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1. The Committee notes with interest the adoption in April 1997 of Act No. 26772 which provides that offers of employment and access to means of educational training shall not contain requirements which discriminate, nullify or impair equality of opportunity and treatment on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, opinion, national extraction or social origin, and so on.

2. With reference to its previous direct request on the results obtained from the training programmes such as "PRODAME" and the "Programme for Self-generation of Employment for Women with Family Responsibilities", the Committee notes with interest that a series of programmes has been introduced designed to support women's admission into, and their maintenance on, the labour market. The programmes include the "Programme for the Consolidation of Women's Employment" (PROFECE -- Programa Femenino de Consolidación de Empleo), launched in November 1996 with the aim of allowing adult women of restricted means to enter the labour market in an organized manner, and which works with organized groups of women looking for work known as "GOOLS" (grupos organizados de oferta laboral femenina). The Government has mentioned the programme "Awareness activities designed for enterprises in order to improve the image of GOOLS". The Committee also notes that through these activities contacts have been established with over 80 enterprises and orders have been received providing jobs for 1,700 women. Similarly, it notes that PROFECE has been extended to other regions of the country, coordination activities have been set up with public and private organizations, new sources of funding are being obtained and work experience and youth training programmes are being introduced which include women of limited resources, in addition to self-employment and small business programmes. The Committee requests that the Government keep it informed in future reports of the development of these programmes.

3. As regards the legal situation of women wishing to join the armed forces, a subject which has been dealt with in previous requests, the Committee notes with interest that under Act No. 26628 of 13 June 1996, women are allowed access to schools for officers and non-commissioned officers of the armed forces (army, navy and air force). Furthermore, it is provided that all the institutions of the armed forces are obliged to restructure their rules, manuals and guidelines, in accordance with the above Act, so that women wishing to join the military corps can do so and enjoy the same benefits as male members of the forces.

4. With reference to the possibility that children of both sexes may attend new classes on family education and employment practices, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government with respect to this possibility whereby innovative features have been introduced into the curriculum for children in first to fourth grades, including the subject of Family Education. In addition, the Ministry of Education is developing a programme entitled "National Programme for Sexual Education" which since 1996 has managed to train 12,300 teachers who, in particular, try to teach children to be responsible parents.