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The Committee notes the brief information on the measures to implement the Five-Year Action Plan (PAE) provided by the Government in its report received in September 2002.

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. In its report, the Government provides information on measures to promote youth employment, which have resulted in the establishment of a vocational integration network. It indicates that it is pursuing its efforts to promote self-employment and jobs in rural areas. It refers to international cooperation in the national campaign to raise awareness of employment. Finally, it mentions the preparation, with ILO support, of the Plan of Action "Jobs to reduce poverty" in the context of the ILO "Jobs for Africa" Programme, in which Senegal is participating. The Committee requests the Government to provide copies of reports, studies or investigations, as well as detailed and disaggregated statistics showing the attainment of the objectives set out in the programmes established for the purposes of the strategic framework to combat poverty, and to indicate the manner in which an active policy to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment is pursued in this context. In general, the Committee hopes to find in the Government’s next report more detailed information on all measures demonstrating the effectiveness of an explicitly declared active employment policy in the context of a coordinated economic and social policy. In this respect, the Government is requested to refer to the questions raised under Article 1 in the report form adopted by the Governing Body, with a view to providing particulars on the implementation of the above measures, and to supply any evaluations of their effectiveness as well as available statistics.

2. The Committee notes the information concerning the development of the Labour Market Information System (SIME), with ILO support, and the establishment of a national employment agency with the support of French technical cooperation. It hopes that the Government will provide information in its next report on the measures taken to compile statistical and other data on the distribution of the labour force, the nature and volume of unemployment and underemployment and the trends in these fields, and that it will be able to indicate the manner in which the information compiled on the labour market is taken into consideration in deciding on and keeping under review the measures to be adopted under the national employment policy, as required by Article 2.

3. Article 3. The Committee notes the information concerning the active collaboration between the social partners in the establishment of the vocational integration network (RIP) and the development with professionals in the fields of general mechanics and automobiles (PROMECABILE) of a promotional and apprenticeship programme in artisanal establishments in the crafts sector. This information, while indicating the benefit of associating the representative organizations of employers and workers in the implementation of specific measures, does not however demonstrate the full consultation of the representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations and of other categories of the active population, particularly in the rural sector and in the informal economy, in the formulation of employment policies, within the meaning of Article 3 of the Convention. The Committee asks the Government to specify the manner in which the representatives of the persons affected are consulted with regard to employment policies and to indicate the formal consultation procedures established for this purpose. In particular, the Committee hopes that the Government will report on the work of the Committee to Follow up the National Employment Policy (CSPE).