Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Comoros (Ratification: 1978)

The Committee notes with deep concern that the Government’s report has not been received. It is therefore bound to repeat its previous comments. The Committee informs the Government that, if it has not supplied replies to the points raised by 1 September 2024, then it may proceed with the examination of the application of the Convention on the basis of the information at its disposal at its next session.

Repetition

The Committee notes the observations made by the Workers Confederation of Comoros (CTC), received on 1 August 2017. It requests the Government to provide its comments on the matter.

Article 1 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. Youth employment. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to indicate in its next report whether the Act issuing the national employment policy had been adopted and to indicate whether specific difficulties had been encountered in achieving the objectives set out in the national Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy Paper (PRGSP). The Committee notes with interest that the national employment policy act (PNE) was adopted through the promulgation on 3 July 2014 of Decree No. 14-11/PR enacting Framework Act No. 14-020/AU of 21 May 2014 issuing the national employment policy. The Government indicates that this Act aims to provide a common and coherent vision of the strategic approaches for taking national action on employment, by increasing opportunities for low-income population groups to access decent work and a stable and sustainable income. The Government adds that in November 2014, with ILO support, it developed and adopted the Emergency Plan for Youth Employment (PUREJ), which is part of the process to implement the PNE. The PUREJ involves the adoption of programmes to promote youth employment which result from priority measures identified in the strategic framework of the PNE and integrated in the Strategy for Accelerated Growth and Sustainable Development (SCA2D). The Government adds that the overall objective of the PUREJ is to ensure strong employment growth in the short and medium term. In this context, the PUREJ focuses mainly on the promotion of youth employment in job-creating sectors for a period of two years, in order to contribute to the diversification of the economy, the production of goods and services and the building of social peace. The Government points out that the objective was to create 5,000 new decent and productive jobs for young persons and women by the end of 2016, through the development of skills in line with the needs of priority sectors of the Comorian economy and support for the promotion of employment and vocational integration. The Committee notes that in May 2015 the Government signed, together with the constituents and the ILO, the second generation Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP), of which the main priority is to ensure the promotion and governance of employment. The Committee notes the observations of the CTC which indicate that the implementation of the PNE is not effective. It points out that the vocational training component, which is being conducted through a project with the European Union, is the only one being applied. In this regard, the provisions and mechanisms of the PNE have not been implemented and the text has not been disseminated to the public. The CTC also reports the dismissal of over 5,000 young persons without compensation. The Committee once again requests the Government to indicate whether specific difficulties have been encountered in achieving the objectives set out in the PRGSP. It requests the Government to provide more detailed information on the measures taken with a view to achieving the employment priorities established in the framework of the DWCP 2015–19, and on the impact of measures and programmes such as the PUREJ, which are aimed at increasing access to decent work for young persons. In this regard, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the number of young persons who have benefited from these programmes.

Article 2. Collection and use of employment data. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide detailed information on the progress made with the collection of data on the labour market, and on the manner in which this data is taken into consideration during the formulation and implementation of the employment policy. It reminds the Government that it may avail itself of ILO technical assistance if it so wishes.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners. The Committee once again requests the Government to include full information on the consultations envisaged in Article 3 of the Convention, which requires the participation of all of the persons affected, and particularly employers’ and workers’ representatives, in the formulation and implementation of employment policies. The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary measures without delay.

The Committee expects that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the near future.