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The Committee notes the Government's reports for the period ending June 1998. With reference also to the report provided under article 22 of the ILO Constitution concerning the application of the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81), and the attached documentation, the Committee notes the establishment, under Decree No. 1128 of 29 June 1999 to restructure the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, of a special inspection, supervision and monitoring unit, which appears to respond to the criteria defining the competent authority set out in Article 7 of the Convention.

However, the Committee notes that the provisions concerning the functions of the special unit are worded in terms which do not distinguish inspection activities that are specific to the agricultural sector. Among its many functions, the special unit is responsible for implementing plans and programmes relating to rural workers, informal sector workers and self-employed workers and for promoting the application of the legislative provisions which are applicable to them. In its report for the period ending 30 June 1996, the Government indicated the establishment of the special labour department responsible, among other matters, for agricultural workers, for participating in programmes concerning them and for promoting the application of labour legislation. The Government reports, among the activities undertaken by the above structure, surveys on labour inspection in the agricultural sector and the preparation of compilations of workers' rights. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information on the outcome of the surveys carried out and on the action envisaged to improve labour inspection in agriculture with a view to improving the protection of agricultural workers. The Committee also requests the Government to provide detailed information on the impact of Decree No. 1128 above on labour inspection in agriculture and to provide a copy of any text issued in this respect.

The Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate whether, as envisaged in Article 10, labour inspection duties are assigned to women inspectors in the agricultural sector, particularly with regard to the functions of assistance and supervision set out in Article 6, paragraph 2, and in relation to the application of legal provisions respecting the conditions of life of workers and their families.

The Government is also requested to take the necessary measures to transmit to the ILO an annual report on the work of the inspection services in agriculture in the form and within the time limits set out in Article 26, containing information on the subjects enumerated in Article 27.