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

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Mauritania (Ratification: 1963)

The Committee notes the information communicated by the Government in its report.

1. In regard to employment and training for women, the Committee notes in reply to its request for information on positive measures taken or envisaged to facilitate and encourage the access of women to training, particularly vocational and higher training, and access to occupations traditionally reserved for men, that a State Secretariat for Women has been established in order to promote and encourage the emancipation of women. This secretariat plays a major role in laying down social policies for women, taking care of this section of society and promoting its effective integration in the development policy of the country. The Committee asks the Government to send with its next report copies of extracts from the social policy for women laid down by the State Secretariat for Women regarding the promotion of equality of opportunity and treatment in training and employment. Please also provide detailed information on how the aspects of this policy are applied and the results obtained, including statistics on the proportion of women as compared with men who participate in general, vocational and university training and in the various categories and levels of public and private employment.

2. With regard to training and employment of disadvantaged ethnic groups, particularly groups that were subjected to slavery before its abolition, the Committee notes from the report that the Government has taken specific measures in favour of these groups for their integration and social development in society. These are measures of a political nature, such as access for these categories to higher administrative and elected office (ministers, secretaries-general, directors, deputies, senators, etc.) and of a social nature, such as access to school for their children and to literacy and land for adults in urban and rural areas. In order to appreciate progress made in this regard, the Committee requests the Government to attempt to assemble - with the cooperation of organizations of employers and workers and any appropriate body, including the ILO if the Government deems it necessary and requests accordingly. Please also supply with the next report statistical data on participation of these groups, as compared with other groups, in education and training and in public and private employment.