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1. The Committee notes the pilot community development project (PRODECO) and the ABRAZO programme for children and young persons. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information in its next report on the progress achieved in the implementation of the National Strategy to Combat Poverty and the PRODECO and ABRAZO programmes with a view to ensuring that full effect is given to the provisions of Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention, under the terms of which “all policies shall be primarily directed to the well-being and development of the population”.
2. Part III of the Convention. Migrant workers. In reply to the previous comments, the Government indicates in the report received in October 2007 that there has been an increase in the number of persons emigrating from the country, mainly to Spain. Most of the migrants have received vocational or university training and send remittances to their relatives in Paraguay. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures adopted to ensure that the terms and conditions of employment of migrant workers within and outside the national territory take account of their family needs and facilitate the remittance of their wages and savings (Articles 6–9 and 14(3)). The Committee draws the Government’s attention to the difficulties involved in preventing abusive practices in relation to migrant workers and emphasizes the urgency of affording effective protection to this particularly vulnerable category of workers. In this respect, the Government may also refer to the ILO Multilateral Framework on Labour Migration, of March 2006, which is intended to improve the effectiveness of policies relating to migration for employment.
3. Part VI. Education and training. The Committee notes the information received in November 2008 on the restructuring of formal vocational training and the measures to encourage non-formal vocational training. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing information on the measures adopted for the progressive development of a broad system of education, vocational training and apprenticeship and the manner in which the teaching of new production techniques have been organized as part of the social policy giving effect to the Convention.
The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It is therefore bound to repeat its 2005 observation, which read as follows:
1. Parts I and II of the Convention. Improvement of standards of living. The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. The Committee notes the reference to Convention No. 117 in the observations by the Dockers’ Trade Union of Asunción (SEMA) and the Maritime Workers League of Paraguay (LOMP), sent to the Government in May 2005, concerning the application of Convention No. 98. The Committee refers to its direct request of 2001 on Convention No. 117 and requests the Government to send an up-to-date appreciation of the manner in which it is ensured that “improvement in standards of living” has been regarded as the “principle objective in the planning of economic development” (Article 2) and to provide information on the results achieved in combating poverty. The Committee reminds the Government that, according to the Convention, in order to ascertain minimum standards of living for independent producers and wage earners, “account shall be taken of such essential family needs of the workers as food and its nutritive value, housing, clothing, medical care and education” (Article 5, paragraph 2).
2. Part III. Migrant workers. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on migration movements in the country and on the measures taken to give effect to Articles 6 and 7 of the Convention.
3. Part VI. Education and training. Please indicate the measures that have been taken for the progressive development of education, vocational training and apprenticeship and the manner in which the teaching of new production techniques has been organized as part of the social policy giving effect to the Convention (Articles 15 and 16).
[The Government is asked to reply in detail to the present comments in 2007.]
1. Parts I and II of the Convention. Improvement of standards of living. The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. The Committee notes the reference to Convention No. 117 in the observations by the Dockers’ Trade Union of Asunción (SEMA) and the Maritime Workers League of Paraguay (LOMP), sent to the Government in May 2005, concerning the application of Convention No. 98. The Committee refers to its direct request of 2001 on Convention No. 117 and requests the Government to send an up-to-date appreciation of the manner in which it is ensured that "improvement in standards of living" has been regarded as the "principle objective in the planning of economic development" (Article 2) and to provide information on the results achieved in combating poverty. The Committee reminds the Government that, according to the Convention, in order to ascertain minimum standards of living for independent producers and wage earners, "account shall be taken of such essential family needs of the workers as food and its nutritive value, housing, clothing, medical care and education" (Article 5, paragraph 2).
[The Government is asked to reply in detail to the present comments in 2006.]
The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:
Articles 6 and 7 of the Convention. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that it does not have information available concerning the application of these Articles of the Convention. The Committee recalls that it noted the Government’s indication that, with the completion of the work on the Itaipú project, thousands of workers were going to be without employment, while over 3,000 workers would continue working on the Yacyretá project. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on migratory movements in the country, as well as on the measures adopted as a result to give effect to these Articles of the Convention. The Committee urges the Government to take the necessary measures to compile the required information concerning the workers on the Itaipú project who were left without work and on the current situation of the workers on the Yacyretá project. The Committee hopes that the Government will be able to provide information in its next report on the measures adopted to give effect to these Articles of the Convention with regard to the protection due to migrant workers.
Article 15(1). The Committee notes the brief information provided by the Government in relation to its previous request. The Committee urges the Government to provide with its next report all available information on the measures taken for the progressive development of education, vocational training and apprenticeship with a view to the effective preparation of young persons of both sexes for a useful occupation.
Part V of the report form. The Committee urges the Government to provide information enabling it to assess the manner in which the Convention is applied, and particularly statistics of indices showing an improvement in the living standards of the population, including data, among others, on the distribution of land, statistics on migratory movements, fluctuations in the rates of minimum wages and wages in general, reports or extracts of reports on the measures adopted for indigenous populations, including the Enxet-lengua, Enxet-Sana-pana and Enxet-Angaite, and statistics on the literacy rate of the population and the school attendance rate of children.
The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:
The Committee notes that the Government's report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the following matters raised in its previous direct request:
The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in response to its previous comments, in particular, concerning the application of Article 8 of the Convention.
Articles 6 and 7. The Committee notes the Government's indication that, with the termination of the work in the Itaipú project, thousands of workers are going to be withdrawn, while in the Yacyretá project, more than 3,000 workers continue working. It requests the Government to continue to provide information on migratory movements in the country as well as on the measures consequently taken to give effect to these Articles of the Convention.
Article 15(1). In the absence of response in the Government's report on the application of this Article, the Committee again asks the Government to supply information on measures taken or envisaged for the progressive development of education, vocational training and apprenticeship, with particular reference to the measures to encourage the enrolment at the primary level education.
Articles 6 to 8 of the Convention. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the information supplied by the Government, in particular the copy of the publication of the National Census of Population and Dwelling-houses of 1982. Table 28 (p. 417) of the Census shows that interdepartmental migration of persons age five years or more between 1977 and 1982 counted 261,360, while immigrants from foreign countries numbered 103,920 and non-migrant population 2,164,041. The Committee notes this information and requests the Government to provide further details and/or their analyses, if any, in particular regarding migration for employment and any measures taken as a consequence with regard to conditions of employment of migrant workers.
The Committee also notes that in the Yacyretá project, 5,355 workers were employed in 1989, and that as for the Itaipú project, 7,850 workers were employed as of 30 June 1989, of which 3,134 were Paraguayans and 4,693 were Brazilians. The Government supplied with its report copies of the Protocol between Paraguay and Argentina concerning labour and social security of the bi-national entity Yacyretá, and of the Protocol between Paraguay and Brazil concerning labour relations and social security of the workers contracted by Itaipú as well as of the additional Protocol to the latter regarding, in particular, the workers employed by the contractors or subcontractors. The Committee notes with interest that these protocols cover not only the workers directly employed by the project entity itself but also those engaged by the contractors and subcontractors of works and suppliers and sub-suppliers of services, and provide for uniform standards of the terms and conditions of employment applicable irrespective of the workers' nationality. It further notes that the protocols include provisions on medical services and the reimbursement of their cost not only for the workers but also for their dependants.
The Committee however notes that there are no provisions in these protocols regarding facilities for enabling the migrant workers to transfer part of their wages and savings to their homes (Article 8(3)). It therefore requests the Government to provide information on any measures taken or envisaged to this end. It would be grateful if the Government would supply information in its future reports on any other agreements of similar nature to these protocols.
As regards the employment of Paraguayan temporary workers in Argentina, the Committee notes the Government's indication that this phenomenon no longer exists, since the present conditions in that country are not advantageous for Paraguayan temporary workers.
Article 15, paragraph 1. The Committee notes from the summary results of the 1982 Population Census that the structure of population attending formal educational institutions has changed between 1972 and 1982, and namely that the percentage of those attending the primary level education decreased from 86.2 per cent in 1972 to 75.3 per cent in 1982, while the percentage of those attending the secondary level increased from 12.2 per cent to 21.4 per cent during the same period (table 4 of the summary, p. XVIII). In its analysis, the Census indicates that this relative decrease of population at the primary level education may be attributed to the fact that the school enrolment at this level did not grow at the same pace as the school-age population, and that the enrolment at the secondary level increased faster than that at the primary level especially in the rural areas. The Committee requests the Government to supply information on measures taken or envisaged for the progressive development of education, vocational training and apprenticeship in accordance with this provision of the Convention, with particular reference to the measures to encourage the enrolment at the primary level education.
Articles 6 and 7 of the Convention. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its report. The Committee notes that the Government refers to the National Population Survey of Paraguay (EDENPAR 77), but makes no further mention of the data collected in the 1982 population census. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply information in its next report on the results of the 1982 census, which was mentioned in its 1983 report.
The Committee notes that large numbers of persons have been employed in the Itaipú hydro-electric project and that in 1985, 10,374 workers were still employed on the project. The Government states in its report on this point, that it has sent a photocopy of the table giving "an evaluation of the number of persons involved in constructing the Itaipú project". In view of the fact that this document, and other documents referred to in the report, have not been received, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would send this document, and the others mentioned in its report, with its next report.
With regard to the number of workers employed in the Yacyretá project, which is also very large, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply information concerning the numbers of persons employed on this project.
The Committee hopes that with its next report, the Government will supply copies of the agreements governing the terms and conditions of employment of the persons employed on the above projects.
Please also indicate whether there are temporary movements of agricultural workers and, if this is the case, the measures that have been taken to encourage the transfer of part of the workers' wages and savings from the area of labour utilisation, to the area of labour supply.
Article 8. The Committee notes the information supplied concerning Paraguayian temporary workers employed in Argentina. Please indicate whether agreements have been concluded with that country for the protection of the workers concerned, including social security agreements.