Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2006, published 96th ILC session (2007)

1. Access of women to the public service. For a number of years, the Committee has requested the Government to take specific measures with respect to its recruitment and training policies to achieve an overall increase in the participation of women in the public service, particularly at the higher levels. The Committee notes that the Government in its report reaffirms that the selection and appointment of employees in the public service occurs in accordance with the standards that guarantee equality between men and women without discrimination, and indicates that in 2004 women represented 49 per cent of the persons appointed in the public service. The Government further refers to its policy to build the capacity of civil service employees through their participation in missions and training sessions without discrimination, and provides statistics indicating that in 2004 out of the 977 missions and sessions exceeding one month, 410 were undertaken by women. While appreciating this information, the Committee nevertheless notes from the 2005 statistics on the distribution of men and women in different occupational categories of the civil service, that women continue to be disproportionately employed in Category 4 (administration) positions, while men dominate Category 1 (supervisory) and Category 2 (technical specialist) positions. Concerned about the slow progress in achieving a more equitable balance between men and women in the public service, and particularly at higher levels, the Committee recalls the Government’s obligation to take proactive measures to implement the national policy on equality in respect of employment under its direct control, in accordance with Article 3(d) of the Convention. The Committee urges the Government to step up its efforts in this regard, including by exploring the underlying causes of the existing imbalance, and to demonstrate the results of these efforts in its next report.

2. Equal access of men and women to vocational training and education. With respect to the measures taken to improve women’s educational attainment, technical skills and experience, the Committee notes from the information in the Government’s report that out of the 774 graduates of the training project targeting vocational competencies, only 102 were women. Under the national training project, 48.8 per cent of the graduates were women, 40.65 per cent of whom found employment. However, for the project targeting the clothing industry, out of the 4,076 graduates, 3,063 were women; they represented 75.15 per cent of the 40.64 per cent of those who found employment. The Committee, while appreciating the efforts taken by the Government to improve women’s technical skills, must note that these statistics do not give information on the specific courses provided, nor on how women’s participation in these training projects has helped to diversify women’s employment opportunities. It is, therefore, bound to conclude that without further details about the type of vocational courses in which women participate, women’s participation in vocational training appears to remain focused on traditional and so-called feminine sectors of employment such as the clothing industry. As access to vocational training and education is critical to the advancement of women’s employment and occupation, the Committee urges the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the type of training available to women does not inhibit their chances to compete on an equal basis with men for a wider range of employment opportunities, including at higher levels, and provide information in its next report demonstrating the progress made in this regard, as well as in providing training of women in non‑traditional sectors.

3. National policy on equality on other grounds. The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report once more fails to provide information on how the Government is promoting a national policy of equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation with respect to grounds other than sex. The Committee, therefore, urges the Government to indicate in its next report the specific measures taken to ensure and promote in law and in practice equality of opportunity and treatment and protection against direct and indirect discrimination in recruitment and training of nationals and non-nationals on the grounds of race, colour, religion, national extraction, political opinion and social origin.

The Committee is also raising other and related points in a request addressed directly to the Government.