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1. The Committee notes the Government’s full and detailed report for the period ending July 2000. The Government recalls the damage caused in October 1998 by Hurricane Mitch and refers to the implementation of the Master Plan for National Reconstruction and Transformation, the strategic objectives of which include economic recovery with employment creation. Economic growth, boosted by food exports and manufacturing activities, has resulted in an increase in GDP, a reduction in inflation and a recovery in employment levels (the open unemployment rate was 3.7 per cent in 1999). Export processing enterprises created over 6,000 new jobs (according to ECLAC). The Committee notes that a Poverty Reduction Strategy was adopted in the context of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. In July 2000, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund agreed to support measures for the reduction of the financial debt, which include commitments concerning a participative strategy against corruption, social security reform, the strengthening of the financial sector, improvements in the quality of education, the provision of health-care services for the poor and the efficiency of social protection systems. In this respect, the Committee trusts that the Government will continue to give priority in its plans and programmes to the objectives of full employment, and that it will include information in its next report on the extent to which it has been possible to meet the employment objectives established in the Master Plan and the Poverty Reduction Strategy (Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention).

2. The Government indicates in its report that the Honduran Social Investment Fund (FHIS) spurred temporary employment generation projects based on the construction of small economic and social infrastructure works. The Committee refers to its observation of 1998 and would be grateful if the Government would continue to provide information in its report on the results of the measures adopted by the FHIS in terms of productive employment, particularly for the informal sector. Please also include information on the measures adopted by the National Vocational Training Institute (INFOP) to coordinate education and training policies with prospective employment opportunities.

3. Article 3. The Government states that the participation of civil society in relation to the employment policy occurs through the National Convergence Forum (FONAC), the strengthening of non-governmental organizations and the decentralization process, which seeks to support the role of local governments and communities. The Committee notes the above and would be grateful if the Government would provide examples in its next report of the manner in which representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations (including representatives of those working in the rural sector and the informal sector) have been consulted concerning the employment policy measures adopted in the implementation of employment generation programmes, particularly in the context of the Master Plan and the Poverty Reduction Strategy.