Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Guinea - Bissau (Ratification: 1977)

Other comments on C111

Observation

2020

Direct Request

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The Committee notes the observations from the National Union of Workers from Guinea (UNTG) transmitted together with the Government’s report, that refer to the need to reinforce the technical and material capacities of the labour inspectorate so as to allow it to properly control the implementation of labour law. The Committee requests the Government to provide its reply thereon.

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Legislation and national policy on equality of opportunity and treatment. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that legislation has been adopted concerning gender equality and that a Law on the National Policy on Gender Equality was being elaborated. The Committee hopes that the Law on the National Policy on Gender Equality will soon be adopted and requests the Government to provide information on any progress made in this respect. The Committee also requests the Government to provide a copy of any new legislation concerning gender equality.

Noting that the Government’s report does not reply to its previous comments, the Committee must therefore repeat its previous direct request which read as follows:

Sexual harassment. The Committee notes that there continues to be an absence of national legislation on sexual harassment. It also notes that sections 59 and 60 of the draft Uniform Labour Act of OHADA, defining and prohibiting sexual harassment in the workplace and protecting against victimization, would fill the existing gap in national legislation. Awaiting its adoption, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on any other measures taken or envisaged to address sexual harassment such as educational programmes for workers and employers in the public and private sectors.

Article 3. Educational awareness and promotion. The Committee notes that due to existing economic difficulties in the country, the educational programmes to raise awareness about rights relating to non-discrimination and equality had to be discontinued. Considering the value of such programmes to the implementation of the Convention, the Committee hopes that the Government will soon be in a position to resume these activities, and requests the Government to keep it informed in this regard.

National authorities. The Committee notes the information in the Government’s report concerning the current government structures responsible for promoting equality between men and women. Please provide information in future reports on the specific activities carried out by the relevant institutions to promote the application of the Convention.

Access to vocational training. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that according to data from the National Centre for Administrative Training (CENFI), an increasing number of women are enrolling in the various courses, though women generally prefer computer or secretarial courses or courses which they consider easier than those provided by CENFI. The Committee reminds the Government that measures to encourage greater access of women to vocational training should be free from considerations based on stereotypes that reserve particular courses or occupations to either men or women, thus leading to occupational segregation based on sex. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to encourage the access of girls and women to training courses in which they are under-represented so as to afford them a greater chance of entry into the labour market. It also invites the Government to consider what measures may be taken to inform girls and women of the wide range of training courses and occupations open to them.

Part III of the report form. Enforcement. The Committee notes the importance given by the Government to increasing the qualifications of labour inspectors and training new labour inspectors, including in areas such as discrimination and equality. It takes due note of the Government’s renewed request for ILO technical assistance in this domain, and encourages the Government to integrate such training activities in any future programmes to promote the application of the Convention in the country.

Part V. Practical application. The Committee notes that the data on the participation of women and men in the public sector will soon be available and hopes that these will be included in the Government’s next report. It further notes the Government’s renewed request for technical assistance from the ILO to support the staff assigned to the statistical department to overcome the difficulties that persist in collecting the relevant data. The Committee hopes that the Government, while awaiting such assistance, will nevertheless collect whatever information is available (reports, studies, surveys or otherwise) that could to some extent demonstrate how the Convention is being applied in practice.