Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

Social Policy (Basic Aims and Standards) Convention, 1962 (No. 117) - Nicaragua (Ratification: 1981)

Parts I and II of the Convention. Improvement of standards of living. The Committee notes the report received in January 2009 which includes information on education policies which are also being examined in the context of the application of the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), and the Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142). The Committee requests the Government to provide information in its next report on the Convention to allow an examination of the manner in which it is ensured that “the improvement of standards of living” has been regarded as “the principal objective in the planning of economic development” (Article 2).

Part III. Migrant workers. In reply to previous comments, the Government provides information on projects to manage labour migration flows between Nicaragua and Costa Rica. In August 2006, a Labour Migration Department was created to inform migrant workers about vocational integration conditions in the host country and their productive reinstatement in the event of their return. During the 2006–07 period, nearly 2,000 workers were mobilized in economic activities relating to sugar cane and African palm. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the progress made with regard to the matters relating to labour migration covered by the Convention.

Part IV. Remuneration of workers. The Committee refers to its comments of 2008 on the application of the Protection of Wages Convention, 1949 (No. 95), and the Minimum Wage Fixing Convention, 1970 (No. 131). The Committee requests the Government to include information in its next report on Convention No. 117 concerning the effect given to the provisions of Articles 10 and 11(1) and (5) of the Convention.

Article 13. Voluntary forms of thrift. The Committee notes with interest the information provided on the operation of savings and credit cooperatives to encourage voluntary forms of thrift. The Committee recalls that the Promotion of Cooperatives Recommendation, 2002 (No. 193), recognizes the potential of cooperatives to increase the savings and investment of their members. The Committee requests the Government to include up to date information in its next report on the manner in which savings and credit cooperatives have helped to encourage voluntary forms of thrift among workers and independent producers.