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

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Mauritania (Ratification: 1961)
Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 - Mauritania (Ratification: 2016)

With reference to its observation on the Convention, the Committee requests the Government to supply information on the following points.

1. The Committee requested the Government previously to indicate whether former slaves are among the beneficiaries of land allocation as a result of the adoption of Ordinance No. 83-127 of 5 June 1983 to reorganize public and private property, and it requested the Government to supply the text of implementing Decree No. 84-009 of 19 January 1984.

The Committee hopes that the Government will supply the text of the implementing Decree in question.

2. The Committee referred previously to the "Food for Work" (FFW) programme. It noted the Government's indications that the purpose of this operation is to encourage citizens to work. The agency responsible for recruitment is the CSA and the persons concerned are remunerated in the form of products of primary necessity. There are tens of thousands of beneficiaries. The Committee requested the Government to supply a copy of the texts establishing and regulating the structure of the FFW.

The Committee notes the lists of projects and the beneficiaries of products of primary necessity supplied by the Government.

The Committee also notes the Government's statement to the National Assembly in November 1992 to the effect that programmes to support the development of communities, through the provision of products of primary necessity in return for work, have made a considerable contribution in terms of employment and combating poverty; 157 projects have been carried out in sectors such as the construction of dams, dikes and rural roads, market gardening, the planting of trees and stabilization of dunes, the sinking of wells, the construction of basic community infrastructures and work to improve the urban environment.

Food for work programmes will be intensified with a view to the promotion to employment, the improvement of community infrastructures and basic development, as well as for the protection of the environment.

In view of the the scope and importance of these programmes in the national economy and their planned intensification in the future, the Committee hopes that the Government will supply the texts establishing them and regulating their structure, as it requested previously, as well as detailed information on their implementation, including specific project documents.

3. The Committee noted previously the provisions of Decree No. 70-152 of 23 May 1970 respecting the organization, administration and supervision of prison establishments, and Decree No. 70-153 of the same date issuing the internal rules of prison establishments, of which the Government supplied copies in 1986. The Government stated that it planned to amend these texts in view of the fact that Decree No. 70-153 provides in Chapter II, section 2, for the possibility of hiring out prison labour to private individuals, which is contrary to the provisions of Article 2, paragraph 2(c) of the Convention. The Government added that, in practice, prison labour had never been hired out or made available to private individuals.

The Committee notes that the Government's report does not contain information in this respect and hopes that the Government will soon report the provisions which have been adopted.

4. In its previous direct request, the Committee referred to Decree No. 80-286 of 31 October 1980 governing the application of Ordinance No. 80-174 of 22 July 1980 on the organization and conditions of service of the National Guard, and it requested the Government to indicate the criteria directing the choice of the administrative authorities in the acceptance or rejection of resignation requests and on the appeal procedures available against decisions to reject resignation requests, and to provide a copy of the conditions of service applicable to military personnel in the army and of the provisions incorporating the National Guard into the army. The Committee notes the Government's indications that the texts in question will be transmitted shortly. The Committee once again hopes that the Government will supply the texts and information that have been requested.

5. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply the text of the draft legislation to reform the conditions of service of state employees. It also requests it to supply information on the development activities and assistance to the population in which, according to the Government's statement to the National Assembly, the armed forces will be engaged.