Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2010, publiée 100ème session CIT (2011)

Legislation. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that a new Multi-Sectoral Committee has been established to review the National Employment Act of 1995, and that the attention of the new Committee will be drawn to the issue of direct and indirect discrimination, sexual harassment, as well as including “social origin” as an element of the definition of discrimination. The Committee urges the Government to take the opportunity of the legislative review to ensure that the new Employment Act explicitly defines and prohibits direct and indirect discrimination, on at least all the grounds enumerated in Article 1(1)(a) of the Convention, with respect to all aspects of employment and occupation, and covering all workers, as well as including provisions to prevent and prohibit sexual harassment, both quid pro quo and hostile work environment harassment. The Committee asks the Government to consider forwarding the draft revisions to the Office before their adoption, to ensure their conformity with international labour standards, including Convention No. 111. Please provide information on steps taken in this regard.

Article 2 of the Convention. Formulation and implementation of a national policy on equality of opportunity and treatment. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the principle of equality of opportunity and treatment will be considered in the review of the current national employment policy and will also be an integral part of the new revised Employment Act. The Committee notes that ILO technical assistance has been requested to develop the employment policy. The Committee encourages the Government to continue its efforts to develop and implement a national equality policy, and to take the necessary steps to obtain ILO technical assistance in this regard. Please provide information on any progress made, including measures taken or envisaged to promote equality in access to vocational training, employment and occupation.

Article 3(a). Cooperation with employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Committee notes that the National Consultative Committee on Employment (NCCE) will promote the application of the Convention. The Committee asks the Government to provide specific information on the activities undertaken by the NCCE related to the application of the Convention, and on the role of the social partners in the context of the development and implementation of the national employment policy. The Committee also asks the Government to provide information on all other initiatives or programmes implemented in collaboration with the social partners to promote equality and non-discrimination in employment and occupation.

Article 3(e). Access to vocational training. Occupational segregation. The Committee recalls its previous comments noting the presence of occupational gender segregation in the labour market. The Committee observes from the statistical bulletin (October 2010) of the National Bureau of Statistics that 63.9 per cent of workers employed in the Government are women, especially in education, human health and social work activities and administrative and support services activities. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on any measures taken or envisaged to address occupational gender segregation. It particularly asks the Government to provide more information on how the Skills Development Programme and the retraining programme promote women’s access in a wider range of occupations and industries. Recalling the importance of collecting information, disaggregated by industry and occupation on the number of men and women employed both in the private and the public sector, the Committee asks the Government to provide such information in its next report.