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Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Azerbaijan (RATIFICATION: 1992)

The Committee notes the information provided in the Government’s report for the period 1 June 1999 to 31 May 2000.

1. Article 1 of the Convention. The Government states that about 20 per cent of all jobseekers find a job through the National Employment Service job fairs, which are held in every town and district. About 42 per cent of those finding jobs through the fairs are women, and about 8 per cent are people with disabilities. The Government states that it pays particular attention to the needs of young jobseekers, notably army reservists, in obtaining more advanced job qualifications in modern fields of employment. New jobs have been created through the establishment of enterprises and self-employment with loans provided by the Government. Furthermore, the Government has created a work fund to provide temporary work for jobseekers. Since 1999, about 6,000 jobseekers have sought help, of which 2,000 have received temporary work, and the National Employment Service helps refugees to become agricultural entrepreneurs. For rural areas, the Government states that the National Employment Service has created new posts in charge of the employment funds. Lastly, the Government is considering a draft law on voluntary unemployment insurance and complementary measures for older workers affected by downsizing of enterprises. The Committee would appreciate receiving more detailed information on these programmes, including their impact on employment promotion.

2. Article 2. The Government states that employment policy is developed in conjunction with other economic and social policies, including social security and anti-inflationary measures. An annual action plan for the National Employment Service is elaborated and approved by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, based on an in-depth analysis of the socio-economic situation and labour market trends. The Committee notes with interest that the National Statistics Committee has elaborated and adopted a new form for gathering labour market statistics on a monthly, trimester and annual basis, which went into force in January 2000. The Committee looks forward to receiving detailed disaggregated data on labour market trends, based on this new methodology. The Committee also requests further information on how employment policies and programmes are kept under review within a coordinated economic and social framework.

3. Article 3. The Government has created coordinating committees for employment promotion, which include representatives of workers and employers, as well as social organizations, and a draft law on the duties and powers of these committees is under consideration. Furthermore, the unions have the right to participate in the elaboration of national employment policy, and their proposals are discussed in bipartite meetings between the Government and employers’ representatives. Please provide further information on measures taken to ensure that the views of employers and workers, including representatives of rural and informal sector workers and other affected groups, are taken sufficiently into account in the development, implementation and review of employment policies and programmes.