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The Committee notes the Government's report and the information which it contains on the application of the Convention.

1. With regard to the situation of women, the Committee notes the statistics provided which show in particular that women are affected by substantial underemployment and a low level of skills (which is tending to improve), and that their participation rate in economic activity decreased between 1990 and 1991.

However, it notes with interest the adoption of Ministerial Decision No. 167-92-TR of 16 July 1992, which establishes a sectoral commission of women officials of the Ministry of Labour with responsibility for revising the legal provisions relating to women workers. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply detailed information on the work of this commission and on any measures which are taken to promote equality of opportunity and treatment in respect of women in employment and which lead to improvements in the situation, and particularly any which give effect to the recommendations of the workshop on policies for the promotion of women and their rights (organized by the Special Committee on Women's Rights), such as:

(i) the implementation of a policy on services adapted to women's needs, to lighten the burden of the work traditionally assigned to women so that they can have access to employment;

(ii) the promotion of women's participation in both the private and public sectors; and

(iii) the implementation of an education policy for women and the promotion of women's technical and higher training for employment.

2. The Committee notes the practical measures adopted by the new Government to promote employment in general within the framework of the national employment policy established by Act No. 728 of 8 November 1991, the first section of which refers to the promotion of equality of opportunity in respect of employment. It also notes the activities undertaken to create employment, particularly within the framework of vocational training programmes for the young and the promotion of self-employment and small enterprises (PRODAME). It requests the Government to continue supplying information on the concrete results achieved by this policy and these programmes, and in particular on the manner in which they apply the principles set out in the Convention.

3. The Committee takes due note of the legal provisions which ensure equality of access of men and women to the ownership of land. It requests the Government to supply in its next report a copy of Legislative Decree No. 653 to issue the Act respecting the promotion of investment in the agricultural sector.

4. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee recalls that the Court of Constitutional Guarantees had been asked to supply information concerning the appeals submitted to it against decisions issued by the administrative labour authorities by persons who consider that they have been subjected to discriminatory decisions. The Committee hopes that the Government will be able to supply this information with its next report.