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Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Active employment policy and poverty reduction strategy. The Committee notes the replies by the Government in April 2009 to its 2007 direct request. The Government indicates that an employment focused policy has been identified as an important part of the development agenda under the Government’s long-term plan from October 2009, entitled the “Government’s Vision 2050”. The Government also states acceptance of the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda and the development of a national decent work policy. The Committee notes that the November 2008 Decent Work Country Programme for Papua New Guinea offers several initiatives for employment creation. The Committee invites the Government to supply further information on the “Government’s Vision 2050” and the Decent Work Country Programme with respect to an explicit formal pronouncement for an active employment policy and poverty reduction strategy in line with the Convention.

The Government indicates that the bulk of the population is engaged in the informal economy and subsistence agriculture and that the low level of formal sector employment is attributed to, among other things, the insufficient development of human resources and a widespread lack of adequate and relevant employment skills. It attributes this result to unmet educational instruction in technical and vocational skills as well as the need for an employment policy and strategy. The Committee would welcome in the Government’s next report details on efforts to create growth and employment in the rural sector, informal economy as well as the promotion of self-employment, entrepreneurship, export promotion and tourism. The Committee also requests the Government to provide up-to-date information on trends in the labour market, particularly regarding the general situation, and levels and trends relating to employment, underemployment and unemployment throughout the country.

Youth employment. The Committee notes the Government response regarding job creation results and the integration of young people and women in the labour market through technical assistance from the ILO and other international donors in creating the Decent Work Country Programme. The Decent Work Country Programme indicates Papua New Guinea’s highly youthful population with 39 per cent under 15 years of age. In 2004, there were 2,234 million young Papua New Guineans under 15 years of age, including 1,162 million males (52 per cent) and 1,072 million females (48 per cent). The Decent Work Country Programme describes this “youth bulge” as one of the most profound challenges facing politicians, planners and policy-makers with unemployment rates among young men and women about three times higher than the general population. In addition to youth employment, gender equality challenges are indicated for females in both education and employment opportunities. The Decent Work Country Programme indicates youth employment issues will be mainstreamed into at least two national policies and programmes such as educational sector plans and strategies, poverty reduction programmes, health policy and programmes and rural development schemes by 2012. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on measures taken and their impact in assisting vulnerable categories of workers including women, young workers, older workers and workers with disabilities to find lasting employment.

Labour market measures and training. The Government has indicated progress in labour market policy measures and training through the National Apprenticeship and Trade Testing Board which has modernized legislation through the review of the new Occupational Skills Standards Certification Board Act from February, 2010. The National Training Council is progressing the National Standards and Qualification Framework. The Government indicates that the “Government Vision 2050” offers a long-term vision which calls for a robust national workforce that is equipped with the necessary skills and trades for nation building. The Committee welcomes further information on the intention of the National Training Council, the advancement of the National Standards and Qualification Framework and the implications for education and training policies with prospective employment opportunities based on labour market needs.

Article 3. Consultation of the representatives for persons affected. The Committee notes that the industry-based National Tripartite Consultative Council (NTCC) does not permit representation of rural or informal sector workers but, rather, gives consideration to matters of national interest which subsequently affect rural and informal sector workers. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the inclusion of representatives of workers in the rural sector and the informal economy in consultations for the preparation and implementation of an active employment policy. Please also include how greater participation of workers from both the rural sector and the informal economy can be secured within the formal consultative process in formulating and enlisting support for employment policies.

Part V of the report form. ILO technical assistance. The Committee notes that the process of putting together realistic activities as a result of ILO technical assistance is still being deliberated on. The Government indicates a focus to mainstream the ILO–Youth Employment Project tools including the Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) and the Community-based Training for Economic Empowerment (CB–TREE) into core functions of the Department and the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report further information on the results of job creation and the integration of young people and women in the labour market as a result of ILO technical assistance and the Decent Work Country Programme (2009–12).