CMNT_TITLE

The Committee notes with interest the detailed information provided by the Government in its first and second reports, from which it appears that the Government has adopted a policy to enable persons with family responsibilities who are engaged or wish to engage in employment to exercise that right to do so without being subject to discrimination and without conflict between their employment and family responsibilities, in accordance with Article 3 of the Convention. This policy is embodied, in particular, in Act No. 8/1980, of 10 March 1980, containing the Workers' Charter, as amended by Act No. 3/1989 of 3 March 1989, and the Plan for Equality of Opportunity for Women 1988-1990.

1. Article 2 of the Convention. The Committee notes that, by virtue of its section 1(3)(a), the Workers' Charter is not applicable to civil servants, and it requests the Government to supply information on the position of civil servants with regard to matters regulated in the Workers' Charter, such as the prohibition of discrimination on the ground of sex or civil status, and the system of leaves to take care of young children.

2. Articles 4(a) and 7. The Committee notes the various legislative provisions intended to promote the employment of workers with family responsibilities, such as section 8 (credit facilities for the establishment as self-employed workers), and section 10 (programmes for specific groups of workers) of Basic Act No. 51/1980, of 8 October 1980, on employment. It also notes the various measures taken with a view to professional and specialised training for women workers, such as the programme for the training of women for activities in which they are under-represented, which forms part of the National Plan for Training and Professional Integration (Order of 22 January 1988), and the experimental professional training programme for single women with family responsibilities (Order of 23 June 1989). It requests the Government to supply information on the practical results of these measures.

3. Article 5(b). The Committee notes the information in the Government's reports on the establishment and subvention of day-care centres. It requests the Government to supply information on the number and nature of the child-care facilities in relation to the need for such facilities.