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The Committee notes the detailed document prepared by the National Employment Service, received in September 2009, in reply to its previous comments.

Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. The Government provides detailed statistics on employment characteristics and developments in Paraguay. In 2008, the period of relative economic growth continued, while both the economically active population and the rate of unemployment remained at similar levels to those of 2007 (69.5 per cent and 5.6 per cent respectively). The population of working age registered sustained growth between 2003 and 2008 (increasing from 62.9 per cent to 66.2 per cent) and unemployment among young persons aged between 15 and 19 years (13.6 per cent) and between 20 and 24 years (10.2 per cent) is considerably higher than in other groups, confirming the trend of previous years. The Government indicates that since August 2008, based on the new guidelines of the government plan, the generation of permanent employment has been considered as a means of reducing extreme poverty. A National Employment Plan has been drawn up with advice from the Inter-American Development Bank and efforts are being made to strengthen the National Employment Service (SNE), which devises, implements and oversees employment policy. A new organizational structure for the SNE has been proposed to provide it with a network of employment offices, a section responsible for vocational training, a labour observatory and a planning division. The Committee notes the Decent Work Country Programme, approved by tripartite agreement in February 2009, which includes the priorities of formulating and implementing an employment strategy and generating employment through public investment. The Committee also notes that the Ministry of Justice and Labour’s Strategic Plan for 2008–13 includes decent work as one of the areas to be addressed. The Committee requests the Government to include information in its next report on the results achieved through the implementation of the National Employment Plan and the Decent Work Country Programme in achieving the objective of full and productive employment set out in the Convention. The Committee also requests the Government to include quantitive information in its report on the activities of the National Employment Service. Please also indicate the manner in which it has been ensured that the social partners and the representatives of other groups concerned, such as workers in the rural sector and the informal economy, participate in the formulation and implementation of employment policies.

Regional dimension of employment policy. The Committee notes the information included in the report concerning the agreement reached by the Ministers of Labour of the MERCOSUR countries during Paraguay’s Presidency. At the 98th Session of the Conference (June 2009), MERCOSUR expressed its support for the Global Jobs Pact agreeing to maintain the MERCOSUR Employment Growth Strategy (GAN Empleo) as devised by the High-level Employment Group. The Committee notes with interest the declaration signed on 17 June 2009 by the Ministers of Labour of the MERCOSUR countries on the protection of employment against the crisis, which asserts “the right to work as a fundamental human right generating both social and economic wealth in harmony with productive capital”. The MERCOSUR initiatives include proposals to expand unemployment protection systems; link the extension of social protection to employment with training activities; develop measures to protect and formalize jobs with the agreement of employers and trade unions to prevent the crisis from having a negative impact on workers; strengthen the institutional framework of public employment services by promoting their coordination in the region; support and strengthen employment programmes for vulnerable groups, especially young persons; and support the operation of micro and small enterprises and individual undertakings. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the manner in which the MERCOSUR initiatives aimed at promoting active employment policies within the meaning of the Convention have been implemented.

Youth employment. The Committee also notes that, with ILO assistance, the National Round Table for the Generation of Youth Employment has been established. The Round Table is an inter-institutional tripartite body encompassing various legislative and policy initiatives aimed at increasing job opportunities for young persons. The initiatives include the establishment of departmental committees in all regions, the proposal for a comprehensive labour integration system, the identification of vulnerable groups and the establishment of tripartite bodies to ensure the implementation of the policies. The National Committee drew up a bill on the integration of young persons into the labour market which provides for the integration into employment of young persons aged between 18 and 29 years through training, work placements, work scholarships, starter employment contracts and part-time contracts. The Committee requests the Government to include information in its next report on the impact of the decisions of the National Committee for the Generation of Youth Employment, including information on the adoption of the draft legislation designed to promote the productive employment of young persons.

Coordination of employment policy with education and vocational training policies. The Committee notes with interest the participation of the Ministry of Education and Culture in the National Committee for the Generation of Youth Employment, which has in turn established a vocational training, education and labour committee. The working group on rules relating to vocational training has received support from the ILO. The Committee notes that the working group refers to the overlap between the efforts of the bodies under the Ministry of Justice and Labour responsible for training (the National Vocational Promotion Service and the National Vocational Training System). The working group also mentions the lack of coordination of both bodies with the Ministry of Education and Culture. The Committee reiterates its interest in receiving information on the efforts made to improve the coordination of education and vocational training policies with employment policy.