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1. Sexual harassment. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that section 47(9) of the Labour Code prohibits employers from carrying out any action against workers that may be regarded as sexual harassment, or from supporting or failing to intervene in the event of any such acts carried out by their representatives. The Committee suggested that the Government should examine the possibility of establishing an explicit prohibition in the Labour Code of the two elements of sexual harassment: quid pro quo and hostile working environment, as explained in its general observation of 2002. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide further information relating to the scope of those protected by section 47(9) of the Labour Code. The Committee also requests the Government to consider including an explicit prohibition of the two aspects of sexual harassment in the Labour Code, and to provide information on progress made in this regard.

2. Equality of access for men and women to employment and occupation. The Committee notes that, according to the statistical data provided for 2006, the proportion of women workers in export processing zones is equal to that of men. The Committee further notes that women only account for 31 per cent of the labour force employed in national productive sectors. The Committee also notes that, according to the Government’s report, most export processing zones are engaged in the textile sector, and that jobs in that sector are principally filled by women, as they are considered to be better at producing clothing. The Committee recalls the importance of promoting the participation of women in the various sectors of the economy to guarantee in practice the full application of the principle of equality of opportunity in employment and occupation. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing statistical data on labour force participation, disaggregated by sex and sector. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the measures adopted to promote the participation of women outside the so-called female sectors and in positions of high responsibility, as well as to combat stereotypical attitudes of the roles men and women in the labour market.

3. Equality of access for men and women to vocational training. The Committee notes with concern that, according to the Government’s report, all of the apprenticeship contracts concluded in 2006 were exclusively for men and that in export processing zones, in one of the sectors with the greatest number of women workers, there was only one apprenticeship contract. The Committee reminds the Government of the essential role of education in promoting equality and emphasizes that access to training is fundamental as it is often a precondition to the actual opportunities available to women of gaining access to a broad range of jobs and occupations. The Committee emphasizes that the adoption of legal provisions in the field of equality of opportunity in employment and training is not sufficient to comply with the obligations of the Convention and that it is the responsibility of the Government to take proactive measures to ensure that women have access in practice to the various training programmes. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on vocational training activities and on the measures adopted to promote the participation of women at the various levels of training, including types of training that are traditionally undertaken by men.