Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1999, published 88th ILC session (2000)

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government's report and also the statistics annexed thereto.

1. The Committee notes that the Government reiterates its statement that there is no discrimination in employment and occupation in practice or in law in Qatar. It requests the Government to refer to point 1 of its previous direct request and also to paragraphs 158, 159, 240 and 241 of its 1988 General Survey on equality in employment and occupation, that while affirmation of the principle of equality before the law, as well as the absence of laws or administrative measures explicitly instituting inequality may be considered as elements of a national policy to promote equality of opportunity and treatment in respect of employment and occupation, they are not sufficient, alone, to constitute a policy within the meaning of Article 2 of the Convention. The Committee wishes once again to emphasize the importance of formulating such a national policy -- above and beyond the affirmation of the principle of equality before the law enshrined in the Constitution.

2. The Committee notes the information contained in the Government's report regarding various occupational training and education programmes established by governmental and non-governmental institutions. It notes in particular the relatively high number of female students registered at the Institute of Technology of the University of Qatar, which is proposing technical training programmes aimed at answering to the needs of the development plans and programmes. It would be grateful if the Government would continue to supply information, with its next reports, regarding the distribution of men and women within the various types of programmes provided by this Institute and, if possible, on the number and types of employment taken up by the male and female students after their three years of study at the Institute. The Committee notes the other types of training proposed by the Occupational Training and Development Centre, the Secondary Technical School of Nursing, the Institute of Development Management, the Institute for Banking Training of Qatar, etc. It would be grateful if the Government would also supply statistical data concerning the participation levels of these courses by sex, and if possible by nationality (whether a national of Qatar, an Arab of another nationality or a non-Arab).

3. The Committee notes the statistical information regarding employment in the administration, in the public sector and also in the public/private sector, disaggregated by nationality and by sex, according to ministry, public undertaking and public/private undertaking. It notes that outside the fields of education and of health, the representation of women remains generally very low. The Committee therefore again reiterates the suggestion it had made in its previous comment, that the Government take concrete measures to create favourable conditions to encourage women to take up professional jobs in different professions and occupations, free from considerations based on sexist stereotypes, that is to say, including occupations traditionally considered as male. The Committee also reiterates its wish to receive precise information on the employment formerly prohibited to women, as well as a copy of the recommendations adopted by the Conference on "Women and the Labour Market" held in Qatar in 1997. It also requests information on the implementation of these recommendations as well as the results obtained.

4. The Committee notes that the Government's report contains no information on the Bill on the public service mentioned in the previous report, which was to repeal section 82 of the Public Service Act, authorizing the termination of the employment contract of nurses in the fifth month of their pregnancy. It again requests the Government to inform it when the draft text is adopted and to transmit a copy thereof.

5. Discrimination on the basis of political opinion. The Committee notes that the Government's report contains no information on the possibility of formally incorporating in a legal text the prohibition against all discrimination on the basis of political opinion, mentioned in its 1994 report. It again asks the Government to keep it informed of the opinion issued in this connection by the competent authorities.

6. Discrimination on the basis of national extraction. Noting that by virtue of the Constitution equality of rights and duties of all citizens without discrimination on the basis of race, sex and religion is a fundamental principle of national policy, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the manner in which protection against discrimination in employment on the basis of national extraction is guaranteed in law and in practice. It recalls that it is important for the Government to give its attention to all the sources of discrimination contemplated in the Convention.