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Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in September 2009 in reply to the direct request of 2008. The Government indicates that the stability of the country’s macroeconomic indicators has created favourable conditions for economic growth, improvements in living standards and the creation of new jobs. The Committee notes the detailed information from the National Commission for Statistics, according to which 766,277 new jobs were created between October 2003 and December 2010 and included 547,573 permanent posts with 80 per cent of the new jobs based in the regions and 86 per cent in the private sector. As regards the first half of 2009, a total of 36,000 new jobs were created which included 27,887 permanent jobs, with 71 per cent of these new jobs based in the regions and 94 per cent in the private sector. The Government indicates that the establishment of a socio-economic policy has led to a significant reduction in unemployment. The 10.7 per cent unemployment rate in 2003 fell to 6 per cent during the first half of 2009. Of the 44,125 persons registered as jobseekers with the employment services in the first half of 2009, a total of 11,759 found jobs. The Committee notes the adoption of an employment strategy for the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2006–15. As part of the implementation of the first stage of this strategy, a national programme for implementing the employment strategy for 2007–10 was adopted by presidential decree in May 2007. In the context of this programme, measures have been taken to improve the working environment and to establish a network of establishments for vocational training, retraining and skills improvement for jobseekers. The Committee requests the Government to include information in its next report on results achieved in the creation of jobs as part of the employment strategy of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2006–15 and in the reduction of imbalances in the labour market between various regions of the country. It also requests the Government to describe the resources mobilized in the context of training policies aimed at better matching workers’ knowledge, qualifications and skills to the requirements of the labour market.

Vulnerable categories of workers. The Government indicates that measures have been established to promote employment and vocational training for refugees and displaced persons. Programmes aimed at achieving gender equality in employment seek, inter alia, to control the use of quotas in order to provide the citizens most in need of social protection with work, to develop women entrepreneurs and to promote vocational training for women jobseekers. In the context of the national programme for 2007–10, measures aimed at young persons have been adopted, particularly to facilitate the establishment of micro-loans and low-interest loans to aid enterprise start-ups and training programmes in economic activities designed for students. The Government indicates that, pursuant to the Ministerial Decision of 22 November 2005 concerning the system of quotas applicable to persons at risk and having difficulties entering the job market, a total of 183 persons with disabilities found jobs in 2008 and 80 in 2009. The Government also indicates that, in the context of the Decent Work Country Programme 2006–09, measures have been taken to encourage the development of self-employment and entrepreneurship by women, the integration of persons with disabilities in the employment market, and the establishment of study programmes entitled “Enterprise creation and improvement”, aimed at the most vulnerable categories of the population, such as refugees and displaced persons. The Committee requests the Government to supply up-to-date information on the results achieved by the programmes established for the integration of vulnerable categories of workers in the employment market and, specifically, on the practical application of the quota system and its impact in terms of the placement of persons with disabilities in productive and lasting employment.

Article 2. Compilation and use of employment data. The Government indicates that the National Commission for Statistics takes the necessary steps to ensure the monthly compilation of data concerning the distribution of the workforce. In this regard, the Committee emphasizes the need to compile and analyse statistical data and trends as the basis for decisions regarding employment policy measures. It has made a point of monitoring the progress achieved in the establishment of labour market information systems, so that policy-makers can base their decisions on reliable, up-to-date information. In the General Survey of 2010 on employment instruments, the Committee highlighted the need to monitor progress and analyse data, as even the best-designed policies can have unexpected effects, can become outdated due to changing circumstances or may need to be modified to achieve maximum benefit (General Survey, op. cit., paragraph 70). The Committee requests the Government to provide more detailed information in its next report on the manner in which employment market data is compiled and used for deciding on and reviewing employment policy measures.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners in the formulation and application of policies. In reply to the previous request, the Government refers once again to section 15 of the Labour Act, which provides for the establishment of tripartite committees for solving problems arising in the field of employment. The Committee draws the Government’s attention to the 2010 General Survey and points out that consultation of the social partners is essential in the formulation and implementation of employment policies to enable Governments to take full account of the experience and opinions of the latter. Convention No. 122 requires governments and social partners to undertake a regular review of employment market measures in order to evaluate their effectiveness in the implementation of a policy designed to achieve full employment. The Committee reiterates the importance of giving full effect to Article 3 of the Convention and requests the Government to supply detailed information in its next report on the manner in which the social partners are consulted within the tripartite committees regarding matters covered by the Convention. It also requests the Government to supply information on measures taken or contemplated to ensure the participation of rural sector and informal economy representatives in consultations regarding these policies.