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Indigenous and Tribal Populations Convention, 1957 (No. 107) - Syrian Arab Republic (RATIFICATION: 1959)

The Committee recalls that in its previous comments it requested information on the educational facilities provided for Bedouin children, and notes the information provided in this regard. It notes that the Ministry of Education has established more than 750 permanent primary schools in all parts of the Syrian desert, and that there are also mobile schools consisting of 32 vehicles and 35 tents, which move during the spring when the population migrates in search of pastures. The Committee hopes that the Government will continue to provide information in this respect in its reports.

The Committee recalls that in its direct request of 1992 it also repeated its earlier requests for more general information on the number of persons in the Bedouin population, and on whether any special programmes have been adopted for them. The Government has stated in its report that it has no such statistical data at present, but that it will communicate this information as soon as the Central Office for Statistics finalizes its statistical bulletin for 1994. It also refers to information contained in a 1986 report concerning service centres established for the settlement of the Bedouins.

The Committee hopes that the Government will shortly be able to provide the information the Committee has been requesting for some years. Even if the statistics at its disposal are not exact, more general information would allow the Committee to begin to assess the size of the Bedouin population. The Committee also regrets that the Government has provided no information on any special programmes it might have established, in conformity with the requirements of this Convention which was ratified nearly 40 years ago, especially for the Bedouin population. It looks forward to receiving this information in the Government's next report.