CMNT_TITLE

Maternity Protection Convention, 1919 (No. 3) - Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (RATIFICATION: 1944)

The Committee notes that the Government's report has not been received. It must therefore repeat its previous observation, which read as follows:

The Committee takes note of the Government's replies to its previous comments and wishes to point out the following:

With regard to Articles 1 and 3(c) of the Convention (coverage of the social security scheme) and Article 3(d) (rest periods for nursing mothers who are public servants or public employees), the Committee notes that the Government's report supplies no new information on the progress made with regard to the points raised in its previous comments. In this connection, the Committee wishes to point out yet again that certain categories of workers coming under the Convention are not yet covered by maternity insurance, since the social security scheme is not applicable to all workers or all regions of the national territory. The Committee again expresses the hope that this scheme will be extended shortly so that women employed in public or private industrial or commercial undertakings (including public servants or public employees), fully enjoy the protection provided for by the Convention. With particular reference to Article 3(d), the Committee can only repeat its previous request in the hope that the Government will be able to adopt the necessary measures in the near future to guarantee that the above-mentioned women workers are entitled to interrupt their work for at least half an hour twice a day to nurse their infants. The Committee requests the Government to provide information in its next report on progress made in this respect.

With regard to Article 4 (prohibition of dismissal of women who are public servants or employees), the Committee notes that the Government transmitted the text of its observation on this point to the National Congress in the hope that this might lead to the adoption of legislative measures in line with the Convention. The Committee trusts that the Government will be able to adopt the necessary measures to include in the national legislation a provision making it unlawful for employers to give notice of dismissal to this category of women workers who are absent on maternity leave or remain absent for a longer period as a result of late confinement or illness arising out of pregnancy or confinement, or to give this notice at such a time that it would expire during such absence.

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