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The Committee notes the Government's report for the period ending 30 June 1990.

1. The Committee refers to its previous request for information on the implementation of the overall development plans for Niger provided for in the National Charter. It also recalls its previous comments concerning various articles of the new Constitution (no reference to political opinion in article 11; the freedom of opinion provided for within the political system in article 13). The Committee also notes that article 19 provides that the direction of the country relies upon the principle of uniquity of direction between the State and the Mouvement national pour la société de développement.

The Committee notes the Government's statement to the effect that a national committee set up to study the National Charter and the Constitution has just presented its work. According to the Government, the work of the above National Committee should provide the basis for introducing political pluralism into the country. Moreover, certain provisions which have lapsed will be examined very closely. The Committee hopes that the modifications that have been announced will guarantee equality of opportunity and treatment in the sense of Article 1, paragraph 1(a), of the Convention, namely without distinction on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin. It requests the Government to supply copies of the amended texts when they have been adopted and enacted, and to keep it informed of the implementation of the overall development plans of Niger.

2. With regard to the activities of the Directorate for the Promotion of Women, the Committee notes the information that was supplied on the establishment of women's centres and cooperative associations. The Committee hopes that the Government will continue to supply information on the progress achieved in promoting the status of women and the results achieved by these activities.

3. With regard to the participation of women in the public and private sectors, the Committee notes with interest the statistics supplied by the Government which indicate that between 1981 and 1989 the participation rate of women in the public service doubled and reached 22.83 per cent (their participation in the private sector was much lower at 9.11 per cent at the end of 1989). The Committee requests the Government to indicate in its next report the nature of the jobs in which women are employed in both sectors and to supply information on any progress that is achieved through measures intended to promote the access of women to employment and to particular occupations.

4. With regard to education and vocational training, the Committee notes the distribution by sex of students in national public health and administration schools and in the university of Niamey. The Committee requests the Government to indicate in its next report the reference year of this statistical table and to supply new data in order to enable it to assess the development of this distribution. It also requests the Government to supply similar statistics for vocational training centres, and particularly on those which prepare students for occupations that are considered - because of prejudice and tradition - to be exclusively masculine.

5. The Committee draws the Government's attention to the need, in order to give effect to the Convention, to declare and pursue a national policy designed to promote equality of opportunity and treatment in respect of employment and occupation, with a view to eliminating any discrimination in respect not only of sex but also of the other criteria set out in Article 1, paragraph 1(a), of the Convention. For the formulation of the policy set out in Article 2 of the Convention, the Committee suggests that the Government should base its action in particular on paragraphs 2 and 3 of Recommendation No. 111. It requests the Government to supply full information in this respect in its next report.