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Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Fiji (RATIFICATION: 2010)

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Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Formulation and implementation of a national employment policy. The Committee notes the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention received in May 2012. The Government indicates that the National Employment Centre (NEC) Decree 2009 became effective on 1 January 2010 and section 2 of the Decree states that the objective is to provide quality employment services to the unemployed and also the creation of decent and environmentally sustainable employment to promote productivity, welfare and prosperity of all of Fiji’s people. The Committee notes that the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) for Fiji, 2010–12, mentioned as one specific outcome the adoption and implementation of a national employment policy by 31 December 2011. It further notes that the National Employment Creation Policy Workshop was held in Fiji in November 2012. Representatives of the Government and the social partners participated in the Workshop which concluded with a commitment to pursue the development of an employment policy. The Committee recalls that the Convention creates a basic obligation on States to make an explicit formal pronouncement of their employment policy and it also requires national employment policy to be positioned as a major goal within the national agenda (General Survey concerning employment instruments, 2010, paragraphs 26 and 27). It therefore notes that the requirements of the Convention cannot be completely fulfilled without the adoption and implementation of an employment policy. Furthermore, Article 1(3) of the Convention provides that the national employment policy shall “take due account of the stage and level of economic development and the mutual relationships between employment objectives and other economic and social objectives”. This provision requires the measures of employment policy and other major decisions in the sphere of economic and social policy to be mutually reinforcing (General Survey concerning employment instruments, 2010, paragraph 54). The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the measures taken to develop and adopt an active employment policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment. The Committee would also like to examine detailed information on employment measures targeting vulnerable categories of workers, such as women, young persons and rural workers. Please also indicate what procedures exist for deciding on employment policy measures and keeping them under review within the framework of an overall economic and social policy.

Productive employment. The Government indicates in its report that it is working on a performance and productivity-based wage-setting framework. The process aims to induce higher real incomes and economic growth as productivity improvement necessitates investment in modern machinery and improved working methods. The Committee notes that the Fiji Productivity Charter of 2005 includes the following goals: to raise national competiveness; eradicate poverty and raise standard of living; create economic opportunities by producing more goods and services more efficiently and effectively; advance the promotion of sustainable development and make Fiji the premier place to live and work. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the impact of the Fiji Productivity Charter of 2005 and other measures aimed at promoting productive employment.

Rural employment. The Government indicates that the agricultural sector has development potential given the availability of productive land and natural resources. The Government also suggests that the way forward for the sector is dependent on harmonizing all rural development initiatives to ensure equitable distribution of resources to less developed areas, opening up the possibilities of commercial agriculture in remote areas. The Committee therefore refers to its comments on the application of the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169), and invites the Government to provide, in its next report on Convention No. 122, detailed information on employment programmes adopted and implemented in the context of its rural development initiatives, in consultation with the representatives of the persons affected and indigenous peoples’ organizations.

Collection and use of labour market information. The Government indicates that it conducts its Population Census every ten years and its Employment and Unemployment Surveys every five years. The last population census was conducted in 2007. It further indicates that given the current time intervals between each Census and Survey, data are usually outdated by the time reports are released. The Committee notes that women’s composition in the labour force has dropped from 40 per cent (1996 Census) to 31 per cent (2004–05 Employment and Unemployment Survey). In 2007, as in 1996, female unemployment was still about two times higher than male unemployment. The Government reports that 54 per cent of all working women are unpaid household workers. With regard to young persons, 71 per cent of the unemployed were under 30 years of age in the period covering March 2010 to May 2012. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report detailed information on the manner in which it plans to improve the efficiency of its data collection in order to use updated results in its review of employment measures. Please also supply updated labour market information on the situation, level and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment, disaggregated by age and sex.

Education and training. The Government lists in its report the challenges facing tertiary education institutions which include inadequate funding and facilities, inadequate curriculum and inadequate staffing. With respect to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the Higher Education Commission has been established to administer the Fiji National Qualification Framework in order to improve both the quality of training and recognition both locally and internationally. Furthermore, data collected on labour productivity will be used to determine whether the knowledge, skills and qualifications acquired from the school system are compatible with the needs of workplaces and businesses in Fiji. The Committee invites the Government to provide further information on the measures taken within the Fiji National Qualification Framework to coordinate education and training polices with prospective employment opportunities. Please also indicate the manner in which the social partners and other stakeholders concerned are consulted with respect to the development of education and training programmes that meet the needs of the labour market.

Employment services. The Committee notes that section 2(a) of the NEC Decree 2009 states that the NEC will be a “one-stop shop” to provide quality skills training, human resources development and utilisation services to enhance the employability of unemployed persons for both local and overseas employment markets. The Government reports that between August and December 2010, the NEC processed about 3,700 unemployed people through registration, professional counselling, aptitude tests, life skills training, employment skills training and workplace attachments. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the activities of the NEC and the number of beneficiaries of employment services obtaining lasting employment following training programmes.

Article 3. Consultation with the social partners. In response to the global jobs crisis, the Government adopted employment and social protection policies to drive economic growth and accelerate recovery in consultation with the social partners and other stakeholders. Employers’ and workers’ organizations and civil society organizations were partners with the Government at the Employment Relations Advisory Board (ERAB), in the development of the NEC policy framework and the development of the NEC Decree 2009, both of which were approved by the Cabinet on the advice of the ERAB. The Committee notes that sections 17(1) and 18 of the 2009 Decree provides that the Board’s members include Divisional Commissioners, representatives of employers, workers, youths, vocational training institutions, and others. The functions and powers of the Board are enumerated under section 18 of the Decree and include the following: to establish the National Employment Centres’ targets and strategies; to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of employment creation policies; to search and find innovative ways or secure partnerships to significantly create and boost employment opportunities for the unemployed. The Committee invites the Government to include detailed information on consultations held with the representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations with respect to the development, implementation and review of employment policies and programmes.