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Previous comments: C.148, C.155 and C.187
In its previous comments, the Committee recalled that, based on the conclusions and proposals of the Working Party on Policy regarding the Revision of Standards, the ILO Governing Body decided that, with respect to underground work, the States parties to Convention No. 45 should be invited to contemplate ratifying the Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (No. 176), and possibly denouncing Convention No. 45, even though the latter instrument has not been formally revised. The Committee notes that, according to the report, Convention No. 176 was submitted to the competent authorities and it was decided to defer its ratification, for which reason the Government will not denounce Convention No. 45. The Committee recalls that, in accordance with established practice, the period when this Convention is open for denunciation will last for one year from 30 May 2017 to 30 May 2018. The Committee recalls that, if it deems it necessary, the Government may request the technical assistance of the Office with a view to facilitating the process of the ratification of Convention No. 176. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on any changes concerning the possible ratification of Convention No. 176, including the need for technical assistance, where appropriate.
1. The Committee notes the Government’s report, which indicates that there have been no new legislative or other measures which impact on the application of the Convention.
2. The Committee takes this opportunity to recall that, based on the conclusions and proposals of the Working Party on Policy regarding the Revision of Standards, the ILO Governing Body has decided that, with respect to underground work, the States parties to Convention No. 45 should be invited to contemplate ratifying the Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (No. 176), and possibly denouncing Convention No. 45 even though the latter instrument has not been formally revised (see GB.283/LILS/WP/PRS/1/2, paragraph 13). Contrary to the old approach based on the outright prohibition of underground work for all female workers, modern standards focus on risk assessment and risk management and provide for sufficient preventive and protective measures for mineworkers, irrespective of gender, whether employed in surface or underground sites. As the Committee has noted in its 2001 General Survey on night work of women in industry in relation to Conventions Nos. 4, 41 and 89, "the question of devising measures that aim at protecting women generally because of their gender (as distinct from those aimed at protecting women’s reproductive and infant nursing roles) has always been and continues to be controversial" (paragraph 186).
3. In the light of the foregoing observations, and also considering that the present trend is no doubt to remove all gender-specific restrictions on underground work, the Committee invites the Government to give favourable consideration to the ratification of the Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (No. 176), which shifts the emphasis from a specific category of workers to the safety and health protection of all mineworkers, and possibly also to the denunciation of Convention No. 45. In this respect, the Committee recalls that, according to established practice, the Convention will be next open to denunciation during a one-year period from 30 May 2007 to 30 May 2008. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of any decision taken in this regard.