Individual Case (CAS) - Discussion: 2023, Publication: 111st ILC session (2023)

Written information provided by the Government

Article 1 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. The Government has the honour of informing the Conference Committee that a national employment policy has already been developed, with the active participation of employers’ and workers’ organizations, and submitted to the competent authority for adoption. The Government will keep the Committee informed of any new developments in this regard. A copy of the policy will be provided once it has been adopted.

Article 1(3). Coordination of education policy with employment policy. The State has undertaken a number of initiatives to remedy the difficulties in aligning education policy with employment policy, with the aim of providing a skilled workforce for various employment sectors and reinforcing a technological culture. At the secondary school level during the 2021‑22 academic year, technical secondary education was broadened with 11 new courses in 2 establishments, namely the Nsam technical college in Yaoundé and the Maroua technical college in the Far North. These new courses are in office automation, business computing, baking and pastry-making, meat processing, painting, stenotyping, ceramics and sculpture, textiles and dry cleaning, taxation and the tanning and leather industry. The secondary education authority has opted for a learning approach that alternates between theoretical teaching and practical experience in an enterprise or professional workshop. These courses have been chosen to meet the needs of the labour market and will enable the students trained to benefit from enhanced employability. At the tertiary level, the Government has established state universities in the ten regions of the national territory, including the University of Bertoua, established through Decree No. 2022/003 of 5 January 2022, and the University of Ebolawa established through Decree No. 2022/009 of 6 January 2022. These higher education institutions cover a number of vocational fields, including cinema and broadcasting, visual arts and art history, architecture and urban planning and aquaculture: aquatic systems management and fisheries management. In addition, several vocational training centres have been set up and accredited in the ten regions by the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training. With regard to the consultation of social partners in the process of developing and implementing draft legislation and policies on education, the sectoral administrations concerned draw up this draft legislation and involve the relevant ministries and public administrations, as well as employers’ and workers’ organizations and any other stakeholders concerned. Examples include: the Inter-ministerial Committee on Employment Monitoring and the tripartite working group of the national action plan for youth employment (PANEJ), set up within the Ministry of Employment and Professional Training. The Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) (2023–26), which is currently being finalized, was developed with the active participation of the tripartite constituents.

Informal economy: impact of the measures adopted for the transition from the informal to the formal economy. The Government draws the Committee’s attention to the positive results of the action taken by the State to facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal economy, including: (i) the promotion of self-employment: According to statistics from the 2022 statistical yearbook of the Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts (MINPMEESA), 15,591 enterprises were registered with the centre for the formal establishment of enterprises (CFCE) in 2021. The majority of these enterprises are sole traders operating in the services sector; (ii) better access to financing mechanisms: With the move towards the formal economy, many small and medium-sized enterprises have benefited from financing from the State or international organizations. Examples of these enterprises can be found in the agriculture and livestock sector, which holds an important place in the country’s growth and development forecasts. This sector has enjoyed support through the Programme to Promote Youth Agropastoral Entrepreneurship (PEA-youth), which has granted funding to more than 2,600 young people and created more than 10,000 jobs in six years; and (iii) the development of new economic niches, offering an abundance of job opportunities and promising cohesion (the green and digital economy). Under the steering committee for the Programme for the Promotion of Green Jobs, the Government has endeavoured to foster the promotion of green jobs in order to protect young people from unemployment. Cameroon has roughly a hundred microenterprises operating in sectors linked to the green economy, including reforestation, sanitation, sustainable agriculture, waste collection and recycling. As part of the implementation of the Programme for the Promotion of Green Jobs in Cameroon (PPEVC), some 51 women microentrepreneurs in Yaoundé II and Douala IV, victims of health crises, received a grant to scale up activities to promote this economy and create decent jobs in 2021. Other sectors, such as information and communications technology (ICT) and the digital economy, generate many jobs on a daily basis through major telecommunications companies such as Orange and MTN Cameroon, e‑commerce and new business professions (for example, community management, influencing and digital marketing).

Article 2. Collection and use of employment data. Two bodies are responsible for collecting information on employment: the National Observatory for Employment and Vocational Training (ONEFOP) and the National Employment Fund (FNE). The ONEFOP carries out a number of activities that foster the provision of employment data: it produces employment and training reports, statistical yearbooks on the labour market and employment conjuncture notes, and conducts various specific studies, including studies on employment niches. As to the FNE, it has set up a number of programmes aimed at reducing unemployment. These include the Rural Employment Development Support Programme (PADER), which provides beneficiaries with training in farming methods, material and financial resources, as well as support in product management and sales; the Graduate Employment Programme (PED), a pre-employment internship programme designed to provide young graduates with practical experience (strengthening their CVs) so as to facilitate their integration into the production circuit; the Integration of Higher Education Graduates Support Programme (PRAIDES), in partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education, which aims to support the professional integration of higher education graduates; the FNE/PME Programme, which enjoys a special endowment from the Head of State and aims to promote youth self-employment and entrepreneurship, managed in partnership by the FNE and MINPMEESA; and Career Guidance in the Public Sector (OPP), an information programme on seeking employment in public institutions (sub-prefectures, town halls, chiefdoms, and so on) available to the public, particularly young people.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners in the development and implementation of employment policies. The Government is pleased to draw the Committee’s attention to the fact that the social partners were consulted during the development of the national employment policy, as mentioned above. However, it has taken note of the Committee of Experts’ recommendation to involve representatives of rural workers and informal economy workers in the next stages.

Discussion by the Committee

Chairperson – The next case on our agenda today is Cameroon on the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122). I invite the Government representative of Cameroon to take the floor.

Government representative – Thank you for giving the Government of Cameroon, which has already submitted written information, the opportunity to address the Committee.

Cameroon ratified Convention No. 122 on 25 May 1970 and, since then, has brought its institutional, legislative and regulatory frameworks into line with the Convention’s provisions. With regard to the institutional framework, through Decree No. 2004/320 of 8 December 2004, the Head of State created the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, whose many responsibilities include drawing up employment policy, protecting and promoting employment and providing guidance and placement services to the workforce. Operationally, the State has established structures to implement the national employment policy, such as the National Employment Fund, which is the State’s main secular arm in promoting employment and is principally responsible for intermediation between jobseekers and employment-generating enterprises, and the Integrated Support Project for the Informal Economy, which specifically addresses the youth labour force in the informal economy.

In addition to these steps to promote employment, the Government has devised the national action plan for youth employment, whose main aims are: (i) to advocate for employment; (ii) to promote a macroeconomic framework for employment; (iii) to promote employment in rural areas; (iv) to promote the return and employment of young persons in the diaspora and (v) to ensure specific gender balance while protecting vulnerable groups’ access to employment. All these measures, and a great many others, demonstrate clearly that while the national employment policy is in the process of being adopted in our country, the activities set out in the policy document are being implemented. With regard to legislation and regulations, Cameroon has promulgated the Vocational Training Act, was well as all the relevant implementing decrees. All this information has been submitted to the Committee of Experts and to this Committee in our previous correspondence.

Turning to the Committee of Experts’ specific questions, in relation to Article 1 of Convention No. 122, it should be highlighted that, as noted by the Committee, the process of drawing up the national employment policy is at a very advanced stage, with the only remaining step being its official formalization. The draft was drawn up with the support of all actors in the labour market, and the text will be communicated to the Office once it is officially published.

Concerning Article 1 (3) of the Convention on the coordination of education policy with employment policy, as part of its work to align education and employment policy, the State has undertaken a number of initiatives to ensure that the workforce is qualified for different employment sectors. This coordination also improves students’ prior knowledge of the labour market and allows enterprises’ workforce needs to be identified to improve the composition and guidance of training curricula. To facilitate learning, the body responsible for secondary education has introduced alternating training, that is, training that alternates between theoretical education and practical experience in enterprises or professional workshops. These courses have been selected chosen to meet the needs of the labour market, in which students will be more competitive as a result. Regarding higher education, the Government has established state universities in the country’s ten regions, including the University of Bertoua, established through Decree No. 2022/003 of 5 January 2022, and the University of Ebolowa, established through Decree No. 2022/009 of 6 January 2022. These higher education institutions cover a number of vocational fields, including cinema and broadcasting, visual arts and art history, architecture and urban planning, aquaculture, aquatic systems management and fisheries management, and many more. Additionally, many vocational training centres of excellence have been created in a number of the country’s regions.

With regard to the social partners’ participation in the process of developing and implementing draft legislation and policies on education, the sectoral administrations concerned draw up this draft legislation and involve the relevant ministries and public administrations, as well as the most representative employers’ and workers’ organizations and any stakeholders concerned. By way of example, we could mention, once again, the Inter-ministerial Committee on Employment Monitoring; the tripartite working group of the national action plan for youth employment, set up by the Government; the programme for supporting self-employed workers and microenterprise; the programme for supporting returning migrants; the Urban Special Employment Programme and the Decent Work Country Programme, which is being finalized, to name but a few. It should be noted, nevertheless, that awareness will continue to be raised among all bodies of the importance of tripartism and prior consultation of the social partners on all labour matters, in line with the provisions of the Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144).

Turning to the informal economy, particularly the impact of the measures adopted as part of the transition from the informal to the formal economy, the Government wishes to draw the Committee’s attention to the positive results of its action to facilitate that transition, particularly the promotion of self-employment. According to statistics from the 2022 statistical yearbook of the Ministry of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts, 15,591 businesses were registered with the centre for the formal establishment of enterprises in 2021. Most were sole traders operating in the services sector. Access to financing mechanisms has improved, and with the move towards the formal economy many small and medium-sized enterprises have benefited from financing from the State or international organizations. The agriculture and livestock farming sector, for example, holds an important place in the country’s growth and development forecasts. This sector has benefited from support through the Programme to Promote Youth Agropastoral Entrepreneurship, which has granted funding to more than 2,600 young persons and created more than 10,000 jobs in six years. New economic niches that offer an abundance of job opportunities and promise cohesion – the green and digital economies – have also been developed.

With regard to Article 2 of the Convention on the collection and use of data on employment, there are two bodies responsible for collecting information on employment and for intermediation: the National Observatory for Employment and Vocational Training and the National Employment Fund. The Observatory carries out a number of activities that foster the provision of employment data: it produces employment and training reports, statistical yearbooks on the labour market and employment conjuncture notes and conducts various specific studies, including studies on employment niches. As to the Fund, it has set up a number of programmes aimed at reducing unemployment. These include the Rural Employment Development Support Programme, which provides beneficiaries with training in farming methods, material and financial resources, as well as support in product management and sales; the Graduate Employment Programme, a pre-employment internship programme designed to enable young graduates who lack practical experience to strengthen their CVs so as to facilitate their integration into the production circuit; the Integration of Higher Education Graduates Support Programme; the Vulnerable Persons Integration and Reintegration Support Programme, aimed at all vulnerable persons; and, lastly, career guidance in the public sector.

Concerning Article 3 of the Convention on the participation of the social partners in the development and implementation of employment policies, the Government reiterates that all participants in the labour market were consulted during the drafting of the national employment policy. However, it has taken note of the Committee of Experts’ recommendation to involve representatives of rural workers and informal economy workers in the next stages.

To conclude, the Government of Cameroon remains determined to implement the ILO Conventions. Cognizant that disregarding these instruments hinders the country’s development, it has, since 2018, undertaken ongoing efforts to disseminate the ratified texts to all actors and administrations concerned for implementation, with the principal aim of raising the texts’ profile. These efforts are continuing, and to that end, and has always been the case, we request technical support from the International Labour Office.

Worker members – We are, for the first time, discussing the application of Convention No. 122 by the Government of Cameroon. Convention No. 122 is aimed at stimulating economic growth and development, raising levels of living, meeting manpower requirements and overcoming unemployment and underemployment based on pursuing an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment. This is to ensure that there is work for all who are available for and seeking work, that such work is as productive as possible, that there is freedom of choice of employment and the fullest possible opportunity for each worker to qualify for, and to use his or her skills and endowments in a job for which he or she is well suited, irrespective of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin.

Under Article 3 of the Convention, there is an obligation on governments to ensure that in the application of the Convention, representatives of the persons affected by the measures to be taken, and in particular representatives of employers and workers, are consulted concerning employment policies, with a view to taking fully into account their experience and views and securing their full cooperation in formulating and enlisting support for such policies.

The Worker members note that Cameroon ratified this Convention in 1970 and that the Committee of Experts made observations on the Government’s application of this Convention in 2006, 2007, 2015, 2017 and 2022. The observations of the Committee of Experts in this report reveal major gaps in the Government’s application of the Convention.

The Worker members note that the Government recently embarked on a process of structural reforms and macroeconomic policies, set out in its National Development Strategy 2020–30, with a focus on the rural sector, agriculture and the social economy. As part of the promotion of self-employment, the Government also adopted Framework Act No. 2019/004 governing the social economy in Cameroon. We further note that by virtue of Act No. 2018/010, the National Council for Vocational Guidance and Training was created, with a view to monitoring and evaluating the implementation of vocational training policy and strategies. The Act also stipulates that the State shall ensure the relevance, quality and continuous adaptation of vocational training to national economic and socio-cultural realities and to the international environment. While taking note of these laws and strategies, the Worker members regret, however, that the Government of Cameroon has not yet adopted a national employment policy which, as the Committee of Experts underlined, constitutes the main requirement of the Convention. More specifically, we note that in May 2017, the strategic components of the national employment policy were developed with the technical and financial support of the ILO and approved by the inter-ministerial committee responsible for monitoring employment in Cameroon. However, six years later, the Government has taken no further steps to declare and pursue a national employment policy in line with the requirements of the Convention.

The Worker members recall that to comply with Convention No. 122, governments must demonstrate their commitment to full, productive and freely chosen employment by declaring and pursuing a national employment policy which should reflect a concerted and coherent vision of the country’s employment objectives and set out specific means of achieving them. The absence of a declared national employment policy inevitably causes a lack of coherence and coordination in the various initiatives adopted by the Government. This is a key point emphasized by the Committee of Experts which raised the question of consistency in the organization of vocational training as part of national or regional planning, in order to overcome the difficulty of coordinating education and training policy with employment policy. In this regard, the Worker members take note of the Government’s indication that it has created 11 new courses for technical vocational training and opened universities in 10 regions of the country. We welcome these initiatives. However, we must recall that without a national employment policy to set the course and ambitions, these stand-alone initiatives bear the risk of being disconnected, and they will not meet the objectives of the Convention. The Government must finalize the development of the national employment policy, in full consultation with the social partners, and start its implementation without delay. With reference to the Committee of Experts’ point on the collection and use of data, we emphasize that the national employment policy and its implementation measures should be based on information and statistical data compiled regularly so as to allow for the monitoring of progress and policy evaluation.

Furthermore, the Worker members take particular note of the measures taken by the Government of Cameroon to provide facilitation and support to workers in the informal economy, including measures to facilitate the registration of enterprises with the creation of the Enterprise Creation Formality Centres; better access to financing mechanisms, including in the agricultural sector; and the development of new economic sectors like the green and digital economies. We particularly welcome the targeted efforts of the Government of Cameroon to facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal sector, especially in view of its overwhelming prevalence in the country’s economy. The most recent ILO statistics indicate that the informal economy represents 50 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) and employs nearly 90 per cent of the active population. The Worker members encourage the Government to continue and strengthen its efforts to create decent jobs and to provide adequate protection to workers in the informal economy. Such measures should be part of a broader approach and reflected in the national employment policy.

Additionally, the Government of Cameroon should adopt, in the framework of the national employment policy, measures and programmes to promote the participation of women and youth in the labour market, to reduce unemployment and to promote their long-term integration into the labour market.

Finally, the Worker members note a persistent deficit of social dialogue in the elaboration and implementation of programmes and strategies related to employment. For example, representative trade union organizations were not consulted on Framework Act No. 2019/004 governing the social economy, nor are they part of the National Council for Vocational Guidance and Training. There is also a lack of representativeness in the sectors of activity and an absence of a forum for inter-union reflection. Social dialogue and respect for the role of employers’ and workers’ organizations gives meaning to the implementation of the obligations of this Convention. We must emphasize, as did the Committee of Experts in its comments, the importance of engaging in meaningful consultations with the social partners with respect to the development and implementation of a national employment policy. Very serious matters, including addressing youth unemployment, women’s participation in the labour market, matters related to social and solidarity economy units, the identification of priority value chains and others, will have to be addressed with the support and guidance of the ILO. The Government should take measures to ensure the full participation and consultation of the social partners in employment policies in line with Article 3 of the Convention.

Employer members – The Employer members would like to thank the Government of Cameroon for the oral and written information presented on this case. The Committee is examining for the first time the application of Convention No. 122 by the Government of Cameroon, which ratified this governance Convention in 1970. The Committee of Experts provided observations five times in this case, in 2006, 2007, 2015, 2017 and 2022. In its latest observations, the Committee of Experts raised issues under five areas. The first one is the implementation of an active employment policy: Article 1 of the Convention requires a ratifying Member State to “declare and pursue, as a major goal, an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment”. The Committee of Experts noted various pieces of legislation in the sphere of employment, especially regulating the social economy. The Committee of Experts also noted that, with the technical and financial assistance of the ILO, the Government had also developed strategic components of the national employment policy in May 2017, which were approved by the inter-ministerial committee responsible for monitoring employment in Cameroon. The Committee of Experts also noted a series of structural reforms and macroeconomic policies, set out in Cameroon’s National Development Strategy 2030, which is reflected in Cameroon’s development policy documents for the next ten years. Whilst noting the Government’s efforts, the Committee of Experts called on the Government to demonstrate compliance with Article 1 of the Convention by declaring and pursuing a national employment policy for the promotion of employment and decent work. The Government has subsequently submitted information and confirmed here today that a draft national employment policy has indeed been developed, in consultation with its social partners. and it has been submitted to the competent authority for approval. The Government will also share a copy of the policy with the Committee of Experts after it has been approved. While acknowledging the Government’s response that a national employment policy has been developed in consultation with its social partners, the Employer members wish to underscore the importance of the timeous submission of information to the Committee of Experts to enable a proper assessment of a government’s compliance with its obligations under a ratified Convention. Accordingly, the Employer members would like to urge the Government to take the necessary measures to finalize a draft national employment policy and obtain the necessary approval from the relevant competent authority and share a copy thereof with the Office and the Committee of Experts once done.

With regard to the coordination of education and training policy with employment policy, the Government had previously highlighted Act No. 2018/010 of 11 July 2018 as part of its employment strategy. This Act provides for the creation of the National Council for Vocational Guidance and Training, which is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of vocational training policy and strategies, and the modalities of its application are established by eight signed regulatory texts. The Act provides that vocational training is governed by the principles of tripartism between the State, the Employer and the Worker and obliges the State to ensure that vocational training meets the needs expressed by socio-occupational groups in order to minimize mismatch between training and employment. The Act also enjoins the State to ensure the relevance, quality and continuous adaptation of vocational training to national economic and socio-cultural realities, and to the international environment. In its subsequent response, the Government has highlighted several initiatives undertaken in the area of coordinating education and training policy with employment policy, as well as the participation of social partners in the process. Once again, the Employer members remind the Government of the importance of timeous submission of information to the Committee of Experts. The Employer members look forward to the assessment by the Committee of Experts of the information provided.

With respect to the informal economy, the Committee of Experts noted that the Government had implemented initiatives to reduce the size and expansion of the informal sector, including the establishment of Enterprise Creation Formality Centres and Approved Management Centres to limit or address barriers to entry into the formal sector. The Government information highlights growth in self-employment and small businesses, including in the areas of agriculture, green jobs and information and communication technology, with some 15,591 companies registered in the Enterprise Creation Formality Centres in 2021 according to statistical data from the Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts.

With regard to the collection and use of data on employment, the Government was requested to specify the active employment policy measures adopted as a result of the establishment of the various bodies responsible for collecting information on employment, and to indicate to what extent and the manner in which labour market information is used as a basis for the establishment of the new employment policy. In this regard, the Employer members note the information provided by the Government, including on the National Observatory for Employment and Vocational Training and the National Employment Fund, two institutions that play a significant role in providing employment data. However, the Employer members once more urge the Government in future to provide the requested information timeously to enable assessment of compliance by the Committee of Experts.

Finally, with regard to the participation of the social partners in the development and implementation of employment policies, the Committee of Experts noted complaints about inadequate social partner participation, including the absence of trade unions in the National Council for Vocational Guidance and Training, lack of representativeness in the sectors of activity and the absence of a forum for inter-union reflection. Given the importance of an inclusive approach in the development and implementation of employment policies, the Committee of Experts again requested the Government to provide information on the participation of the social partners in the development and implementation of the national employment policy and to take all necessary measures to facilitate the consultation of representatives of workers, including rural and informal economy workers, in the development and implementation of employment policy. In its response, the Government states that social partners were consulted in the drafting of the national employment policy and undertakes to involve informal workers in future iterations of the policy. Once again, the Employer members underscore the importance of timeous submission of information to the Committee of Experts.

Worker member, Cameroon – Our continent and our country have a young, and growing, population; well-managed, that represents an opportunity, but ignored or managed haphazardly, it could constitute a challenge. Young persons need decent jobs to earn legitimate incomes to meet their needs and those of their families, and to be useful to society as a whole through their participation and contribution to the national economy. We can see how some young persons react to the frustration and despondency caused by underemployment and unemployment. Many of them, under pressure from their families, embrace crime or turn to smugglers to help them leave their country, sometimes without considering the dangerous and deadly costs.

On the other side of the coin, the creation of remunerative employment would help our economy benefit from the energy, ideas, skills, knowledge and enthusiasm of young persons. For that reason, we have been tireless in demanding that our Government develop and implement an imaginative short-, medium- and long-term employment policy, underpinned by specific programmes. While it is positive that the Government heard our call for a policy, it, unfortunately, proceeded to draft it differently. We wonder whether that was a deliberate attempt to cause the policy to fail, or merely a smokescreen to give the impression that action was being taken when, in fact, it was not.

As the Committee of Experts quite rightly reported, trade unions were consulted on only part of the policy development process, despite our insistence. It is difficult to imagine how we could be involved in its implementation. Our insistence stemmed from a patriotic desire to contribute to the development of a broad, effective employment policy based on our knowledge of the realities of the labour market in Cameroon. To demonstrate our genuine concern and desire to be involved, we refrained from disrupting the establishment of the projects designed under the policy. Once the projects were decided upon, however, we asked for them to be submitted to the National Labour Advisory Commission so that we could share our opinions and suggestions. Unfortunately, the document was not approved or promoted by the offices of the Prime Minister or the President. Our Government’s most paternalistic approach is problematic, useless and untenable.

Act No. 2018/010 of 11 July 2018 governing vocational training and Framework Act No. 2019/004 of 25 April 2019 governing the social economy in Cameroon have yet to be adopted by the National Labour Advisory Commission. Decree No. 2020/001 on the structuring and functioning of the network of social economy units must also be the subject of in-depth discussion by the appropriate advisory and legislative bodies. This failure to embrace consultation, consciously and graciously, runs counter to Cameroon’s ratification of Convention No. 144.

In the same vein, the Confederation of Cameroon Trade Unions considers that our policy and employment programmes have well-funded skills and capacity-building components. We have insisted, and we will continue to insist, on the vital need for programmes relating to localization and beneficiaries to reach rural areas and disadvantaged households so that they may benefit. In that connection, we are excited at the ongoing process of developing an apprenticeship standard. It is also vital that social security nets are provided to improve access to, and completion of, skills and capacity-building programmes.

We are witnessing a steady increase in the rate of women’s access to the labour market. An inclusive and enabling employment policy should consider women’s fair participation by including ways and means to reduce and remove barriers to their effective participation in the labour market.

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the urgency with which our country must increase investment in knowledge, education and digital infrastructure. Internet and telecommunications density remains low in Cameroon and could benefit from deliberate, progressive improvement. Our employment policy must consider digitization. It is clear that our Government will benefit from assistance in improving and implementing an effective, inclusive and collaborative national employment policy based on needs. The ILO must also ensure that the policy comes with clear, measurable results and includes monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.

Government member, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela – The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela thanks the Government of Cameroon for its presentation on compliance with the Convention. We have noted that the Government has solid structures for implementing the national employment policy, such as the National Employment Fund, the Integrated Support Project for the Informal Economy and the national action plan for youth employment, among others, which demonstrate that the Government is implementing sound policy in relation to the matter addressed by the Convention.

The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is pleased to note that the Committee of Experts, in its 2023 report, refers to, among other things, the strategic components of the national employment policy in Cameroon, developed with the technical and financial support of the ILO. We welcome Cameroon’s adoption of the Vocational Training Act and the relevant implementing decrees, and the fact that, as reported by the Government, the development of the national employment policy benefited from the participation of the social partners and is at a very advanced stage, with only its official formalization remaining. It is also very positive that the Government of Cameroon is implementing measures to facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal economy, providing funding to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Lastly, the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela trusts that this Committee’s conclusions will be objective and balanced so that the Government of Cameroon may continue to make progress and strengthen compliance with the Convention, taking advantage of consultation with the social partners and ILO technical assistance, where necessary.

Worker member, United States of America – In an era where information is power, understanding the role of data and statistics in shaping effective employment policies is crucial for sustainable development and inclusive growth. The International Labour Organization has provided invaluable guidance through its Conventions and Recommendations. Two relevant ILO instruments in this context are Convention No. 122 and the Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160).

Convention No. 122 emphasizes the importance of comprehensive and integrated employment policies that promote full, productive and freely chosen employment. It highlights the need for policies to be based on accurate and up-to-date data and analysis. This Convention recognizes that reliable data and statistics are the building blocks of effective employment policies, enabling governments, social partners and other stakeholders to identify labour market trends, assess challenges and devise targeted interventions.

Additionally, Convention No. 160 underscores the importance of high-quality labour statistics for informed policymaking. It emphasizes the need for countries to develop robust statistical systems that capture a wide range of labour-related information, including employment levels, unemployment rates, wages, working conditions and more. Such data enables policymakers to monitor progress, identify disparities and design evidence-based interventions to address labour market challenges.

In the specific context of Cameroon, harnessing the power of data and statistics is crucial for informed employment policy formulation. By prioritizing collection, analysis and utilization of labour market data, Cameroon can effectively address the employment challenges it faces and promote decent work opportunities for all its citizens. Moreover, the importance of data and statistics in employment policy aligns with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainable Development Goal 17, which focuses on partnerships for the Goals, emphasizes the significance of reliable, timely, and disaggregated data to support evidence-based decision-making.

In the United States, the labour movement has seen the importance of timely and accurate labour market data to inform not only government policy, but also our efforts to organize workers and raise standards in several sectors. For example, businesses and trade unions alike rely on the data produced by our Bureau of Labour Statistics, which includes several key indicators related to labour market activity, working conditions, price changes and productivity in the United States’ economy. In addition, we applaud the Biden Administration’s use of this data to make historic investments that have generated economic growth and the creation of good jobs across the country.

To conclude, we encourage the Government of Cameroon to follow the Committee of Experts’ recommendation to take the necessary measures to finalize the development of the new data-driven national employment policy, in consultation with the social partners and relevant stakeholders.

Interpretation from Chinese: Government member, China – The Government of China thanks the Government representative for the introduction. We carefully read through the report of the Committee of Experts and note that the Government of Cameroon has provided additional information regarding this case. The Government is now actively formulating the employment policy, introducing a series of measures in the field of education, improving workers’ skills, vigorously promoting the transition from the informal to the formal economy, actively collecting and using data on employment, and consulting with social partners in the formulation of employment policy. According to official statistics, there are 15,591 enterprises registered in the Enterprise Creation Formality Centres in 2021.

The Government of China is of the opinion that when discussing country cases, the Committee should pay full attention to the authoritative information provided by governments, take into account the basic national circumstances of Member States, extensively listen to the will of all stakeholders and come to a fair, convincing conclusion on the basis of a comprehensive and objective assessment. We support the Government of Cameroon in continuing to advance its work on the basis of full consultation with the social partners, and we encourage the ILO to provide necessary technical assistance to Cameroon in the formulation of employment and vocational education policies and collect employment data.

Worker member, Italy – The Committee of Experts noted the provisions of Act No. 2018/010, in particular Section 8(1) and (2), that vocational training is governed by the principles of tripartism between the State, the Employers and Workers. However, in its report, the Government did not indicate how the State ensures consistency in the organization of vocational training as part of national or regional planning to overcome the difficulty of coordinating the education and training policy with the employment policy.

In this era marked by rapid technological advancements and changing economic landscapes, it is imperative that we prioritize education and skills development as key drivers of sustainable and inclusive employment opportunities. The ILO Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142), emphasizes the need to create opportunities for lifelong learning, ensuring that individuals have access to quality education and training throughout their careers. The ILO Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2004 (No. 195), also underlines the importance of promoting skill formation and employability. Sustainable Development Goal 4 focuses explicitly on quality education, aiming to ensure inclusive and equitable education for all. Goal 8 emphasizes decent work and economic growth, highlighting the need to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth through productive employment and decent work for all. Education and skills development play a pivotal role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. By investing in education, we equip individuals with the necessary knowledge and competencies to adapt to the changing demands of the labour market. A well-educated and skilled workforce contributes to higher productivity, innovation and competitiveness, driving economic growth and development. Education and skills development also contribute to reducing inequalities by providing equal opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their background or circumstances. By ensuring access to quality education and training, we empower marginalized groups, including women, youth and persons with disabilities, to participate fully in the labour market. Moreover, education and skills development enhance individuals’ employability and resilience in the face of technological advancements and automation. As industries evolve and job requirements change, continuous learning becomes essential. Equipping individuals with the ability to acquire new skills and adapt to emerging technologies ensures that they remain employable and can navigate labour market transitions successfully.

Effective employment policies should prioritize investment in public education and skills development at all levels, from early childhood education to lifelong learning opportunities. In collaboration with employers’ and workers’ organizations, and educational institutions, governments must create an enabling environment for education and skills development. This includes developing comprehensive national strategies, allocating sufficient resources and strengthening partnerships to promote relevant and high-quality education and training programmes. For this, employment policies should also foster closer collaboration between educational institutions and industries. Italian workers urge the Government of Cameroon to work with its social partners to design and implement national employment policies that promote education and skills development.

Government member, Algeria – The Government of Algeria welcomes the information provided by the Government representative of Cameroon relating to the comments concerning the application, in law and practice, of the Convention. The importance of active employment policies aimed at reducing structural unemployment, underemployment and labour market dysfunction, and increasing employment by facilitating transitions to formal employment in the labour market, should be highlighted. These policies also promote training and economic recovery and open up paths to the labour market for particularly vulnerable persons, especially young people, through occupational integration programmes. In this context, the Government of Algeria welcomes the continued willingness and commitment of the Government of Cameroon to, with ILO assistance, act constructively with a view to meeting its obligations under Convention No. 122. We take positive note of the Government’s efforts which, for some years, have targeted economic diversification, and we encourage the development of sectors such as small and medium-sized enterprises, innovation and agriculture. Enterprises are the main creators of growth and jobs. We therefore welcome the Government’s efforts to support enterprise creation, particularly through the Enterprise Creation Formality Centres and measures to support enterprise competitiveness, and also through the establishment of the National Council for Vocational Guidance and Training, responsible for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of vocational training policies and strategies, in line with labour market needs. These are measures that will, in the medium-term, facilitate the development and adaptation of skills to labour market demands and foster the employability of jobseekers and workers. In addition, efforts have been made to improve the dissemination and accessibility of statistics and understanding of how the labour market works through the National Observatory for Employment and Vocational Training and the National Employment Fund.

The Government of Algeria recognizes and welcomes the progress made by Cameroon in reducing unemployment and promoting decent work. Coordination and consultation should now be improved to formalize the national employment policy with the most representative social partners and to ensure that economic and social challenges at the national and local levels are addressed coherently. We also wish to reiterate the need to address this individual case in a constructive, transparent, inclusive and objective spirit. To conclude, we hope that the ILO will continue to provide the necessary technical support to the Government of Cameroon and will take into account the challenges it faces.

Worker member, Kenya – It is noted from the Committee of Experts’ report that the Government of Cameroon developed and adopted the following policies: (i) Framework Act No. 2019/004 of 25 April 2019 to promote self-employment, and a corresponding decree; (ii) the adoption, on 3 January 2020, of Decree No. 2020/0001 on the restructuring and functioning of the network of social economy units; (iii) the development of strategic components of the national employment policy with the technical and financial support of the ILO and approved by an inter-ministerial committee responsible for monitoring employment in Cameroon in May 2017; and (iv) a process of structural reforms and macroeconomic policies, as set out in Cameroon’s National Development Strategy 2030. The Strategy is reflected in Cameroon’s development policy documents for the ten years.

A reading of the above policies sounds good. However, the Committee of Experts noted that not much has been achieved in meeting the main requirement of the Convention, namely to declare and pursue a national employment policy for the promotion of employment and decent work. It is with no doubt, these policies are not delivering the goals of decent work. One of the reasons in the report is the lack of consultation by the Government. The trade unions stated in the report that they were not consulted in line with Convention No. 144. Another major reason why the Convention is not being fully addressed could be inadequate funding of the Ministry of Labour, which is charged with the enforcement of this Convention.

However, Cameroon ratified Convention No. 144 on 1 June 2018 and the Convention is in force. The Convention places an obligation on the Government to consult with its social parties in all matters of labour and employment as they affect their members. The failure to consult is a breach of this Convention, and this causes mistrust among the social partners. It does not matter how good a policy could be, it is bound to fail if there is no buy-in from the beneficiaries. This top-bottom approach has failed in most countries. I urge the Government of Cameroon to urgently consult with its social partners and relevant stakeholders with a view to finalizing the development of the new national employment policy. The Government of Cameroon has the option to borrow a leaf from our peers, like Kenya, by incorporating labour relations and issuing new legislation to ensure that issues of decent work, fair working conditions and social dialogue are addressed as fundamentals for workers in Cameroon. Finally, the country can also be assisted both financially and technically by the ILO to address the full implementation of the Convention.

Government member, Senegal – The Government of Senegal would like to thank the Government representative of Cameroon for her responses to the concerns expressed in the report of the Committee of Experts. The Government of Senegal commends the efforts made by Cameroon to give full effect to the Convention, including: (i) the creation of a Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training; (ii) the creation of employment promotion bodies; (iii) the adoption of measures to facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal economy; and (iv) the collection and use of employment data.

While reaffirming its commitment to the ILO’s universal ideals and objectives, and the need for all Member States to ensure compliance with the rights and obligations deriving from ratified Conventions, the Government of Senegal urges the Government of Cameroon to pursue the progress achieved and the significant means deployed to improve its national legislation and practice by means of consensus-based reforms that ensure economic and social stability. The Government of Senegal also invites the Government of Cameroon to strengthen its cooperation with the Office and, if needed, to request its technical assistance to give full effect to the provisions of the Convention.

Worker member, Uganda – I would like to emphasize the paramount importance of employment policy in the temporary world of work. I also wish to note the Committee of Experts’ report that Cameroon needs to develop a national policy on employment, which should fulfil its obligations under the ILO Conventions.

Over the years, the ILO has formulated a set of Conventions and Recommendations that act as guiding principles for Member States to develop and implement effective employment policies. These instruments outline essential aspects of employment, including workers’ rights, job creation, social protection and labour market governance. Employment policy plays a pivotal role in shaping labour markets, promoting decent work and achieving social and economic progress. It emphasizes a range of measures aimed at improving working conditions, enhancing job opportunities, reducing unemployment and addressing labour market disparities. A well-designed employment policy, therefore, has a framework and can enable countries to respond effectively to the challenges and opportunities as posed by globalization, technological advancements and evolving labour market dynamics.

ILO Conventions and Recommendations establish crucial principles for safeguarding workers’ rights and promoting decent work. The core labour standards, including freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining, elimination of forced labour, abolition of child labour and non-discrimination in employment, serve as a foundation for inclusive and equitable employment policies. For instance, the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98), ensure workers’ freedom to form and join trade unions and also engage in collective bargaining.

Furthermore, the implementation of policies plays a pivotal role in stimulating job creation and sustainable economic growth. It should focus on promoting entrepreneurship, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, and facilitating labour market transition. It also helps to address unemployment and underemployment; employment policies should include active labour market policies. These policies encompass measures such as skills development, training programmes, job placement services and income support during periods of unemployment. Comprehensive employment policies must incorporate social protection measures to ensure workers’ well-being, income security and resilience in the face of economic shocks and risks. The Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102), and the Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202), provide solid frameworks for establishing universal social protection systems that cover all workers, including those in the informal economy. Gender equality is also a crucial aspect that should be prioritized within employment policies. The Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100), and the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), emphasize the need to eliminate gender-based wage disparities and discrimination in employment. Additionally, the Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation, 2017 (No. 205), calls for gender-responsive employment policies in conflict-affected and post-conflict areas that recognize the unique challenges faced by women in such contexts.

Given the transitional nature of the labour market and the impact of globalization, international cooperation plays a crucial role in shaping the effective implementation of employment policies. Member States should, therefore, collaborate through sharing best practices, technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen their employment policy frameworks. In conclusion, I want to strongly urge the Government of Cameroon to recognize the critical importance of employment policy in the world of work today and to work with its social partners as required by the Convention to establish an acceptable employment policy.

Government member, Burkina Faso – The Government of Cameroon is appearing before our Committee in relation to its application of Convention No. 122, a priority Convention that it ratified on 25 May 1970. Employment promotion is one of the four strategic objectives set out in the 2008 ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization given its importance in combating poverty in our countries. Guaranteeing full, productive and freely chosen employment ensures the promotion of social justice, the cornerstone of the International Labour Organization. Our country remains strongly committed to the promotion of such social justice as a pillar of promoting decent work and will spare no effort in supporting any Member State to that end.

According to the information provided by the Government of Cameroon, effort has been made recently by the country’s highest authorities to develop a national employment policy in consultation with the social partners, as provided for by the relevant provisions of the Convention. This national policy will be adopted by the competent bodies in the near future. The Government has also endeavoured to ensure consistency between this policy and education policy, in line with the spirit of the Convention. Furthermore, many initiatives and actions have been undertaken recently to ensure the transition from the informal to the formal economy and create a quality workforce with the aim of enhancing young persons’ employability. It should be recognized that the coordination of a national employment policy with vocational training policy and education policy poses huge difficulties in countries like ours, which are dominated by the informal economy.

Nevertheless, in the light of the relevant information provided, the Government of Burkina Faso commends the effort made by Cameroon and strongly encourages it to pursue this momentum while taking into account the recommendations of the Committee of Experts. The Government of Burkina Faso therefore requests the International Labour Office to support the action already taken and invites other partners to support the different processes already under way. In the light of the above, our Committee must demonstrate understanding and objectivity when adopting its conclusions on this individual case.

Interpretation from Arabic: Government member, Egypt – I thank the Government of Cameroon for its efforts to implement the Convention and legislative reforms. The Government has developed a national employment policy with the participation of the social partners, and that policy has been submitted to the competent authorities for adoption. The Government has also worked to coordinate education policies and employment policies, adopting initiatives to align the two to create a qualified workforce for the different sectors and to strengthen technological knowledge. With the backing of the Government, the competent authority for secondary education has introduced alternating training, where theoretical education is alternated with practical experience in enterprises or professional workshops to meet the needs of the labour market. The Government has also created state universities in the country’s ten regions and established a programme to support higher education graduates, in cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education, in order to promote their professional integration.

We welcome the measures taken by the Government of Cameroon that have led to positive results for the transition from the informal to the formal economy and to establish new economic sectors that offer employment opportunities in the green and digital economies. We encourage the Government to strengthen the creation of green jobs to protect young persons in Cameroon from unemployment under the relevant steering committee.

In conclusion, we welcome the efforts and initiatives undertaken by the Government of Cameroon to implement the provisions of the Convention, and we hope that the Committee will take the country’s efforts into account.

Government member, Gabon – The Government of Gabon welcomes the responses of the Government of Cameroon to the Committee of Experts’ observations on the official formalization of Cameroon’s national employment policy, in line with the provisions of the Convention. Indeed, following the example of the Republic of Cameroon, Gabon ratified the Convention in October 2009. In 2017, it developed a national employment policy that was adopted by the Council of Ministers one year later, in April 2018. This national employment policy, drawn up in accordance with Article 1 of the Convention, was the result of a long process of consultation and social dialogue between the Government and the social partners, with the support of the International Labour Office. Based on the experience acquired during that process, therefore, and also given the effort made in that regard, we appreciate the ground already covered by the Government of Cameroon towards finalizing the development of its national employment policy.

To that end, Gabon’s intervention aims to encourage the Republic of Cameroon to continue, and intensify, the many significant steps that it has already taken towards the official formalization of its policy. Convinced of the good faith and determination of the Government of Cameroon to conclude the process by means of the competent bodies’ adoption of the document, which has already been validated by the tripartite constituents, I request the Committee to pay particular attention and show particular understanding when addressing this matter in Cameroon, including by considering the efforts made. The Government of Gabon therefore asks the International Labour Office and other development partners to provide multifaceted support to with a view to meeting the objectives relating to the national employment policy, in line with the provisions of the Convention.

Government representative – The Government of Cameroon wishes to express its deep gratitude to all the tripartite delegates for their constructive and contradictory statements and observations that have enriched today’s discussion. As bestselling author Lisa Alther said: “the degree of a person’s intelligence is directly reflected by the number of conflicting attitudes she can bring to bear on the same topic.” We have taken note of all the contributions to this discussion, including those relating to completing the development of the national employment policy, submitting information to the Committee of Experts in a timely manner, inclusivity and many other aspects. The Government of Cameroon reaffirms its commitment to giving effect, both in law and in practice, to the provisions of the Convention. We will take into consideration all the invaluable and useful observations and contributions made, as well as the encouragement received during this discussion, and we will work to bring our texts and laws into line with the provisions of the Convention.

Employer members – The Employer members thank the various speakers who took the floor and especially the representative of the Government of Cameroon for the interventions and the information they have provided. Taking into account the information submitted and today’s debate, firstly, the Employer members would like to recommend that the Government of Cameroon keep the Committee of Experts updated on progress in the approval of the draft national employment policy and submit a copy of the policy to that Committee as soon as it has been approved by the competent authority; secondly, involve social partners and other stakeholders such as informal workers, in the development and implementation of future iterations of the national employment policy; thirdly, in future, ensure the timely submission of requested information to enable assessment by the Committee of Experts of the Government’s compliance with the Convention. Finally, we urge the Government, if needed, to seek ILO technical assistance to facilitate its reporting obligations.

Worker members – The Worker members thank the Government of Cameroon for its comments and clarifications. We also thank all the speakers for their interventions. We take note of the strategies put in place by the Government to foster development and boost education and training. In view of the prevalence of the informal sector in the economy of the country, we welcome the Government’s efforts to support workers in this sector and to facilitate the transition to the formal sector. However, we are bound to note that more needs to be done for the Government to be in compliance with the Convention. We recall that the Convention prescribes that each Member shall declare and pursue, as a major goal, an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment. Such a policy must be inclusive and comprehensive. It should be designed, adopted and implemented in correlation with other social and economic policies, taking full note of the situation of the labour market and the impact any such policy will make, including on job creation, employment stability and decent work. Unfortunately, since 2017, the Government has taken no steps to adopt and implement a comprehensive national employment policy as required by the Convention. In addition, we note that in elaborating these strategies, the Government did not fully consult with workers’ representatives, as required by Article 3 of the Convention.

Therefore, the Worker members call on the Government to take measures to ensure that the national employment policy is finally adopted in full consultation with the social partners and without further delay. With reference to the Committee of Expert’s comments, the policy should contain specific measures: (i) to facilitate the transition of workers from the informal to the formal sector to create decent jobs, especially for youth and women, and to provide adequate protection to all workers, including workers in the informal economy; (ii) to promote the participation of women and youth in the labour market, including by ensuring stable and secure employment to reduce unemployment for these categories and to promote their long-term integration into the labour market; and (iii) to ensure that education, training and skills policies are coordinated with the employment policy and that they facilitate the free choice of employment. The national employment policy and its implementation measures should also be based on information and statistical data, compiled regularly, so as to allow the Government, together with the social partners, to monitor progress and evaluate the policy. The Worker members invite the Government of Cameroon to avail itself of the technical assistance provided by the ILO. We also request the Government to accept an ILO technical advisory mission.

Conclusions by the Committee

The Committee noted the written and oral information provided by the Government.

The Committee took note of the Government’s efforts to support the transition of workers from the informal economy to the formal economy and of the strategies put in place to foster development and boost education and training.

The Committee regretted that the Government took no steps since 2017 to adopt and implement a comprehensive national employment policy as required by the Convention.

Taking note of the discussion that followed, the Committee urges the Government, in full consultation with the social partners, to:

- scale up efforts to ensure that the national employment policy is adopted, without further delay;

- guarantee participation of social partners and other stakeholders in the development and implementation of future iterations of the national employment policy;

- take measures to facilitate the transition of workers from the informal to the formal sector and provide adequate protection to all workers;

- promote access to employment for women and youth to reduce unemployment for these categories and to promote their long-term integration into the labour market;

- ensure that education, training and skills policies are harmonized with employment policies and facilitate the free choice of employment; and

- ensure the regular collection of information and statistical data so as to allow the Government to monitor progress and evaluate policies’ implementation.

The Committee invites the Government to avail itself of the technical assistance provided by the ILO.

The Committee further requests the Government to provide a report on the progress made regarding the above issues as well as a copy of the national policy once adopted, before 1 September 2023.

Government representative – The Government of the Republic of Cameroon thanks the Committee for its conclusions, which demonstrate its thorough consideration of this case, and, above all, for having taken into account both the information provided and the constructive discussion that followed. The Government duly notes the recommendations made and wishes to clarify that, as a State based on the rule of law, it undertakes to update, in cooperation with the social partners, its legislation and institutions in line with the provisions of the Convention, as stipulated in the conclusions that we have just heard.

The recommended assistance of the International Labour Office will be formalized, and we will approach the Office to make practical arrangements in that regard. You will agree, however, that providing information on the progress made and the adopted employment policy before 1 September 2023 seems unrealistic. We therefore request, although the conclusions have already been adopted, that the Committee use its discretion to grant us a reasonable deadline for the requested compliance, to which we are committed.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2017, published 107th ILC session (2018)

Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2017, published 107th ILC session (2018)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

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

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Declaring and pursuing a national employment policy. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in August 2009. The Government indicates that the National Employment and Vocational Training Policy is currently being finalized alongside several other sectoral plans and that, in the field of investment, the adoption of the Investment Charter is intended to contribute to an increase in productive investments which create jobs. The Government adds that it has taken measures for balanced regional development, infrastructure development and rural development. These measures include the establishment of the Rural Jobs Development Support Programme (PADER), which has financed 33,065 young persons in rural areas to undertake profitable projects. In the context of a labour-intensive approach (HIMO), the plans include the implementation of rural development programmes. The Committee notes a new Growth and Employment Strategy Paper (DSCE) and observes that the acceleration of economic growth and the creation of decent jobs are among the Government’s new priorities. The Committee would be grateful to examine in the next report the measures adopted in practice and implemented in the context of the National Employment and Vocational Training Policy, as well as the DSCE, in terms of the creation of lasting jobs and the reduction of underemployment. The Committee also hopes that the Government will be in a position to provide statistics on the situation and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment, with particular reference to women and young persons.

2. Coordination of employment policy and poverty reduction. In its 2007 observation, the Committee requested the Government to describe the measures adopted to improve the coordination of employment policies and poverty reduction. According to the latest statistics contained in the Growth and Employment Strategy Paper, the population of Cameroon was 17.9 million in 2007, of whom 7.1 million were poor. The Committee notes that, in the Growth and Employment Strategy Paper, the Government has set the objective of reducing the poverty rate from 39.9 per cent in 2007 to under 25 per cent in 2019. The Committee invites the Government to provide updated and detailed information in its next report on the measures adopted to ensure that employment, as a key factor in poverty reduction, is at the core of macroeconomic and social policy. It requests the Government in particular to provide information disaggregated by category on the results achieved in terms of employment, particularly for women, young persons, older workers and persons with disabilities, following the adoption of these measures.

3. Informal economy. The Government indicates that 92 per cent of the active population is in the informal economy and that underemployment remains very high, affecting 75.8 per cent of the population at the national average and 68.3 per cent of the population in rural areas. It also provides documentation on the implementation of an Integrated Support Project for the Informal Sector (PIAASI) and data on applications for support for Informal Production Units (UPI) by sector and province. In 2007, the PIAASI identified over 10,000 actors seeking assistance in the fields of organization, training and financial support while, in the first half of 2007, nearly 1,400 informal production units received financial support. The Committee invites the Government to include information on the measures through which the PIAASI has proven to be effective in terms of the creation of productive employment for workers in the informal economy.

4. Youth employment. The Government indicates in its report that the youth unemployment rate is 13 per cent of the population at the national level, and that 2 million young persons are in inadequate employment. It adds that, in the context of its National Employment and Vocational Training Policy, it has established programmes for the socio-economic integration of young persons, including the National Plan of Action for Youth Employment, the Support Programme for the Integration of Young Agricultural Workers and the Project for the Socio-economic Integration of Young Persons through the creation of micro‑enterprises for the production of sports goods. The Youth Employment Pact, which was launched in 2007, has resulted in the integration of 1,250 young persons into the labour market. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information in its next report on the impact of the measures and programmes intended to facilitate the access of young persons to decent employment.

5. Women’s employment. The Government refers in its report to the National Plan of Action for the Employment of Women (PANEF). It indicates that the Project for the Socio-economic Integration of Girls and Women targets poor women through the provision of training on the development of projects and by facilitating their access to financing. The Committee requests the provision in the next report of detailed information on the results achieved in the context of the PANEF in relation to the integration of women into the labour market.

6. Promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Government indicates that it has established a Support Programme for the Creation and Development of SMEs in the processing and conservation of local mass consumption products and that this Programme envisages the creation of 150 SMEs by young graduates. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the impact of the programme in terms of reducing the obstacles faced in starting up small and medium-sized enterprises. The Government may consider it useful to consult the provisions of the Job Creation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Recommendation, 1998 (No. 189).

7. Coordination of education and training policies with employment policy. The Government indicates that the National Employment Policy includes a vocational training component and that, in the context of the development of an approach based on competences and agro-ecological areas, it is in the process of reforming the rural craft and the household sections to transform them into craftwork trade training centres. The implementation of the Programme for the Improvement of the Supply of Vocational Training, the establishment of private vocational training institutions, the provision of vocational training grants to 900 young persons and the opening in Cameroon of a section for the implementation of the Africa Jobs Programme are contributing since 2002 to improving the supply of vocational training. The Committee invites the Government to provide updated information in its next report disaggregated by the sex and age of the beneficiaries on the results of guidance and training programmes, with an indication of the competences and skills acquired by the beneficiaries, and the impact of the various training programmes in terms of the integration of those concerned into lasting employment.

8. Collection and utilization of employment data. The Committee notes that the Government has established a number of structures responsible for collecting and analysing labour market statistics, including the Central Population Census and Studies Bureau, the National Statistical Institute and the National Employment and Vocational Training Observatory (ONEFOP). It also notes the ONEFOP Bulletin containing data on, among other subjects, sectoral employment trends and the informal economy. The Committee requests the Government to indicate in its next report the progress achieved in the collection of employment data, with an indication of the employment policy measures adopted as a result of the establishment of the various structures responsible for the collection of employment data.

9. Article 3. Participation of the social partners in policy formulation and implementation. The Government indicates that the representatives of occupational employers’ and workers’ organizations are consulted during meetings convened by the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, the National Employment Fund and the directors of social dialogue institutions. The Committee notes the comments of the General Union of Cameroon Workers (UGTC) and the General Confederation of Labour–Liberty of Cameroon
(CGT–Liberté), according to which two tripartite steering committees were established in June 2007, one responsible for the formulation of the national employment policy and the second for the strategy for the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training. The Committee hopes that the Government’s next report will contain precise information on the operation and activities of these two steering committees. It also requests the Government to provide information on the consultations held with the most vulnerable categories of the population, and particularly with representatives of workers in rural areas and the informal economy, with a view to enlisting their support for the formulation and implementation of employment policy programmes and measures.

Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

The Committee takes note of the Government’s brief report received in October 2007, and the comments by the General Union of Cameroon Workers (UGTC) and the General Confederation of Labour-Liberty Cameroon (CGT-Liberté), sent to the Government in September 2007.

1. Article 1 of the Convention. Declaring and pursuing a national employment policy. The Government states that following the General Conference on Employment of November 2005, the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training (MINEFOP) has just convened the meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Labour, whose main role is to give its opinion on the declaration of the national employment policy submitted to it for consideration. The UGTC states that the declaration of the national employment policy has still to be signed by the Government. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures actually adopted and implemented, particularly in the context of the declaration of the national employment policy, designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment.

2. Articles 1 and 2. Coordinating the employment policy with poverty reduction. The Government states that Cameroon has recently introduced a “target-based budget” with a view to securing clarity as to the impact of public expenditure on the daily life of the population. It indicates in this connection that the medium-term expenditure framework will ensure that employment and poverty reduction are linked. The Committee refers to its observation of 2006, in which it noted that, according to the International Development Association (IDA) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Cameroon has met the requirements for reaching the completion point under the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative, particularly in view of the satisfactory implementation of the poverty reduction strategy in 2005, the third annual progress report of which was completed in 2006 (IMF Country Report No. 06/190, May 2006). The IDA and the IMF further observed that the National Employment Fund has continued its actions on the socio-occupational integration of young people in paid jobs and self-employment, notably through the signing of a partnership agreement between the Government and the Cameroon Employers’ Association (GICAM), the integration of jobseekers and the conclusion of agreements with vocational training centres and some enterprises for the validation of training modules (IMF Country Report No. 06/260, July 2006). The Committee again asks the Government to provide up to date and detailed information on the measures taken to ensure that employment, as a key factor in poverty reduction, is at the core of macroeconomic and social policy. It asks the Government in particular to provide information disaggregated by group on the results achieved in terms of employment, particularly for women, young people, older workers and persons with disabilities, following the adoption of these measures.

3. Article 2. Collection and analysis of statistical data. The Committee noted in its previous comments that during the General Conference on Employment, speakers emphasized that there was a lack of knowledge of the labour market and its operation, due to the absence of reliable statistical information. It noted that the Government had launched a general survey of the population, in particular to determine the distribution of the labour force, the nature, extent and trends of unemployment and underemployment, income, and poverty levels. The Government further indicated that the National Employment and Vocational Training Observatory (ONEFOP) has been in operation since 1 July 2005. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the work of ONEFOP and on progress made in compiling reliable statistical data. Please indicate how the measures adopted under the national employment policy are decided upon and followed up within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy.

4. Article 3. Participation of the social partners in the formulation and implementation of policies. The Government indicates that the recommendations made by the General Conference on Employment have not as yet had any effect. The General Conference on Employment recommended, inter alia, that committees should be set up to assist the development of local employment in association with the social partners to reflect and act at the local level with a view to creating jobs. The UGTC and CGT-Liberté furthermore indicate that the Government has just set up two tripartite steering committees by decisions of 28 June 2007, one to draft the national employment policy and the other, the MINEFOP strategy. A steering committee to work out a strategy for vocational training and apprenticeship for the reform of the rural craft and domestic science sectors has also been set up and is composed of representatives of the Government and the employers. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures implemented, particularly following the recommendations of the General Conference on Employment of November 2005, to ensure that the representatives of those concerned, particularly in the rural sector and in the informal economy, cooperate fully in formulating employment policies. Please also provide information on the working and the activities of the two tripartite steering committees set up in June 2007.

[The Government is asked to reply in detail to the present comments in 2008.]

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

The Committee notes the Government’ s report received in November 2005, the comments made by the General Union of Cameroon Workers (UGTC), the comments made by the General Confederation of Labour-Liberté of Cameroon (CGT-Liberté), and the observations made by the Government in response.

1. Formulation and implementation of a national employment policy. The Government indicates that a declaration on national employment policy was drawn up in 2000, but that it has not been possible to formulate the national employment policy itself due to the country’s low level of economic development. The Government points out, however, that financing provided by the Enhanced Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) has permitted the establishment of the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training (MINEFOP), one of the missions of which is to formulate and implement the national policy on employment and vocational training and integration. In this regard, the Committee notes Decree No. 2005/123 of 15 April 2005 concerning the organization of MINEFOP, and, in particular, the provisions relating to the mission of the Employment Promotion Department (section 23). The Government indicates that, in November 2005, MINEFOP organized the General Conference on Employment, the resolutions of which should form the basis for the formulation of the national employment policy. Many of the speakers at the General Conference on Employment emphasized that employment remains a problem, despite the implementation of economic and social strategies, and commented on the absence of a coherent national employment policy that is integrated into economic policy. The Committee notes that this first General Conference on Employment made it possible to identify vulnerable groups in the labour market (women, young persons, persons with disabilities, marginalized groups, the long-term unemployed and the prison population) and to formulate recommendations and strategies to promote employment in different sectors as a basis for developing a national employment strategy. In this regard, the Committee notes that the Government has undertaken to set up a committee to support, implement, monitor and evaluate the recommendations of the General Conference on Employment and that this committee will include all the economic and social partners. It hopes that the Government will be in a position to indicate, in its next report, the specific measures adopted and implemented to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment (Article 1 of the Convention).

2. Coordination of employment policy with poverty reduction. The Government indicates that Cameroon, which joined the HIPC initiative in October 2000, has drawn up a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) in which employment plays a fundamental role. The Committee notes that the International Development Association (IDA) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have indicated that Cameroon has met the requirements for reaching the completion point under the HIPC initiative, including, most notably, satisfactory implementation of the poverty reduction strategy, maintenance of macroeconomic stability, social sector and structural reforms, and actions to improve governance and reduce corruption (IMF Country Report No. 06/190, May 2006). The Committee notes that the third annual progress report of the PRSP, covering 2005, was completed in February 2006 and that the IDA and IMF considered the implementation of the PRSP to be satisfactory in 2005. In particular, they indicate that the National Employment Fund has continued its actions on the socio-occupational integration of young people in paid jobs and self-employment, notably through the signing of a partnership agreement between the Government and the Cameroon Employers’ Association (GICAM), the integration of jobseekers and the conclusion of agreements with vocational training centres and some enterprises for the validation of training modules (IMF Country Report No. 06/260, July 2006). The Committee asks the Government to provide up to date information in its next report on the measures taken to ensure that employment, as a key factor in poverty reduction, is at the heart of macroeconomic and social policy. It also asks the Government to provide information disaggregated by group on the results achieved, particularly for the vulnerable groups identified in point 2 of this observation, following the adoption of these measures (Articles 1 and 2).

3. Collection and analysis of statistical data. The Government states that it is currently unable to provide any reliable statistical data, but indicates that the National Employment and Vocational Training Observatory (ONEFOP) has been in operation since 1 July 2005. The Committee notes that during the General Conference on Employment, speakers emphasized that there was a lack of knowledge of the labour market and its functioning, due to the absence of reliable statistical information. The Committee notes that the Government has launched a general survey of the population, most notably to determine the distribution of the labour force, the nature and trends of unemployment and underemployment, income, and poverty levels. The Committee hopes that the Government will provide information in its next report on the activities of ONEFOP and on the progress made on producing reliable statistical data. The Government is also requested to indicate how the measures adopted within the framework of the national employment policy are decided upon and followed up within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy (Article 2).

4. Participation of the social partners in the formulation and implementation of policies. In its report, the Government indicates that the general objective of the General Conference on Employment was to gather the opinions of all the social partners with a view to establishing a definitive national employment policy and that, in this respect, extensive consultation took place with representative organizations of employers and workers, administrations and even civil society. The Committee notes that speakers emphasized the need to establish a permanent operational framework for social dialogue between the Government and the social partners. It notes that the General Conference on Employment recommended that committees be set up to assist the development of local employment by bringing together the social partners to reflect and act at the local level with a view to the creation of employment. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the measures taken to give effect to these recommendations with a view to ensuring that the representatives of the persons affected, particularly those in the rural sector and the informal economy, collaborate fully in the formulation of employment policies (Article 3).

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the very near future.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2004, published 93rd ILC session (2005)

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 2002 direct request, which read as follows:

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. The Government states that it has undergone an economic crisis since 1998 when the CFA franc was devalued. It is currently participating in the World Bank and IMF programme for debt reduction package under the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. It is using some debt relief funds for social programmes, including hiring 2,500 primary-school teachers. The Government aims to make the labour market more transparent by improving training and placement services. Employment promotion programmes include internships in enterprises for youth diploma, rural development, vocational orientation, internships for adapting to working life, job placement for teachers, small enterprise development and establishing a national policy and regulating microcredit. The report of the National Employment Fund provides information on the number of participants in select programmes and their employment outcomes. The Government states that most programmes are still being finalized. The Committee notes this information and would appreciate receiving updates in the next Government report on progress made in implementing employment promotion programmes and on their impact.

2. Unemployment reached 21.7 per cent in urban areas, with as much as 31 per cent in Douala and 24 per cent in Yaoundé. In rural areas the rate is about 4 per cent, due to the prevalence of self-employment. The Government states that it does not have detailed labour market statistics but plans to undertake a census. It has created a National Observatory for Employment and Vocational Training, which is responsible for collecting labour market information. The Committee notes this information and would appreciate receiving further information on the outcome of the census and the ongoing work of the National Observatory. Please also provide further information on how the measures adopted are decided on and kept under review within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy.

3. Article 3. The Committee notes that the Government has established a tripartite inter-ministerial committee for employment policy for the private sector and is formulating employment promotion programmes in consultation with the social partners. Please indicate the manner in which the representatives of the persons affected are consulted concerning employment policies envisaged or implemented under the poverty reduction strategy paper. Please also provide further information on whether consultations on employment policy are held with rural and informal sector workers.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2003, published 92nd ILC session (2004)

The Committee notes 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 2002 direct request, which read as follows.

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. The Government states that it has undergone an economic crisis since 1998 when the CFA franc was devalued. It is currently participating in the World Bank and IMF programme for debt reduction package under the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. It is using some debt relief funds for social programmes, including hiring 2,500 primary-school teachers. The Government aims to make the labour market more transparent by improving training and placement services. Employment promotion programmes include internships in enterprises for youth diploma, rural development, vocational orientation, internships for adapting to working life, job placement for teachers, small enterprise development and establishing a national policy and regulating microcredit. The report of the National Employment Fund provides information on the number of participants in select programmes and their employment outcomes. The Government states that most programmes are still being finalized. The Committee notes this information and would appreciate receiving updates in the next Government report on progress made in implementing employment promotion programmes and on their impact.

2. Unemployment reached 21.7 per cent in urban areas, with as much as 31 per cent in Douala and 24 per cent in Yaoundé. In rural areas the rate is about 4 per cent, due to the prevalence of self-employment. The Government states that it does not have detailed labour market statistics but plans to undertake a census. It has created a National Observatory for Employment and Vocational Training, which is responsible for collecting labour market information. The Committee notes this information and would appreciate receiving further information on the outcome of the census and the ongoing work of the National Observatory. Please also provide further information on how the measures adopted are decided on and kept under review within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy.

3. Article 3. The Committee notes that the Government has established a tripartite inter-ministerial committee for employment policy for the private sector and is formulating employment promotion programmes in consultation with the social partners. Please indicate the manner in which the representatives of the persons affected are consulted concerning employment policies envisaged or implemented under the poverty reduction strategy paper. Please also provide further information on whether consultations on employment policy are held with rural and informal sector workers.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2002, published 91st ILC session (2003)

The Committee notes the information provided in the Government’s report, in reply to its previous direct request.

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. The Government states that it has undergone an economic crisis since 1998 when the CFA franc was devalued. It is currently participating in the World Bank and IMF programme for debt reduction package under the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. It is using some debt relief funds for social programmes, including hiring 2,500 primary-school teachers. The Government aims to make the labour market more transparent by improving training and placement services. Employment promotion programmes include internships in enterprises for youth diploma, rural development, vocational orientation, internships for adapting to working life, job placement for teachers, small enterprise development and establishing a national policy and regulating microcredit. The report of the National Employment Fund provides information on the number of participants in select programmes and their employment outcomes. The Government states that most programmes are still being finalized. The Committee notes this information and would appreciate receiving updates in the next Government report on progress made in implementing employment promotion programmes and on their impact.

2. Unemployment reached 21.7 per cent in urban areas, with as much as 31 per cent in Douala and 24 per cent in Yaoundé. In rural areas the rate is about 4 per cent, due to the prevalence of self-employment. The Government states that it does not have detailed labour market statistics but plans to undertake a census. It has created a National Observatory for Employment and Vocational Training, which is responsible for collecting labour market information. The Committee notes this information and would appreciate receiving further information on the outcome of the census and the ongoing work of the National Observatory. Please also provide further information on how the measures adopted are decided on and kept under review within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy.

3. Article 3. The Committee notes that the Government has established a tripartite inter-ministerial committee for employment policy for the private sector and is formulating employment promotion programmes in consultation with the social partners. Please indicate the manner in which the representatives of the persons affected are consulted concerning employment policies envisaged or implemented under the poverty reduction strategy paper. Please also provide further information on whether consultations on employment policy are held with rural and informal sector workers.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2000, published 89th ILC session (2001)

The Committee again 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 reads as follows:

1.  The Committee notes the Government’s report which refers to the period ending September 1996. It regrets that the report replies only partly to its previous request and notes with concern that the Government indicates that, in an economic situation dominated by the negative impact of structural adjustment programmes on the labour market, no national policy on employment has been formulated or applied. The Committee, which notes that the Government recognizes that the promotion of employment entails a multidimensional approach, recalls that under Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention each State party undertakes to formulate and apply "as a major goal, an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment", and that it must, for this purpose, "decide on and keep under review" the measures to be adopted "within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy". The Committee trusts that the next report will contain, in reply to the relevant questions in the report form, information showing that such a policy has been formulated, both to comply with the Convention and to give effect in practice to the right of every person to work which is enshrined in the Constitution of 18 January 1996.

2.  The Committee observes that the short description of sectoral policies contains no new information. It recalls once again its previous requests concerning the evaluation of results in terms of job creation of establishing an "industrial free zone" and the facilities provided by the Investments Code. The Committee requests the Government once again to describe the training and retraining activities undertaken by the National Employment Fund. It also requests the Government to describe the measures promoting micro-enterprises and self-employment which it mentions, indicating the results expected.

3.  Article 3.  The Committee notes the indication that the National Labour Advisory Commission allows representation of the social partners. It notes, furthermore, that the Constitution of 18 January 1996, article 54, provides for the establishment of an Economic and Social Council whose composition, duties and organization shall be laid down by the law. It hopes that the Government’s next report will provide full information on the manner in which these bodies ensure consultations with the persons affected, as required by this essential provision of the Convention.

4.  Finally, given the extent of the difficulties which the Government is apparently encountering in formulating and applying an employment policy in conformity with the Convention, the Committee reminds the Government that it may request advice or technical cooperation from the ILO.

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

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:

1. The Committee notes the Government's report which refers to the period ending September 1996. It regrets that the report replies only partly to its previous request and notes with concern that the Government indicates that, in an economic situation dominated by the negative impact of structural adjustment programmes on the labour market, no national policy on employment has been formulated or applied. The Committee, which notes that the Government recognizes that the promotion of employment entails a multidimensional approach, recalls that under Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention each State party undertakes to formulate and apply "as a major goal, an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment", and that it must, for this purpose, "decide on and keep under review" the measures to be adopted "within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy". The Committee trusts that the next report will contain, in reply to the relevant questions in the report form, information showing that such a policy has been formulated, both to comply with the Convention and to give effect in practice to the right of every person to work which is enshrined in the Constitution of 18 January 1996.

2. The Committee observes that the short description of sectoral policies contains no new information. It recalls once again its previous requests concerning the evaluation of results in terms of job creation of establishing an "industrial free zone" and the facilities provided by the Investments Code. The Committee requests the Government once again to describe the training and retraining activities undertaken by the National Employment Fund. It also requests the Government to describe the measures promoting micro-enterprises and self-employment which it mentions, indicating the results expected.

3. Article 3. The Committee notes the indication that the National Labour Advisory Commission allows representation of the social partners. It notes, furthermore, that the Constitution of 18 January 1996, article 54, provides for the establishment of an Economic and Social Council whose composition, duties and organization shall be laid down by the law. It hopes that the Government's next report will provide full information on the manner in which these bodies ensure consultations with the persons affected, as required by this essential provision of the Convention.

4. Finally, given the extent of the difficulties which the Government is apparently encountering in formulating and applying an employment policy in conformity with the Convention, the Committee reminds the Government that it may request advice or technical cooperation from the ILO.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1998, published 87th ILC session (1999)

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:

1. The Committee notes the Government's report which refers to the period ending September 1996. It regrets that the report replies only partly to its previous request and notes with concern that the Government indicates that, in an economic situation dominated by the negative impact of structural adjustment programmes on the labour market, no national policy on employment has been formulated or applied. The Committee, which notes that the Government recognizes that the promotion of employment entails a multidimensional approach, recalls that under Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention each State party undertakes to formulate and apply "as a major goal, an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment", and that it must, for this purpose, "decide on and keep under review" the measures to be adopted "within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy". The Committee trusts that the next report will contain, in reply to the relevant questions in the report form, information showing that such a policy has been formulated, both to comply with the Convention and to give effect in practice to the right of every person to work which is enshrined in the Constitution of 18 January 1996.

2. The Committee observes that the short description of sectoral policies contains no new information. It recalls once again its previous requests concerning the evaluation of results in terms of job creation of establishing an "industrial free zone" and the facilities provided by the Investments Code. The Committee requests the Government once again to describe the training and retraining activities undertaken by the National Employment Fund. It also requests the Government to describe the measures promoting micro-enterprises and self-employment which it mentions, indicating the results expected.

3. Article 3. The Committee notes the indication that the National Labour Advisory Commission allows representation of the social partners. It notes, furthermore, that the Constitution of 18 January 1996, article 54, provides for the establishment of an Economic and Social Council whose composition, duties and organization shall be laid down by the law. It hopes that the Government's next report will provide full information on the manner in which these bodies ensure consultations with the persons affected, as required by this essential provision of the Convention.

4. Finally, given the extent of the difficulties which the Government is apparently encountering in formulating and applying an employment policy in conformity with the Convention, the Committee reminds the Government that it may request advice or technical cooperation from the ILO.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1997, published 86th ILC session (1998)

1. The Committee notes the Government's report which refers to the period ending September 1996. It regrets that the report replies only partly to its previous request and notes with concern that the Government indicates that, in an economic situation dominated by the negative impact of structural adjustment programmes on the labour market, no national policy on employment has been formulated or applied. The Committee, which notes that the Government recognizes that the promotion of employment entails a multidimensional approach, recalls that under Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention each State party undertakes to formulate and apply "as a major goal, an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment", and that it must, for this purpose, "decide on and keep under review" the measures to be adopted "within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy". The Committee trusts that the next report will contain, in reply to the relevant questions in the report form, information showing that such a policy has been formulated, both to comply with the Convention and to give effect in practice to the right of every person to work which is enshrined in the Constitution of 18 January 1996.

2. The Committee observes that the short description of sectoral policies contains no new information. It recalls once again its previous requests concerning the evaluation of results in terms of job creation of establishing an "industrial free zone" and the facilities provided by the Investments Code. The Committee requests the Government once again to describe the training and retraining activities undertaken by the National Employment Fund. It also requests the Government to describe the measures promoting micro-enterprises and self-employment which it mentions, indicating the results expected.

3. Article 3. The Committee notes the indication that the National Labour Advisory Commission allows representation of the social partners. It notes, furthermore, that the Constitution of 18 January 1996, article 54, provides for the establishment of an Economic and Social Council whose composition, duties and organization shall be laid down by the law. It hopes that the Government's next report will provide full information on the manner in which these bodies ensure consultations with the persons affected, as required by this essential provision of the Convention.

4. Finally, given the extent of the difficulties which the Government is apparently encountering in formulating and applying an employment policy in conformity with the Convention, the Committee reminds the Government that it may request advice or technical cooperation from the ILO.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1996, published 85th ILC session (1997)

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 the Government's report for the period ending 30 June 1994 and the reply to its previous direct request. The incomplete, partial and even negative nature of the information supplied does not enable the Committee to ascertain as it would wish the manner in which the Convention is applied. It is therefore bound to reiterate most of the questions raised previously and hopes that the next report will contain information as detailed as possible in reply to its specific questions and, more generally, to those asked on the report form concerning in particular the general objectives and formulation of the employment policy in the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy (Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention).

1. The Committee hopes that the results of the national manpower survey will be available and utilizable shortly and that the Government will soon be able to communicate the information required on the size and distribution of the labour force, the level and trends in employment, unemployment and underemployment, which constitute the basis for decisions on employment policy measures.

2. Please indicate whether the draft text respecting the general organization of vocational training and guidance, already mentioned in the Government's previous report, has been adopted. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply more specific information on the occupational training, retraining and conversion activities undertaken by the National Employment Fund and describe the measures, designed to coordinate education and training policies with employment prospects, which have been taken on the basis of the recommendations made at the session of the National Council for Occupational Training held in September 1994 at Yaoundé.

3. The Committee notes the cessation of support projects for micro-enterprises due to lack of funding and the reduction in the scope of the young entrepreneurs project which was undertaken with the technical cooperation of the ILO with a view to effectiveness and experimentation. Please indicate whether more favourable circumstances or new initiatives have allowed this type of project to be relaunched, bearing in mind the objective which the Government indicated in its previous report of promoting self-employment with a view to absorbing the additional labour force which is resulting from the increase in the active population.

4. The Committee hopes that the next report will contain the information requested earlier concerning the evaluation in terms of job creation of establishing an industrial "free zone" and the new facilities provided by the Investments Code (in process of revision). Please supply a copy of Ordinance No. 90 0001 (free zone) and Ordinance No. 90 007 (Investment Code), as amended, if appropriate. Please indicate whether these measures also include providing facilities or increasing flexibility in the labour legislation or labour regime areas.

5. The Committee regrets that the Government's report does not contain a reply to the request for information on the effect given to Article 3 relating to consultation of professional organizations and other sectors affected by the measures to be taken. It recalls point 5 of its previous direct request in this regard and trusts that the next report will indicate the measures taken to give effect to this fundamental provision of the Convention, particularly in the context of the definition and application of any stabilization and/or structural adjustment policy.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1995, published 83rd ILC session (1996)

The Committee notes the Government's report for the period ending 30 June 1994 and the reply to its previous direct request. The incomplete, partial and even negative nature of the information supplied does not enable the Committee to ascertain as it would wish the manner in which the Convention is applied. It is therefore bound to reiterate most of the questions raised previously and hopes that the next report will contain information as detailed as possible in reply to its specific questions and, more generally, to those asked on the report form concerning in particular the general objectives and formulation of the employment policy in the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy (Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention).

1. The Committee hopes that the results of the national manpower survey will be available and utilizable shortly and that the Government will soon be able to communicate the information required on the size and distribution of the labour force, the level and trends in employment, unemployment and underemployment, which constitute the basis for decisions on employment policy measures.

2. Please indicate whether the draft text respecting the general organization of vocational training and guidance, already mentioned in the Government's previous report, has been adopted. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply more specific information on the occupational training, retraining and conversion activities undertaken by the National Employment Fund and describe the measures, designed to coordinate education and training policies with employment prospects, which have been taken on the basis of the recommendations made at the session of the National Council for Occupational Training held in September 1994 at Yaoundé.

3. The Committee notes the cessation of support projects for micro-enterprises due to lack of funding and the reduction in the scope of the young entrepreneurs' project which was undertaken with the technical cooperation of the ILO with a view to effectiveness and experimentation. Please indicate whether more favourable circumstances or new initiatives have allowed this type of project to be relaunched, bearing in mind the objective which the Government indicated in its previous report of promoting self-employment with a view to absorbing the additional labour force which is resulting from the increase in the active population.

4. The Committee hopes that the next report will contain the information requested earlier concerning the evaluation in terms of job creation of establishing an industrial "free zone" and the new facilities provided by the Investments Code (in process of revision). Please supply a copy of Ordinance No. 90 0001 (free zone) and Ordinance No. 90 007 (Investment Code), as amended, if appropriate. Please indicate whether these measures also include providing facilities or increasing flexibility in the labour legislation or labour regime areas.

5. The Committee regrets that the Government's report does not contain a reply to the request for information on the effect given to Article 3 relating to consultation of professional organizations and other sectors affected by the measures to be taken. It recalls point 5 of its previous direct request in this regard and trusts that the next report will indicate the measures taken to give effect to this fundamental provision of the Convention, particularly in the context of the definition and application of any stabilization and/or structural adjustment policy.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1995, published 82nd ILC session (1995)

The Committee notes that the Government's report contains no reply to its comments. It hopes that the next report will include full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

The Committee notes the Government's report for the period ending June 1992 and the information which it contains in reply to its previous request. It would be grateful if the Government would supply additional information in its next report on the following points:

1. The Committee notes the list of activities undertaken by the National Employment Fund (FNE). It notes, according to the Government, that the current computerization of the FNE's files should facilitate the formulation of a policy to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment, and that studies of labour market trends have been undertaken in various sectors, including the informal sector. The Committee, however, notes that the results of the national manpower survey are still not available. It requests the Government to report the results achieved by measures intended to ensure that employment policies are based on as precise a knowledge as possible of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the labour market. Please supply all the statistics on employment, underemployment and unemployment collected by means of these measures.

2. The Government describes in its report the launching of training programmes. Please supply detailed information on the nature of these programmes, their beneficiaries and their employment objectives. The Government also states that a draft text respecting the general organization of vocational training and guidance is intended to adapt the vocational training and guidance system to the labour needs of the economy. Please describe the principal provisions of this draft text and supply a copy of the text when it has been adopted. Please describe any measure which has been adopted to coordinate education and training policies with prospective employment opportunities.

3. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, the promotion of self-employment should prove to be a means of absorbing the additional labour which is resulting from the growth of the active population. It notes the statement that programmes for self-employment and support projects for micro-enterprises are under examination or being implemented. Please supply detailed information on the progress achieved by these programmes and projects, with an indication of the results which have been acheived or which are expected. Please specify the nature of the measures which have been taken or are envisaged to facilitate the access of small enterprises to the market, to credit and to advanced technologies. Please state the reasons which led to the reduction in the scope of the young enterpreneurs project which was undertaken with the technical cooperation of the ILO (Part V of the report form).

4. The Committee notes the establishment of an industrial "free zone" and the adoption in November 1990 of an Investment Code which includes provisions to encourage investments which create employment and foreign investment, particularly through tax exemptions. Please state the results which are achieved by these measures in terms of employment creation. Please also state the measures which have been taken with a view to diminishing the rural exodus and promoting both agricultural and non-agricultural rural employment. Please supply the text of Ordinance No. 90.001 (free zone) and Ordinance No. 90.007 (the Investment Code), of 1990, which are not available in the ILO.

5. More generally, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate, with reference to the questions set out in the report form, the manner in which account is taken of employment objectives, particularly in the context of the implementation of the second structural adjustment programme agreed upon with the IMF in December 1991, in the adoption of overall development policy measures, in accordance with Article 1, paragraph 3, and Article 2 of the Convention. The Committee notes the statement that the holding of a symposium gathering together the representatives of the persons affected by employment problems is envisaged. The Committee is bound to emphasize the importance which it attaches, particularly in the context of structural adjustment, to giving full effect to Article 3 of the Convention respecting the consultation of the representatives of the persons concerned. It recalls that these consultations concerning employment policies should, in addition to the representatives of employers' and workers' organizations, include representatives of other important sectors of the economically active population, such as the rural sector and the informal sector, " with the view to taking fully into account their experience and views and securing their full cooperation in formulating and enlisting support for such policies". The Committee hopes that the Government will soon be in a position to report progress in this respect.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1994, published 81st ILC session (1994)

The Committee notes the Government's report for the period ending June 1992 and the information which it contains in reply to its previous request. It would be grateful if the Government would supply additional information in its next report on the following points:

1. The Committee notes the list of activities undertaken by the National Employment Fund (FNE). It notes, according to the Government, that the current computerization of the FNE's files should facilitate the formulation of a policy to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment, and that studies of labour market trends have been undertaken in various sectors, including the informal sector. The Committee, however, notes that the results of the national manpower survey are still not available. It requests the Government to report the results achieved by measures intended to ensure that employment policies are based on as precise a knowledge as possible of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the labour market. Please supply all the statistics on employment, underemployment and unemployment collected by means of these measures.

2. The Government describes in its report the launching of training programmes. Please supply detailed information on the nature of these programmes, their beneficiaries and their employment objectives. The Government also states that a draft text respecting the general organization of vocational training and guidance is intended to adapt the vocational training and guidance system to the labour needs of the economy. Please describe the principal provisions of this draft text and supply a copy of the text when it has been adopted. Please describe any measure which has been adopted to coordinate education and training policies with prospective employment opportunities.

3. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, the promotion of self-employment should prove to be a means of absorbing the additional labour which is resulting from the growth of the active population. It notes the statement that programmes for self-employment and support projects for micro-enterprises are under examination or being implemented. Please supply detailed information on the progress achieved by these programmes and projects, with an indication of the results which have been acheived or which are expected. Please specify the nature of the measures which have been taken or are envisaged to facilitate the access of small enterprises to the market, to credit and to advanced technologies. Please state the reasons which led to the reduction in the scope of the young enterpreneurs project which was undertaken with the technical cooperation of the ILO (Part V of the report form).

4. The Committee notes the establishment of an industrial "free zone" and the adoption in November 1990 of an Investment Code which includes provisions to encourage investments which create employment and foreign investment, particularly through tax exemptions. Please state the results which are achieved by these measures in terms of employment creation. Please also state the measures which have been taken with a view to diminishing the rural exodus and promoting both agricultural and non-agricultural rural employment. Please supply the text of Ordinance No. 90.001 (free zone) and Ordinance No. 90.007 (the Investment Code), of 1990, which are not available in the ILO.

5. More generally, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate, with reference to the questions set out in the report form, the manner in which account is taken of employment objectives, particularly in the context of the implementation of the second structural adjustment programme agreed upon with the IMF in December 1991, in the adoption of overall development policy measures, in accordance with Article 1, paragraph 3, and Article 2 of the Convention. The Committee notes the statement that the holding of a symposium gathering together the representatives of the persons affected by employment problems is envisaged. The Committee is bound to emphasize the importance which it attaches, particularly in the context of structural adjustment, to giving full effect to Article 3 of the Convention respecting the consultation of the representatives of the persons concerned. It recalls that these consultations concerning employment policies should, in addition to the representatives of employers' and workers' organizations, include representatives of other important sectors of the economically active population, such as the rural sector and the informal sector, "with the view to taking fully into account their experience and views and securing their full cooperation in formulating and enlisting support for such policies". The Committee hopes that the Government will soon be in a position to report progress in this respect.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1993, published 80th ILC session (1993)

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 takes note of the information supplied by the Government in its last report. The Government is asked to provide additional information on the following points:

1. The Committee takes note of the information on the functions of the new National Employment Fund. It would be grateful if the Government would indicate whether the Fund is already operating and, if so, to describe the activities that have already been undertaken or are envisaged, and to state its actual role in formulating and applying an active policy to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment.

2. The Committee notes the information on the promotion of employment of nationals who reportedly held more than 50 per cent of highly skilled jobs in 1990. The Government also indicates that it has not yet been able to take effective measures with regard to vocational training, since the results of the survey to identify enterprises' skilled manpower needs are not yet known. However, it draws attention to the professionalization of teaching which the University of Yaoundé has undertaken since the beginning of the 1989-90 academic year. Please state the measures that have been taken or are contemplated to promote the employment of skilled nationals, and to match the guidance and training system, particularly technical training, to the manpower needs of the country's economy.

3. The Committee takes note of the information supplied by the Government concerning the promotion of small- and medium-sized enterprises and notes in particular that they made the largest contribution to job creation and that assistance for their development was a fundamental element of employment promotion policy during the Sixth Plan. The Government also indicates that, in addition to the assistance given by the FOGAPE and the CAPME to enterprises, the National Employment Fund will contribute technical and financial assistance to the creation and growth of micro-enterprises. Referring to point 4 of its previous direct request, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would continue to provide information on the jobs offered in these sectors and to indicate whether any measures have been adopted or are contemplated, in consultation with the representatives of the persons concerned, to improve working conditions in small- and medium-sized enterprises and to improve their access to markets, credit, technical expertise and advanced technology.

4. The Committee notes the information on employment in the rural and informal sectors, and particularly that the average annual employment growth rate is approximately 2 per cent in the rural sector and that an average of 3,000 jobs per year are created in the informal sector. The Government again indicates that particular attention is paid in the Sixth Plan to the processing and marketing of agricultural products and the mechanization of agriculture. Please state the effects of these measures on employment and indicate any measures that have been adopted or are contemplated under the Sixth Plan to promote the development of productive employment in the rural and informal sectors.

5. With reference to point 6 of its previous direct request, the Committee notes that the Government's report does not contain the information requested on how account is taken of the "employment" variable in the planning process, or on general and sectoral development policies. It would be grateful if the Government would provide all available information on these matters, with particular reference to measures that aim at ensuring that there is work for all who are available for and seeking work (Article 1 of the Convention).

6. According to information available at the ILO, in view of the fact that the estimated annual growth rate of the active population in the Cameroon is 2.5 per cent, more than 1 million jobs must be created between 1990 and 2000 if the labour market is to absorb all new jobseekers. Please indicate to what extent these data are or will be decisive in the formulation and application of economic and employment policies. Please also provide, as soon as they are available, the results of the national manpower survey, indicating the measures that have been taken or are contemplated on the basis of these results (Article 2).

7. Please provide particulars on the form of the consultations held with employers' and workers' organizations and with other persons affected by employment policy measures (Article 3).

8. Part V of the report form. The Committee takes note of the information on the "Young Promotors" project launched in 1990 with ILO and UNDP assistance to help young people establish their own enterprises. Please continue to provide information on any activities undertaken as a result of this or any other technical cooperation projects executed by the ILO, in so far as they directly or indirectly affect employment policy measures and the application of the Convention.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1991, published 78th ILC session (1991)

The Committee takes note of the information supplied by the Government in its last report. The Government is asked to provide additional information on the following points:

1. The Committee takes note of the information on the functions of the new National Employment Fund. It would be grateful if the Government would indicate whether the Fund is already operating and, if so, to describe the activities that have already been undertaken or are envisaged, and to state its actual role in formulating and applying an active policy to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment.

2. The Committee notes the information on the promotion of employment of nationals who reportedly held more than 50 per cent of highly skilled jobs in 1990. The Government also indicates that it has not yet been able to take effective measures with regard to vocational training, since the results of the survey to identify enterprises' skilled manpower needs are not yet known. However, it draws attention to the professionalisation of teaching which the University of Yaoundé has undertaken since the beginning of the 1989-90 academic year. Please state the measures that have been taken or are contemplated to promote the employment of skilled nationals, and to match the guidance and training system, particularly technical training, to the manpower needs of the country's economy.

3. The Committee takes note of the information supplied by the Government concerning the promotion of small- and medium-sized enterprises and notes in particular that they made the largest contribution to job creation and that assistance for their development was a fundamental element of employment promotion policy during the Sixth Plan. The Government also indicates that, in addition to the assistance given by the FOGAPE and the CAPME to enterprises, the National Employment Fund will contribute technical and financial assistance to the creation and growth of micro-enterprises. Referring to point 4 of its previous direct request, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would continue to provide information on the jobs offered in these sectors and to indicate whether any measures have been adopted or are contemplated, in consultation with the representatives of the persons concerned, to improve working conditions in small- and medium-sized enterprises and to improve their access to markets, credit, technical expertise and advanced technology.

4. The Committee notes the information on employment in the rural and informal sectors, and particularly that the average annual employment growth rate is approximately 2 per cent in the rural sector and that an average of 3,000 jobs per year are created in the informal sector. The Government again indicates that particular attention is paid in the Sixth Plan to the processing and marketing of agricultural products and the mechanisation of agriculture. Please state the effects of these measures on employment and indicate any measures that have been adopted or are contemplated under the Sixth Plan to promote the development of productive employment in the rural and informal sectors.

5. With reference to point 6 of its previous direct request, the Committee notes that the Government's report does not contain the information requested on how account is taken of the "employment" variable in the planning process, or on general and sectoral development policies. It would be grateful if the Government would provide all available information on these matters, with particular reference to measures that aim at ensuring that there is work for all who are available for and seeking work (Article 1 of the Convention).

6. According to information available at the ILO, in view of the fact that the estimated annual growth rate of the active population in the Cameroon is 2.5 per cent, more than 1 million jobs must be created between 1990 and 2000 if the labour market is to absorb all new jobseekers. Please indicate to what extent these data are or will be decisive in the formulation and application of economic and employment policies. Please also provide, as soon as they are available, the results of the national manpower survey, indicating the measures that have been taken or are contemplated on the basis of these results (Article 2).

7. Please provide particulars on the form of the consultations held with employers' and workers' organisations and with other persons affected by employment policy measures (Article 3).

8. Part V of the report form. The Committee takes note of the information on the "Young Promotors" project launched in 1990 with ILO and UNDP assistance to help young people establish their own enterprises. Please continue to provide information on any activities undertaken as a result of this or any other technical co-operation projects executed by the ILO, in so far as they directly or indirectly affect employment policy measures and the application of the Convention.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1989, published 76th ILC session (1989)

The Committee notes the brief information supplied by the Government in its report. It indicates that the results of the national labour force survey will make it possible to take practical measures concerning employment policy and that the employment data will be supplied in future reports. The Committee trusts that the Government will supply a complete report, in accordance with the report form approved by the Governing Body, including detailed information on the following aspects of employment policy, which were already raised in its previous direct request.

1. Please indicate whether the National Employment Office, set up under Act No. 85-15 of 11 December 1985, has begun to operate and, if this is the case, specify its role in the formulation and implementation of an active employment policy under Article 1 of the Convention.

2. Please supply available results from the national labour force survey and indicate the measures taken or envisaged as a result (Article 2). Please also supply any relevant document (extracts of reports, studies, statistical data) so that the Committee can make a better assessment of the implementation of the Convention (Part VI of the report form).

3. Please specify the measures taken or envisaged regarding the promotion of employment of skilled nationals and measures intended to adapt the guidance and training system, and in particular technical training, to the manpower needs of the country's economy.

4. The Committee noted the information as to the priority given by the Government in the Fifth and Sixth National Development Plans to the promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises. With particular reference to Paragraphs 30 and 31 of the Employment Policy (Supplementary Provisions) Recommendation, 1984 (No. 169), the Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply information on the jobs offered in this sector and indicate whether measures have been contemplated or adopted, in consultation with the representatives of the persons concerned, in order to improve working conditions in small and medium-sized enterprises and the access of such enterprises to markets, credits, technical expertise and advanced technology.

5. Please supply information on the results of the Fifth Plan with regard to employment in the rural and informal sectors and indicate the measures contemplated or adopted in consultation with the persons concerned, within the framework of the Sixth Plan, with a view to promoting the development of productive employment in these sectors.

6. More generally, please indicate how account is taken of the "employment" variable in the planning process and describe the main policies adopted in order to ensure that there is work for all who are available for and seeking work, with particular reference to policies concerning investment, trade, regional development and the application of appropriate technologies (Article 1).

7. Part V of the report form. Please indicate the action taken as a result of the technical co-operation projects carried out by the ILO, where they concern, either directly or indirectly, employment policy measures and the implementation of the Convention.