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1. With reference to its previous direct request on the participation of girls in education, particularly middle-level and secondary education, the Committee notes the information and statistics provided by the Government which show a slight but steady increase in the number of girls in middle level schools (1993-94: 43.6 per cent; 1994-95: 44 per cent; 1995-96: 44.4 per cent; 1996-97: 45.6 per cent) and in secondary schools (1993-94: 48.6 per cent; 1994-95: 49.8 per cent; 1995-96: 50.1 per cent; 1996-97; 52.5 per cent). With regard to the percentage of girls and women in higher education and vocational training, the Committee also notes a slight increase in female participation in higher education (1992-93: 42 per cent; 1993-94: 42.6 per cent; 1994-95: 42.7 per cent; 1995-96: 44.8 per cent; 1996-97: 47 per cent) and in vocational training (1992: 38.9 per cent; 1993: 38.7 per cent; 1994: 40.3 per cent; 1995: 43.9 per cent; 1996: 47 per cent). However, the statistics reveal a drop in the proportion of girls and women in technical education which, according to the Government, can be explained by the fact that, unlike boys, girls have difficulty in adapting to this type of education. In this connection, the Committee recalls paragraph 73 of its 1996 Special Survey on equality in employment and occupation, in which it notes that discrimination in access to training rarely originates in provisions of laws or regulations, but generally arises out of practices based on stereotypes affecting mainly women and certain disadvantaged groups. The Committee asks the Government to consider what measures might be taken under the national policy on gender equality to inform and raise awareness with a view to facilitating the access of girls and women to more diversified technical education and vocational training. The Committee refers the Government to paragraph 82 of its 1988 General Survey on equality in employment and occupation, in which it recalls that such positive measures make it possible to rectify the de facto inequalities affecting members of groups that are at a disadvantage owing to the phenomenon of occupational segregation, in particular such segregation based on sex.

2. With regard to the information requested on non-discriminatory implementation of the provisions of Decree No. 87-209 of 8 September 1987 and the Ministerial Order of 1 August 1988 concerning training and retraining abroad, the Committee notes that the Government's report contains no information on this matter, but that Executive Decree No. 96-262 of 29 July 1996 amends and supplements Decree No. 87-209 to organize the planning and management of training and retraining abroad (the persons concerned are from public administrations, public industrial and commercial establishments and local communities; the cost of training is borne by the employer). It also notes that Executive Decree No. 97-197 of 18 May 1997 lays down the functions, composition, organization and operation of the National Advisory Council for Vocational Training established by Decree No. 78-135 of 3 June 1978 (which is inter-ministerial and composed, inter alia, of members of the National Employment Agency and vocational training experts, and also workers' and employers' representatives from the various trades). The Committee asks the Government to provide information in its next report on equality in training, including any annual reports on the matter issued by the National Advisory Council for Vocational Training.