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The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It must therefore repeat its previous observation which read as follows:

While noting the Government’s indication that the President is committed to promoting the participation of women in higher positions, that women have been appointed to some ministerial positions and high-ranking posts in the public service, the Committee notes that the report does not contain replies to the specific issues raised in the Committee’s previous observation. The Committee therefore again requests the Government to provide information on the following:

(i)    the measures taken to address unequal access of women to training and education at all levels, together with statistical information on the participation of women in training and education;

(ii)   the measures taken or envisaged, especially with regard to the recruitment policy and further training policy, to achieve an overall increase in the participation of women in higher-level posts in the public service. In this regard, please also provide updated statistical information, disaggregated by sex, showing the progress made in ensuring equal access of women to public service employment at all levels; and

(iii)  the measures taken or envisaged to facilitate access to soft loans for rural women as a means of assisting them to run small businesses, thereby reducing unemployment and poverty. The Committee also requests information on the number of rural women who have benefited from credit facilities.

The Committee is raising other points in a request addressed directly to the Government.

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the near future.