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Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Madagascar (RATIFICATION: 1998)

The Committee notes the Government’s report, received in June 2003. It notes in particular the labour market statistics for 2002 and the new body set up within the Labour Ministry under Decree No. 2003-077 of 28 February 2003, assigning new functions to the Employment and Vocational Training Department. The Committee hopes that the Government will continue to provide information on the measures taken by the employment services in the provinces and prefectures to provide a free public employment service and to ensure the best possible organization of the labour market, as required by the Convention (Articles 1, 3(2) and 10). The Government is also asked to include in its next report statistical information on existing public employment offices, applications for employment received, vacancies notified and persons placed in employment by these offices (Part IV of the report form).

Articles 4 and 5 of the Convention. The Committee notes that the National Employment Council resumed work only in January 2003. It accordingly asks the Government to provide, for the period covered by the next report, any texts relating to the activities of the employment service adopted by the Council, or any other document showing the arrangements made by the Council to enlist the cooperation of representatives of employers and workers in the organization and operation of the employment service.

Article 6. Noting that Order No. 4747/97 has been repealed, the Committee asks the Government to indicate how the employment service carries out effectively each of the functions listed in this provision of the Convention.

Article 8. The Government states that special measures for young persons are being studied. The Committee hopes that the Government will provide detailed information on the special measures for young persons to be initiated and developed within the framework of the employment and vocational guidance services.

Article 9, paragraphs 1 and 2. The Committee again observes that the staff of the employment service still have no specific status and no specific conditions of service. It hopes that the Government will make the necessary arrangements without delay to provide the staff of the employment service with a specific status and conditions of employment that make them independent of changes of government and improper external influences.

Article 11 and Part III of the report form. The Government states in its report that the establishment of an administrative procedure is under way to secure cooperation between private employment agencies not conducted with a view to profit and the public employment service, and that there is as yet no system of inspection of the organization and operation of the public employment offices. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of all developments in this area.

Lastly, the Committee refers the Government to its comments on the application of the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), and hopes that in its next report on Convention No. 88 it will indicate how the public employment service has contributed to the attainment of the employment objectives set in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper.