CMNT_TITLE

1. Article 3, paragraphs 2 and 3, of the Convention. Further to its previous observations, the Committee notes with satisfaction the adoption of Act No. 133 of 13 November 1991, sections 23, 24 and 25 of which amend sections 153, 154 and 155 of the Labour Code, in conformity with these provisions of the Convention, by extending the total duration of maternity leave to 12 weeks, ten of which have to be compulsorily taken after confinement.

2. The Committee hopes that, according to the assurance given by the Government in its last report, necessary measures at the level of the Ecuador Social Security Institute will be adopted in the very near future so as to align, in accordance with Article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, the period during which cash and medical benefits are granted with that of maternity leave, as set out in section 153 of the Labour Code as amended, in respect of both women workers covered by the compulsory social insurance scheme, including domestic workers, and women workers covered by the peasants' social insurance scheme.

3. The Committee takes note of the statistical information supplied by the Government on the number of women workers protected by the compulsory social insurance and by the peasants' social insurance scheme. It hopes that the Government's next report will also contain statistical information reflecting the number of women workers protected as a percentage of the total number of women workers. Furthermore, the Committee expresses the hope that the Government will be able to provide information on any further extension of the social security scheme so as to cover all the categories of women workers referred to in Article 1 of the Convention throughout the country.