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

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Sweden (Ratification: 1962)

1. The Committee notes the information contained in the Government's reports and attached documentation, including the information concerning the activities of the Sameting, the authority elected from the Sami population in accordance with the Sameting Act, 1992. Further to its previous comment on Article 4 of the Convention, the Committee notes the detailed information provided by the Government concerning personnel screening procedures and, in particular, the review of such procedures by the Security Safeguards Commission undertaken, according to its terms of reference, with a view to harmonizing Swedish practice with the corresponding security clearance procedures in comparable western European countries.

2. The Committee notes that the Act concerning Equality between Men and Women (the Equal Opportunities Act, 1991:433) was amended in 1994 to require, inter alia, employers to comply with those provisions of the Act concerning active measures to promote equality at work also in cases where collective agreements had been concluded. The Committee further notes that, in practical terms, this amendment has had the effect of bringing the entire labour market under the supervision of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman, as far as active measures are concerned. Among the detailed information on the activities of the Ombudsman, the Committee notes with interest that, following a survey carried out among half of the municipalities in 1994 - which had revealed the non-existence of equal opportunity plans - substantially good plans had been developed by all municipalities. It also notes that random checks have been carried out among employers and a major survey was undertaken during the year ending June 1995 among all trade unions and employer organizations (in their capacity as employers) concerning the existence and content of active measures in their equality plans. The Committee requests the Government to furnish information in its future reports on the major initiatives taken by the Ombudsman and on any evaluation of the progress towards gender equality achieved through the implementation of the active measures required by the Equal Opportunities Act. Noting with reference to its previous comment that, since 1992, the county council and municipal sector has chosen to act in partnership instead of concluding a central collective agreement on equal opportunities questions and, in this respect, adopted a policy in 1994 concerning future activities, the Committee asks the Government to supply information on any major initiatives taken and the progress achieved in the implementation of that policy.

3. The Committee notes that the number of written complaints alleging ethnic discrimination has increased considerably since the adoption of the Ethnic Discrimination Act (1994:134). It also notes that, though proceedings in the Labour Court have not been filed either by the Discrimination Ombudsman or by organizations of workers, action has been taken to investigate the 75 complaints, many of which have not yet been concluded. The Committee welcomes the measures taken by the Ombudsman to disseminate knowledge of the new legislation and to launch the Quintet project which collects positive examples of the achievements of ethnic equality in enterprises. In this regard, it also notes with interest that a number of large companies, which have participated voluntarily in the project, have adopted policies for ethnic equality and that examples of these measures will be published and disseminated as an inspiration to other company managements. The Committee requests the Government to furnish copies of any such publications and to indicate, in future reports, the extent to which such initiatives are being implemented in enterprises.

4. The Committee notes with interest the extensive measures being taken to improve the social and cultural situation of groups of different national extraction (immigrants and refugees) including vocational training, special language tuition, credit facilities for immigrant entrepreneurs, measures to increase the hiring of immigrants in all spheres and local job creation projects. Following Parliament's approval, in 1992, of a government proposal to finance measures to combat xenophobia, racism and anti-Semitism - with the aim of focusing attention on the long-term conditioning of the norms, attitudes and perspectives of young persons - the Immigration Board produced a survey of ethnic discrimination and ethnic relations in the labour market which showed that the great difficulties encountered by immigrants and refugees are due not only to the recession but that an important part is played by the changing structure of working life, the inefficiencies of the reception system, and prejudice and discrimination. On the basis of its survey, the Immigration Board drew up proposals for research, training and practical activity aimed at improving immigrant admission to and establishment in Sweden. The Committee also notes that a joint final report from all authorities involved in undertaking special measures against xenophobia and racism was to have been presented to the Government in September 1995. The Committee requests the Government to continue to supply information on the various initiatives being undertaken in this regard, including any indication on the extent to which these measures have been successful in raising the labour force participation rate of persons with immigrant backgrounds.