CMNT_TITLE

The Committee notes with interest the detailed information provided by the Government in reply to its previous comments.

1. The Committee notes that information and guidance for young people are the responsibility of the Ministry of Technical Educational and Vocational Training, through two main bodies: the National Education Directorate for Guidance and Scholarships, and the Services of the OSDI (guidance, selection, documentation, information). The purpose of these bodies is to inform the public on all matters related to training and employment and to enable students to obtain adequate guidance for careers that are geared to the needs of the economy. The Committee requests the Government to provide information in its future reports on all progress made as a result of the efforts of the above-mentioned bodies.

2. The Committee notes the Government's statement that there is no discrimination with regard to access to training and employment and that free access to technical and vocational training establishments is standard practice. The Government none the less reports that there are certain disparities in this connection between the various regions of the country, between men and women and between rural and urban areas, which, it considers, are the result of disparities in income or the reflection of socio-cultural behaviour. The Government adds that it is striving to overcome these disparities in a number of ways such as standardising the opening of schools in all regions, establishing vocational training centres and technical schools, combating illiteracy in both rural and urban areas, etc.

3. Regarding, in particular, disparities between the sexes, the Committee notes that the 1981-85 Development Plan is the first of its kind to devote a special chapter to the promotion of women in order to ensure that girls have equal access to education and to provide them with training that is in keeping with the employment requirements of the country's economic development. It also notes that the inclusion of the women's training issue in the 1981-85 Plan coincides with the establishment of the Ministry for the Condition of Women, and that a committee and two subcommittees for the promotion of women have been in operation since 1977. It its report, the Government provides detailed information on the activities of these bodies, including statistical data on the participation of girls at the various levels of school education and vocational training.

The Committee notes this information with interest, but observes that although the participation of girls in the various stages of the education system has risen since independence, it has now reached ceilings of approximately 40 per cent, 30 per cent and 20 per cent in primary, secondary and higher education respectively. It also notes that girls form the majority only in private commercial training institutes and in training for low-skill trades, where results are poor and prospects uncertain, and where they accounted for 63.4 per cent of enrolled students in 1983-84. Finally, the Committee notes that the percentage of girls in public technical and vocational training establishments remains very low, their participation rate having risen from 16.5 per cent to approximately 24.6 per cent in 1983-84, except in schools for paramedical training where the rate reached 44.7 per cent at the same date. The rate is even lower in agricultural schools (8.1 per cent) and in industrial training schools (1.4 per cent).

The Committee hopes that the Government will pursue its efforts to eliminate the disparities and overcome the difficulties mentioned in its report, and to encourage the access of women to education and vocational training, particularly in trades which are not considered as being traditionally for women. The Committee also hopes that the next report will contain information (including statistical data) on any progress made to this end.

4. With regard to the access of women to employment, the Committee notes from the report that the percentage of women in the modern sector is very low - only 10 per cent of the total number of public and private sector employees. However, women are better represented in the public service where they account for 19 per cent of employees, whereas the rate is a mere 6 per cent in the private sector. The Government also indicates that women rarely hold top management posts and that they tend to be concentrated in middle-management and skilled administrative and commercial jobs. Only rarely do women obtain direct access to non-skilled jobs and learn their skill on the job. Vocational training is therefore a prerequisite for access to employment, but not all jobs are accessible to women, particularly in the industrial sector.

The Committee takes note of this information and of the measures planned by the Government to raise awareness among girls, their parents and those responsible for training, about the different branches of training, and the employment opportunities to which they provide access. It hopes that measures will also be taken to create awareness among employers when they are recruiting, and to ensure that the public placement services do not discriminate on grounds of sex in the posts offered to job-seekers. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information, including statistics, on any progress made in promoting equality of opportunity between men and women in access to employment.

5. With regard to post and telecommunication staff, the Government states that there is no discrimination between men and women in the jobs offered in this area. However, in order to protect women and in accordance with section 7 of Decree No. 68-24 of 9 January 1968 to establish special rules for post and telecommunication personnel, women are given priority with regard to assignment to jobs other than those involving the handling or transport of mail and home delivery. The Committee notes this information and would like to be kept informed on any future changes in this respect.