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Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Tajikistan (RATIFICATION: 1993)

The Committee notes with concern that the Government’s report has not been received. It expects that the next report will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous comments.

Repetition

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. Coordination of employment policy with the poverty reduction strategy. The Government indicates in its report that a range of employment laws and programmes were adopted between 2010 and 2015, including the Government Employment Promotion Programme 2014–15 and the Government Labour Market Development Strategy to 2020. It also lists activities carried out by the Labour and Employment Agency of the Ministry of Labour, Migration and Employment of the Republic of Tajikistan with regard to the labour market and employment. These tasks include the regular analysis and forecasting of the state of the labour market, ensuring the effective use of labour resources and the preparation of proposals to develop and implement Government policy to promote employment. The Committee notes from the report that various employment measures are targeted at women and youth, including promoting their recruitment for existing positions, providing vocational guidance and advice services and supporting initiatives to set up work through small and medium-sized enterprises and self-employment. The Government further indicates that around 60 per cent of jobs created are in the private sector. Taking this into consideration, the Government is proposing to support and develop small and medium-sized enterprises and taking measures to provide financial support for entrepreneurial initiatives by unemployed people. The Committee notes that priority support is given to unemployed people from remote and mountain areas through preferential business development loans. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the employment programmes and measures adopted, including the ones targeting women and youth. It also requests the Government to provide further information on the progress made in terms of poverty reduction, particularly in rural areas, and on the measures taken to reduce the regional disparities in economic growth and employment.

Collection and use of employment data. The Committee previously requested the Government to provide information on the progress made in creating a database which meets the needs of jobseekers. The Government indicates that the Labour and Employment Agency of the Ministry of Labour, Migration and Employment is undertaking an analysis of the state of the labour market, including the size and makeup of the unemployed population. The Agency is also gathering information on places offering community work. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the manner in which labour market data is collected and used to determine and review employment policy measures. Please also provide the results of the analysis of the state of the labour market.

Coordination of education and training policy with employment policy. The Government previously indicated that the difficulties encountered in achieving the objective of full, productive and freely chosen employment were essentially due to gaps in levels of vocational training, given that the majority of jobseekers officially registered with the employment services did not have the qualifications required. The Government also indicated that recommendations had been made to improve the system of vocational training and guidance and to link vocational education to the requirements of the labour market. The Committee refers to its comments on the application of the Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142), and requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures taken to improve the level of qualifications and to coordinate education and training policies with employment opportunities.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners. The Government indicates that the Promotion of Employment Committee, headed by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan, includes representatives of the social partners as its members who contribute to policy development in the area of employment. The Government adds that the social partners are also involved in the consultation process. The Committee requests the Government to provide more specific information on the consultations held with the social partners concerning the formulation and implementation of an active employment policy. In this regard, please provide information on the consultations held in practice, including consultations held with the most vulnerable categories of the population, in particular with the representatives of workers in rural areas and in the informal economy.