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The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

1. Implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in March 2006 indicating that in July and August 2005 technical tripartite meetings were held to discuss the text of the proposed employment policy formulated by the Government. The agreed text of the principal elements of the employment policy appear to be consistent with the objectives set out in the Convention. The Committee refers to its previous comments and requests the Government to provide information in its next report on the results achieved in terms of the generation of productive employment through the policies agreed by the social partners. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information in its next report on the manner in which the objectives of full employment were taken into account in the formulation of the economic and social policy. Furthermore, the Committee would be grateful to continue receiving information on the experience of the social partners in Paraguay with regard to the application of the Convention, in particular where representatives of the rural sector and the informal economy have been included in the consultations required by the Convention (Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention).

2. The Committee notes the information on the situation, level and trends of employment provided by the Government in its report: the labour participation rate was 63 per cent in 2004, and the open unemployment rate amounted to 7.3 per cent of the population (8.1 per cent in 2003). Underemployment affects 24 per cent of the population, with underemployment in the country being augmented by badly paid jobs. Open unemployment affects in particular the population category between 15 and 19 years of age, and especially young women (22.1 per cent of the young female population is actively seeking employment). The Government indicates that these proportions remain high until the age of 29 years, when eight out of every 100 persons is unemployed. The Committee would be grateful to be able to continue examining in the Government’s next report statistical data such as those required by the report form for the Convention through which it is possible to assess the manner in which the measures adopted under the agreed employment policy orientations have improved the employment prospects of women and young persons seeking productive employment.

3. Coordination of employment policy with education and vocational training policies. The Committee notes the information provided on the training activities for micro-entrepreneurs carried out in 2004–05 by the National Vocational Training System and the National Vocational Promotion Service. The Government also provided information in its report on the initiatives taken to promote dual apprenticeship for young persons. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information in its next report on the programmes and projects undertaken to ensure the coordination of education and vocational training policies with employment policy, which is essential if each worker is to have every opportunity to acquire the necessary training to find suitable employment and to use their training and skills in such employment.

4. ILO technical cooperation. The Committee notes with interest that, in the context of a project for the harmonization and comparability of labour indicators in MERCOSUR, implemented with ILO support, a conceptual and methodological revision has been undertaken of the measurement of labour indicators in MERCOSUR countries with a view to defining a set of harmonized labour market indicators. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information in its next report on the initiatives supported by the ILO to promote, at both the national and subregional levels, the objectives of reducing poverty and creating productive employment (Part V of the report form).