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The Committee notes the information contained in the Government's report, and also the documents annexed thereto.

1. The Committee notes, in particular, from the report entitled "The Situation of Women in UEMOA Member Countries" of the General Directorate for the Promotion of Women, that the Government has elaborated and implemented a certain number of programmes for the promotion of women, including measures to encourage the access of girls to education (such as the reductions in expenses related to schooling for girls established under Inter-Ministerial Order No. 123/MENR/MFP) and of young women to education at all levels, as well as to technical training. The Committee expresses the hope that the Government will continue its promotion efforts and also collect statistical information of the type included in the report mentioned above, and keep it informed thereon. It further hopes that the Government will supply information regarding specific measures undertaken or envisaged to counter obstacles of a social nature to the promotion of equality in practice, such as parental reticence regarding the education of girls, especially prevalent in rural areas, or prejudices preventing the access of women to certain jobs. In particular, the Committee would like to know whether there are programmes to increase public awareness of the utility and need to achieve this equality.

2. The Committee also repeats the request for information it expressed in its previous direct request, regarding the first activities undertaken as part of the 1996-2005 action plan for the promotion of women, any additional studies which may have been carried out and progress already achieved under the plan.

3. The Committee notes that a new Labour Code is in preparation and that the draft contains the prohibition of all discrimination in respect of employment and occupation. It asks the Government to keep it informed on the development of this draft, and recalls that the Government may, if it so desires, request advice and comments on the conformity of any draft legislation which it is on the point of adopting with the Conventions that it has ratified.