CMNT_TITLE

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Guyana (RATIFICATION: 1975)

With reference to its previous direct requests, the Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its report and particularly the Equal Rights Act of 31 December 1990.

1. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, following the adoption of the Equal Rights Act of 1990, the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act (Chapter 99:01) has been amended to exclude all references to women and that the Public Officers' Insurance Act which excludes women officers from its scope is in the process of being examined with a view to amendment. The Committee asks the Government to provide the amended texts of the two above Acts as soon as possible.

2. The Committee notes the Government's indications that all aspects of education and vocational training are open to women and that the Equal Rights Act of 1990 makes the necessary provision for this. It also notes that no data is available at present on the number of women employed in the public and private sectors. The Committee points out that the Government's obligations under the Convention do not stop at the adoption of laws or regulations prohibiting discrimination or providing for equality, but also imply the adoption and pursuit of a national policy that includes positive measures to promote equality of opportunity and treatment particularly in respect of training and employment. The Committee refers to paragraph 247 of its 1988 General Survey on Equality in Employment and Occupation, in which it indicates that improvement in the means available for compiling information on direct or indirect discrimination based, for example, on race, colour or sex is indispensable if progress is to be made in the elimination of discrimination and the promotion of equality. It again asks the Government to endeavour to compile data, particularly statistics, that will improve awareness of the situation of women in employment, and to provide in its future reports the information requested on the number of women employed in the public and private sectors and on the positive measures taken or contemplated to facilitate training and employment for women and on the results obtained.

3. The Committee notes that the report does not answer the questions raised in paragraph 3 of its previous direct request which read as follows:

The Committee notes with interest the information on the number of scholarships awarded to Amerindian students during the period from 1962 to 1989. It requests the Government to continue to inform it of the progress that is achieved through the implementation of this scholarship programme and to supply copies with its next report of any official document relating to the programme. The Committee also hopes that the Government will not fail to supply the text of the laws in force concerning the protection, welfare and progress of the Amerindians.

The Committee hopes that the Government will be able to provide the information requested on this point in its next report.

4. The Committee notes from the Government's report that no judgements have been handed down by the Appellate Tribunal concerning questions of discrimination in employment. It would be grateful if the Government would provide, in its future reports, copies of any judgements concerning discrimination in employment that may have been handed down in the meantime by this Tribunal or the labour tribunals, together with information on cases of non-observance of the principle laid down in the Convention recorded by labour inspectors and the measures taken to ensure application and promotion of this principle.