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

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Albania (Ratification: 2009)

Other comments on C122

Observation

2018

Direct Request

2022
2017
2015
2013

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Articles 1 to 3 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. Employment trends. Consultation with the social partners. The Committee notes the updated information communicated by the Government with respect to the programmes aimed at enhancing employability, particularly for young persons and specific groups vulnerable to decent work deficits, including persons belonging to the Roma and Egyptian communities. The Government indicates that the average number of jobseekers decreased from 74,686 in 2018 to 82, 921 in 2020. During the same period, the average number of unemployed jobseekers from the Roma and Egyptian communities increased from 5,844 to 7,570, while the average number of unemployed jobseekers with disabilities increased from 518 to 604 and the number of returned immigrants registered at employment offices climbed from 498 to 572. In the fourth quarter of 2019, the total unemployment rate stood at 11.2 per cent, whereas the unemployment rate for young persons between 15 and 29 years of age was almost double, at 21.4 per cent. The overall employment rate for persons 15–64 was 61.6 per cent (68.5 per cent for men and 54.8 per cent for women), whereas the employment rate for young persons between 15 and 29 years of age was significantly lower, at 40.6 per cent. The Government refers to the adoption of Law No. 15/2019 on the Promotion of Employment in 2019, which established a tripartite Advisory Council for Employment. It adds that the action plan for the National Employment and Skills Strategy was extended until 2022, while the Employment Promotion Program was redesigned to focus on employment and vocational training. In 2019, the National Agency for Employment and Skills (NAES) was established, which included the creation of a tripartite Employment Consultative Council tasked with providing employment programmes and VET management. Subsequently, in 2020, the Government focused on restructuring NAES offices at the central and regional levels to improve the country-wide allocation of roles and responsibilities, the clear profiling of employees and the modernization of information technology infrastructure systems. Until the end of 2020, 36 out of the 40 regional offices underwent such restructuring, for which external technical assistance was solicited under the EU instrument of pre-accession and seven agreements with local governments were concluded to strengthen and coordinate employment policies at the regional and local levels. In this regard, the Government also identified the need to improve women’s access to the labour market in rural areas of the country. In 2019, 5,338 persons, equivalent to 8 per cent of the total number of unemployed persons, were included in employment promotion programs (192 of whom were from the Roma and Egyptian communities, 111 were persons with disabilities and 56 were returned immigrants). In addition, 30,391 unemployed persons were placed in employment, a figure 9 percentage points above the target set for that year. The Government nevertheless recognizes that the results of the support afforded to specific categories of unemployed persons was below expectations, which it attributes to their age, education, occupation and other characteristics. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on progress made with respect to the formulation, adoption and implementation of an active employment policy and of active labour market measures to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment, and to provide specific information on consultations held with the social partners in this regard as well as on the functioning of the tripartite Advisory Council for Employment and the Employment Consultative Council. The Committee also requests the Government to supply detailed updated information, including statistical data disaggregated by sex, age and economic sector, on employment trends, including on employment, unemployment and underemployment. In addition, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the nature, scope and impact of measures taken to improve the employment situation of groups vulnerable to decent work deficits, including women, young persons, persons with disabilities, older and rural workers, workers belonging to the Roma, Egyptian and other ethnic minorities, those in the informal economy and those persons vulnerable to intersectional discrimination. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on measures taken or contemplated to increase labour force participation, particularly for women and young persons.

Vocational education and training. The Committee notes that the development and implementation of vocational education and training (VET) is one of the main pillars of the National Employment and Skills Strategy 2019-2022. In this respect, it notes the information provided by the Government in relation to measures developed, in collaboration with the social partners, to strengthen the VET system, particularly under the umbrella of the National Council of Vocational Education and Training. These measures include: the renovation of over 20 vocational schools, provision of teacher training and the adjustment of curricula to the demands of the labour market. The Government indicates that these measures resulted in an increase of enrolments in vocational schools. In 2019, 19,000 students attended vocational schools. In this context, the Government emphasizes that the steering committees managing vocational schools also include representatives of the social partners. The Government adds that, in 2019, 8,818 unemployed jobseekers attended vocational training courses, representing 12 per cent of the total number of registered unemployed jobseekers. Moreover, the Government indicates that the targets for VET-participation set in the Roma/Egyptian Strategy and for persons with disabilities were achieved. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide detailed updated information on the nature, scope and impact of the measures taken in the area of VET to better respond to the current and evolving demands of the labour market. The Government is also requested to provide updated information, including disaggregated statistical data, on the impact of targeted measures taken to provide access to education, vocational guidance and training for groups vulnerable to decent work deficits on their ability to secure productive and lasting employment. In addition, it requests the Government to continue to provide information on the manner in which the social partners and other stakeholders concerned are consulted with respect to the development, implementation, monitoring and review of VET programmes.