Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1999, published 88th ILC session (2000)

Social Policy (Basic Aims and Standards) Convention, 1962 (No. 117) - Bolivia (Plurinational State of) (Ratification: 1977)

The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its report in response to its earlier comments.

Article 7 of the Convention. The Committee notes the Government's reference to the draft text of the Supreme Decree to include salaried workers of the rural areas within the scope of the general labour law, which has been prepared with ILO technical assistance and in consultation with the social partners. The Committee requests the Government to supply a copy of the text of this Decree after its adoption. The Committee also requests the Government to continue supplying information on the measures taken under ILO technical assistance, and on the application in practice of the Convention in conformity with Part V of the report form.

Article 8. The Committee notes with interest that the Government indicates that an agreement was signed on 16 February 1998 between the Foreign Ministers of Bolivia and Argentina to legalize the situation of 700,000 Bolivians residing illegally on Argentinian territory. The agreement covers the following: (i) employment conditions and the possibility for Bolivian citizens to accede to social security benefits, (ii) the right for immigrants of the parties to transfer wages and personal savings freely to their countries of origin, and (iii) equal rights of access to education for the children of immigrants. The Committee would be grateful to receive a copy of the text of this agreement.

Article 15, paragraph 3, read jointly with Part V of the report form. The Committee notes the Government's indication that section 4 of Act No. 1565 of 7 July 1994 provides that "in the same manner, employers in the mining and agricultural industries and those in commerce, and those who have in their employment persons below school leaving age, including those working as domestic workers, must send them to school or provide for them the means to attain literacy." The Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to ensure the effective prohibition of the employment of persons below school leaving age, during school hours, in regions where there are sufficient educational facilities for the majority of such persons, in conformity with these provisions of the Convention.