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Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - United Arab Emirates (RATIFICATION: 2001)

Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention. National policy on equality of opportunity and treatment. In its previous comments, the Committee urged the Government to make every effort to ensure that the proposed amendments to Federal Law No. 8 of 1980 on the regulation of labour relations include a specific provision defining and explicitly prohibiting both direct and indirect discrimination on all the grounds set out in Article 1(1)(a) of the Convention, covering all workers and all aspects of employment and occupation, and to provide information on the revision process of this Law. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the draft amended Law contains an article defining and explicitly prohibiting all forms of direct and indirect discrimination on the grounds set out in the Convention. The draft is still being reviewed and debated by the Federal National Council and the Government indicates that the Committee will be informed of any developments in this regard. According to the statistics provided by the Government, migrant workers constitute 85 per cent of the country’s workforce. The Committee recalls the need to adopt a national equality policy to promote equality of opportunity and treatment and address discrimination in employment and occupation on all the grounds set out in the Convention covering all workers, both nationals and non-nationals. The Committee therefore urges the Government once again to take the necessary steps to ensure that the amendments to Federal Law No. 8 of 1980 on the regulation of labour relations include a specific provision defining and explicitly prohibiting both direct and indirect discrimination on all the grounds set out in Article 1(1)(a) of the Convention covering all workers, including non-nationals, and all aspects of employment and occupation. The Committee asks the Government to provide a copy of Federal Law No. 8 of 1980 on the regulation of labour relations, as amended.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request directly addressed to the Government.