameroon relating to the comments concerning the application, in law and practice, of the Convention. The importance of active employment policies aimed at reducing structural unemployment, underemployment and labour market dysfunction, and increasing employment by facilitating transitions to formal employment in the labour market, should be highlighted. These policies also promote training and economic recovery and open up paths to the labour market for particularly vulnerable persons, especially young people, through occupational integration programmes. In this context, the Government of Algeria welcomes the continued willingness and commitment of the Government of Cameroon to, with ILO assistance, act constructively with a view to meeting its obligations under Convention No. 122. We take positive note of the Government’s efforts which, for some years, have targeted economic diversification, and we encourage the development of sectors such as small and medium-sized enterprises, innovation and agriculture. Enterprises are the main creators of growth and jobs. We therefore welcome the Government’s efforts to support enterprise creation, particularly through the Enterprise Creation Formality Centres and measures to support enterprise competitiveness, and also through the establishment of the National Council for Vocational Guidance and Training, responsible for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of vocational training policies and strategies, in line with labour market needs. These are measures that will, in the medium-term, facilitate the development and adaptation of skills to labour market demands and foster the employability of jobseekers and workers. In addition, efforts have been made to improve the dissemination and accessibility of statistics and understanding of how the labour market works through the National Observatory for Employment and Vocational Training and the National Employment Fund.

The Government of Algeria recognizes and welcomes the progress made by Cameroon in reducing unemployment and promoting decent work. Coordination and consultation should now be improved to formalize the national employment policy with the most representative social partners and to ensure that economic and social challenges at the national and local levels are addressed coherently. We also wish to reiterate the need to address this individual case in a constructive, transparent, inclusive and objective spirit. To conclude, we hope that the ILO will continue to provide the necessary technical support to the Government of Cameroon and will take into account the challenges it faces.

Worker member, Kenya – It is noted from the Committee of Experts’ report that the Government of Cameroon developed and adopted the following policies: (i) Framework Act No. 2019/004 of 25 April 2019 to promote self-employment, and a corresponding decree; (ii) the adoption, on 3 January 2020, of Decree No. 2020/0001 on the restructuring and functioning of the network of social economy units; (iii) the development of strategic components of the national employment policy with the technical and financial support of the ILO and approved by an inter-ministerial committee responsible for monitoring employment in Cameroon in May 2017; and (iv) a process of structural reforms and macroeconomic policies, as set out in Cameroon’s National Development Strategy 2030. The Strategy is reflected in Cameroon’s development policy documents for the ten years.

A reading of the above policies sounds good. However, the Committee of Experts noted that not much has been achieved in meeting the main requirement of the Convention, namely to declare and pursue a national employment policy for the promotion of employment and decent work. It is with no doubt, these policies are not delivering the goals of decent work. One of the reasons in the report is the lack of consultation by the Government. The trade unions stated in the report that they were not consulted in line with Convention No. 144. Another major reason why the Convention is not being fully addressed could be inadequate funding of the Ministry of Labour, which is charged with the enforcement of this Convention.

However, Cameroon ratified Convention No. 144 on 1 June 2018 and the Convention is in force. The Convention places an obligation on the Government to consult with its social parties in all matters of labour and employment as they affect their members. The failure to consult is a breach of this Convention, and this causes mistrust among the social partners. It does not matter how good a policy could be, it is bound to fail if there is no buy-in from the beneficiaries. This top-bottom approach has failed in most countries. I urge the Government of Cameroon to urgently consult with its social partners and relevant stakeholders with a view to finalizing the development of the new national employment policy. The Government of Cameroon has the option to borrow a leaf from our peers, like Kenya, by incorporating labour relations and issuing new legislation to ensure that issues of decent work, fair working conditions and social dialogue are addressed as fundamentals for workers in Cameroon. Finally, the country can also be assisted both financially and technically by the ILO to address the full implementation of the Convention.

Government member, Senegal – The Government of Senegal would like to thank the Government representative of Cameroon for her responses to the concerns expressed in the report of the Committee of Experts. The Government of Senegal commends the efforts made by Cameroon to give full effect to the Convention, including: (i) the creation of a Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training; (ii) the creation of employment promotion bodies; (iii) the adoption of measures to facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal economy; and (iv) the collection and use of employment data.

While reaffirming its commitment to the ILO’s universal ideals and objectives, and the need for all Member States to ensure compliance with the rights and obligations deriving from ratified Conventions, the Government of Senegal urges the Government of Cameroon to pursue the progress achieved and the significant means deployed to improve its national legislation and practice by means of consensus-based reforms that ensure economic and social stability. The Government of Senegal also invites the Government of Cameroon to strengthen its cooperation with the Office and, if needed, to request its technical assistance to give full effect to the provisions of the Convention.

Worker member, Uganda – I would like to emphasize the paramount importance of employment policy in the temporary world of work. I also wish to note the Committee of Experts’ report that Cameroon needs to develop a national policy on employment, which should fulfil its obligations under the ILO Conventions.

Over the years, the ILO has formulated a set of Conventions and Recommendations that act as guiding principles for Member States to develop and implement effective employment policies. These instruments outline essential aspects of employment, including workers’ rights, job creation, social protection and labour market governance. Employment policy plays a pivotal role in shaping labour markets, promoting decent work and achieving social and economic progress. It emphasizes a range of measures aimed at improving working conditions, enhancing job opportunities, reducing unemployment and addressing labour market disparities. A well-designed employment policy, therefore, has a framework and can enable countries to respond effectively to the challenges and opportunities as posed by globalization, technological advancements and evolving labour market dynamics.

ILO Conventions and Recommendations establish crucial principles for safeguarding workers’ rights and promoting decent work. The core labour standards, including freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining, elimination of forced labour, abolition of child labour and non-discrimination in employment, serve as a foundation for inclusive and equitable employment policies. For instance, the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98), ensure workers’ freedom to form and join trade unions and also engage in collective bargaining.

Furthermore, the implementation of policies plays a pivotal role in stimulating job creation and sustainable economic growth. It should focus on promoting entrepreneurship, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, and facilitating labour market transition. It also helps to address unemployment and underemployment; employment policies should include active labour market policies. These policies encompass measures such as skills development, training programmes, job placement services and income support during periods of unemployment. Comprehensive employment policies must incorporate social protection measures to ensure workers’ well-being, income security and resilience in the face of economic shocks and risks. The Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102), and the Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202), provide solid frameworks for establishing universal social protection systems that cover all workers, including those in the informal economy. Gender equality is also a crucial aspect that should be prioritized within employment policies. The Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100), and the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), emphasize the need to eliminate gender-based wage disparities and discrimination in employment. Additionally, the Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation, 2017 (No. 205), calls for gender-responsive employment policies in conflict-affected and post-conflict areas that recognize the unique challenges faced by women in such contexts.

Given the transitional nature of the labour market and the impact of globalization, international cooperation plays a crucial role in shaping the effective implementation of employment policies. Member States should, therefore, collaborate through sharing best practices, technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen their employment policy frameworks. In conclusion, I want to strongly urge the Government of Cameroon to recognize the critical importance of employment policy in the world of work today and to work with its social partners as required by the Convention to establish an acceptable employment policy.

Government member, Burkina Faso – The Government of Cameroon is appearing before our Committee in relation to its application of Convention No. 122, a priority Convention that it ratified on 25 May 1970. Employment promotion is one of the four strategic objectives set out in the 2008 ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization given its importance in combating poverty in our countries. Guaranteeing full, productive and freely chosen employment ensures the promotion of social justice, the cornerstone of the International Labour Organization. Our country remains strongly committed to the promotion of such social justice as a pillar of promoting decent work and will spare no effort in supporting any Member State to that end.

According to the information provided by the Government of Cameroon, effort has been made recently by the country’s highest authorities to develop a national employment policy in consultation with the social partners, as provided for by the relevant provisions of the Convention. This national policy will be adopted by the competent bodies in the near future. The Government has also endeavoured to ensure consistency between this policy and education policy, in line with the spirit of the Convention. Furthermore, many initiatives and actions have been undertaken recently to ensure the transition from the informal to the formal economy and create a quality workforce with the aim of enhancing young persons’ employability. It should be recognized that the coordination of a national employment policy with vocational training policy and education policy poses huge difficulties in countries like ours, which are dominated by the informal economy.

Nevertheless, in the light of the relevant information provided, the Government of Burkina Faso commends the effort made by Cameroon and strongly encourages it to pursue this momentum while taking into account the recommendations of the Committee of Experts. The Government of Burkina Faso therefore requests the International Labour Office to support the action already taken and invites other partners to support the different processes already under way. In the light of the above, our Committee must demonstrate understanding and objectivity when adopting its conclusions on this individual case.

Interpretation from Arabic: Government member, Egypt – I thank the Government of Cameroon for its efforts to implement the Convention and legislative reforms. The Government has developed a national employment policy with the participation of the social partners, and that policy has been submitted to the competent authorities for adoption. The Government has also worked to coordinate education policies and employment policies, adopting initiatives to align the two to create a qualified workforce for the different sectors and to strengthen technological knowledge. With the backing of the Government, the competent authority for secondary education has introduced alternating training, where theoretical education is alternated with practical experience in enterprises or professional workshops to meet the needs of the labour market. The Government has also created state universities in the country’s ten regions and established a programme to support higher education graduates, in cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education, in order to promote their professional integration.

We welcome the measures taken by the Government of Cameroon that have led to positive results for the transition from the informal to the formal economy and to establish new economic sectors that offer employment opportunities in the green and digital economies. We encourage the Government to strengthen the creation of green jobs to protect young persons in Cameroon from unemployment under the relevant steering committee.

In conclusion, we welcome the efforts and initiatives undertaken by the Government of Cameroon to implement the provisions of the Convention, and we hope that the Committee will take the country’s efforts into account.

Government member, Gabon – The Government of Gabon welcomes the responses of the Government of Cameroon to the Committee of Experts’ observations on the official formalization of Cameroon’s national employment policy, in line with the provisions of the Convention. Indeed, following the example of the Republic of Cameroon, Gabon ratified the Convention in October 2009. In 2017, it developed a national employment policy that was adopted by the Council of Ministers one year later, in April 2018. This national employment policy, drawn up in accordance with Article 1 of the Convention, was the result of a long process of consultation and social dialogue between the Government and the social partners, with the support of the International Labour Office. Based on the experience acquired during that process, therefore, and also given the effort made in that regard, we appreciate the ground already covered by the Government of Cameroon towards finalizing the development of its national employment policy.

To that end, Gabon’s intervention aims to encourage the Republic of Cameroon to continue, and intensify, the many significant steps that it has already taken towards the official formalization of its policy. Convinced of the good faith and determination of the Government of Cameroon to conclude the process by means of the competent bodies’ adoption of the document, which has already been validated by the tripartite constituents, I request the Committee to pay particular attention and show particular understanding when addressing this matter in Cameroon, including by considering the efforts made. The Government of Gabon therefore asks the International Labour Office and other development partners to provide multifaceted support to with a view to meeting the objectives relating to the national employment policy, in line with the provisions of the Convention.

Government representative – The Government of Cameroon wishes to express its deep gratitude to all the tripartite delegates for their constructive and contradictory statements and observations that have enriched today’s discussion. As bestselling author Lisa Alther said: “the degree of a person’s intelligence is directly reflected by the number of conflicting attitudes she can bring to bear on the same topic.” We have taken note of all the contributions to this discussion, including those relating to completing the development of the national employment policy, submitting information to the Committee of Experts in a timely manner, inclusivity and many other aspects. The Government of Cameroon reaffirms its commitment to giving effect, both in law and in practice, to the provisions of the Convention. We will take into consideration all the invaluable and useful observations and contributions made, as well as the encouragement received during this discussion, and we will work to bring our texts and laws into line with the provisions of the Convention.

Employer members – The Employer members thank the various speakers who took the floor and especially the representative of the Government of Cameroon for the interventions and the information they have provided. Taking into account the information submitted and today’s debate, firstly, the Employer members would like to recommend that the Government of Cameroon keep the Committee of Experts updated on progress in the approval of the draft national employment policy and submit a copy of the policy to that Committee as soon as it has been approved by the competent authority; secondly, involve social partners and other stakeholders such as informal workers, in the development and implementation of future iterations of the national employment policy; thirdly, in future, ensure the timely submission of requested information to enable assessment by the Committee of Experts of the Government’s compliance with the Convention. Finally, we urge the Government, if needed, to seek ILO technical assistance to facilitate its reporting obligations.

Worker members – The Worker members thank the Government of Cameroon for its comments and clarifications. We also thank all the speakers for their interventions. We take note of the strategies put in place by the Government to foster development and boost education and training. In view of the prevalence of the informal sector in the economy of the country, we welcome the Government’s efforts to support workers in this sector and to facilitate the transition to the formal sector. However, we are bound to note that more needs to be done for the Government to be in compliance with the Convention. We recall that the Convention prescribes that each Member shall declare and pursue, as a major goal, an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment. Such a policy must be inclusive and comprehensive. It should be designed, adopted and implemented in correlation with other social and economic policies, taking full note of the situation of the labour market and the impact any such policy will make, including on job creation, employment stability and decent work. Unfortunately, since 2017, the Government has taken no steps to adopt and implement a comprehensive national employment policy as required by the Convention. In addition, we note that in elaborating these strategies, the Government did not fully consult with workers’ representatives, as required by Article 3 of the Convention.

Therefore, the Worker members call on the Government to take measures to ensure that the national employment policy is finally adopted in full consultation with the social partners and without further delay. With reference to the Committee of Expert’s comments, the policy should contain specific measures: (i) to facilitate the transition of workers from the informal to the formal sector to create decent jobs, especially for youth and women, and to provide adequate protection to all workers, including workers in the informal economy; (ii) to promote the participation of women and youth in the labour market, including by ensuring stable and secure employment to reduce unemployment for these categories and to promote their long-term integration into the labour market; and (iii) to ensure that education, training and skills policies are coordinated with the employment policy and that they facilitate the free choice of employment. The national employment policy and its implementation measures should also be based on information and statistical data, compiled regularly, so as to allow the Government, together with the social partners, to monitor progress and evaluate the policy. The Worker members invite the Government of Cameroon to avail itself of the technical assistance provided by the ILO. We also request the Government to accept an ILO technical advisory mission.

Conclusions by the Committee

Government representative – The Government of the Republic of Cameroon thanks the Committee for its conclusions, which demonstrate its thorough consideration of this case, and, above all, for having taken into account both the information provided and the constructive discussion that followed. The Government duly notes the recommendations made and wishes to clarify that, as a State based on the rule of law, it undertakes to update, in cooperation with the social partners, its legislation and institutions in line with the provisions of the Convention, as stipulated in the conclusions that we have just heard.

The recommended assistance of the International Labour Office will be formalized, and we will approach the Office to make practical arrangements in that regard. You will agree, however, that providing information on the progress made and the adopted employment policy before 1 September 2023 seems unrealistic. We therefore request, although the conclusions have already been adopted, that the Committee use its discretion to grant us a reasonable deadline for the requested compliance, to which we are committed.