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1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Gender equality. Further to point 2 of its observation, the Committee requests the Government to provide in its future reports information on the following:

(a)   Progress made in expanding women’s opportunities to obtain vocational training, including statistical information on the number of women benefiting from training in the different fields of training and the employment rates and sectors of employment of trainees following the completion of such programmes.

(b)   Action taken to promote women’s access to self-employment in rural and urban areas, including measures targeting women from ethnic minorities and other disadvantaged groups.

(c)   Statistical information on the participation of men and women in formal employment in the private and public sectors.

(d)   Updated statistical information concerning literacy and the participation of men and women in education at the primary, secondary and tertiary level, as well as information on the progress made in achieving the targets set for the appointment of female teachers.

(e)   Measures taken to raise awareness of gender equality within the labour administration and among workers and employers, including any efforts made to seek the cooperation of workers’ and employers’ organizations in this regard.

2. Equality of opportunity and treatment of tribal peoples. The Committee notes that the Government’s 2005 National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction (“Unlocking the potential”) gives specific attention to the Adivasi/ethnic minority groups and provides for action to be taken in the areas of education and skills training to facilitate the entry into the job market of Adivasi/ethnic minority people, including through affirmative action. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken to implement the directives given by the National Strategy with respect to enhancing education, skills development and employment generation of Adivasi/ethnic minority people living in the Chittadong Hill Tracts and the plains, including indications as to the competent bodies and mechanisms responsible for implementation and the budgetary allocations made to allow for implementation of the proposed action.

3. Equality of opportunity and treatment irrespective of social origin. The Committee notes that the 2005 National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction recognizes the need to address the situation of some extremely disadvantaged groups engaging in specific occupations which face social exclusion and segregation. The Committee notes from the National Strategy that “although in Bangladesh there is no caste system per se, these groups are treated the way lower castes are treated as untouchables in a caste system”. The Committee requests the Government to provide information in its next report on the measures taken or envisaged to promote and ensure equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation of persons belonging to these groups, including through measures to facilitate occupational mobility and to eliminate discrimination faced by them on the ground of their social origin.

4. Part III of the report form. Labour inspection. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that a proposal is currently under examination to increase the number of posts in the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments from 226 to 843 and that training would be arranged on occupational safety and health and “other related compliance”. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the manner in which labour inspectors are being trained to enable them to prevent, detect and remedy violations of the principle of equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation.