Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Fiji (RATIFICATION: 2010)

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Articles 1 to 3 of the Convention. Formulation and implementation of an active employment policy. Participation of the social partners. The Committee notes with interest the launch of Fiji’s first National Employment Policy (NEP) on 31 August 2018, in collaboration with the ILO Office for Pacific Island Countries. The NEP was developed through an extensive consultation process with the social partners, spearheaded by the NEP Technical Committee, which is composed of representatives of the social partners, different national institutions (such as those responsible for education and training as well as youth) and civil society. The NEP establishes a set of priority areas for intervention in 2018-2022. These priorities include: creating more opportunities for young people (aged 15 to 24) to follow a clear pathway from education to productive employment; promoting private investment to create jobs; creating decent work and quality jobs in the context of climate change; and promoting access to overseas employment opportunities. The NEP sets out as targeted groups for employment promotion: young people, persons with disabilities and older persons (aged 60 and over). The NEP is flexible in that it may be reviewed periodically and also as when the need arises to respond to changing labour market needs. In this regard, the Government indicates that, with ILO technical assistance, a first consultation was held with stakeholders on 7 July 2021 to review the NEP to ensure that it is responsive and relevant to the changing world of work and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the labour market. The Committee further notes the information provided by the Government concerning the implementation of labour mobility programmes and schemes. In this respect, the Government indicates that, in April 2019, Fiji joined the Australian Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS). The Government reports that, between 2019 and 2021, 861 Fijians (740 men and 121 women) were employed under the PLS in the meat, tourism and hospitality, and aged care industries in rural areas of Australia. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed updated information on the nature and scope of the specific measures taken under the National Employment Policy (NEP) and their impact on access to full, productive, and freely chosen employment. Moreover, it requests the Government to provide information on developments in relation to the revision of the NEP, and to provide a copy of the new NEP once it is adopted. The Committee also requests the Government to continue to provide detailed updated statistical information, disaggregated by sex and age, on the impact of the labour mobility programmes and schemes in place. The Committee further requests the Government to continue to provide concrete examples of the manner in which account is taken of the opinions and experiences of the social partners in the development, implementation and review of employment policy measures and programmes and their coordination with other economic and social policies.

Article 2. Employment trends. Labour market information. The Committee notes that, according to the 2015-2016 Employment and Unemployment Survey of the Fiji Bureau of Statistics (FBOS), the unemployment rate decreased from 7.1 per cent in 2010-2011 to 5.5 per cent in 2015-2016, the latter figure representing the lowest unemployment rate in the last 15 years. The Committee observes, however, that, in 2016, the overall labour force participation rate was low at only 57.6 per cent (77 per cent for men and 38.5 per cent for women). With respect to its efforts to improve the labour market system, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that it has encountered important challenges in this area, particularly following the country’s economic downturn after the collapse of the tourism industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government indicates that a draft Labour Market Information System Policy is being developed, which establishes the framework within which the Government will work towards the establishment of the labour market information system. Lastly, the Government reports that a nationwide survey on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment was undertaken in collaboration with the social partners and the ILO. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated information on the situation, level and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment, disaggregated by age and sex. It also requests the Government to continue to provide detailed updated information on the measures taken to strengthen and improve its labour market information system, including information on progress achieved in relation to the development and adoption of the Labour Market Information System Policy, including a copy of the Policy once it is adopted.

Education and training. The Committee notes that, according to the 2017 ILO report “A study on the future of work in the Pacific”, emigration from Fiji has aggravated skills shortages.The Government indicates that, since 2013, the main responsibilities of the Technology Employment Skills Training (TEST) (formerly the Technical and Vocational Education and Training) section of the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts include: ensuring that the skills training provided meets the needs of the local and global labour market; promoting skills development, with a focus on entrepreneurship education; and improving the image of TVET in Fiji, as key to addressing youth unemployment and assisting young persons in securing productive employment. The Committee refers to its comments on the application of the Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142), in which it notes the efforts undertaken by the Government to ensure that TVET addresses Fiji’s labour market needs, including the adoption of measures with a view to establishing the Skills Council Fiji (SCF), an independent national agency tasked with coordinating TVET, as well as the commencement of the process of developing the first national TVET policy. The Government indicates that, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Employment Centre (NEC), in partnership with the National Training and Productivity Centre (NTPC), provided short training courses to affected workers and unemployed persons to enable them to up-skill or re-skill and acquire new job skillsets to support them in securing employment or starting their own businesses. The Government reports that 110 unemployed persons in the most affected areas (the Western and Central Divisions) participated in the trainings, the majority of whom were women. The Government indicates that the content of the courses included beauty therapy, cake baking, basic meat-processing work, and tile laying. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed updated information on the measures taken or envisaged to coordinate education and training with prospective employment opportunities, including the training undertaken by the Technology Employment Skills Training (TEST) section. It also requests the Government to provide statistics, disaggregated by sex and age, on the participation of men and women in education at all stages and in the various vocational training courses offered, as well as on the number of men and women who have secured lasting employment after completing such training.

Informal economy. The Committee notes from the 2017 ILO report that in 2016 some 60 per cent of the workforce were engaged in informal or subsistence activities (78 per cent in rural areas and 37 per cent in urban areas). The Government indicates that women are more likely to be in this form of activity. The NEP outlines strategies to facilitate the formalization of informal jobs, including measuring the extent of informal employment based on two types of self-employment (self-employment for survival and self-employment for growth), identifying new opportunities for self-employment, providing appropriate training and harnessing traditional skills, ensuring better access to credit facilities and to social security mechanisms, and regularly monitoring microenterprises. The Committee observes, however, that the Government does not provide information on the nature or outcome of measures taken to promote the development of micro- and small businesses, such as the Micro and Small Business Grant Scheme, or the mentoring and training provided by the National Centre for Small Business Enterprise. The Committee requests the Government to provide additional concrete information, including updated statistical information, on the impact of the measures taken under the NEP to integrate informal economy workers into the formal labour market, particularly women.In this respect, the Committee draws the Government’s attention to the comprehensive guidance provided in the Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy Recommendation, 2015 (No. 204). The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the nature, scope and outcome of the measures taken to promote the sustainable development of micro- and small businesses.

Young persons. The Committee notes that, in 2016, the overall youth unemployment rate stood at 15.4 per cent (22.4 per cent for women and 11.9 per cent for men), while the share of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET) stood at 20.1 per cent (29.6 per cent for women and 10.8 per cent for men). The NEP calls for the adoption of measures to promote the creation of more opportunities for young people aged 15 to 24 years to enable them to follow clear pathways from education to productive employment. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed updated information on the nature and the impact of the measures taken in the framework of the NEP to promote full, productive, freely chosen and lasting employment for young workers, particularly young women, including statistical information disaggregated by sex and age.

Women. The Government indicates that the NEP calls for the promotion of greater gender equality in employment and working conditions. In this context, the Committee refers to its 2020 direct request on the implementation of the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), in which it noted the higher unemployment rates among women, the steady decrease in the number of women in paid employment (mainly linked to the increased number of women in informal jobs), the low number of businesses registered to women, and the significant gender differentials in labour force participation rates. The Committee further notes that, in its concluding observations of 18 March 2018, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) noted the growing participation of women in the labour force. However, the CEDAW committee also expressed concern that: (a) the gender pay gap is the widest in the region; (b) women are frequently subject to occupational segregation with concomitant wage differentials, are concentrated in lower-paid jobs, the informal economy or unpaid work and, even within the same industry, the wage differential persists; (c) women comprise 90 per cent of workers in the garment industry and receive salaries below the national minimum wage, and the working conditions of women market vendors are extremely difficult; (d) girls’ progress in education is not translating into labour market opportunities because the private sector largely favours employing men; (e) women are not benefiting from promotion opportunities on equal terms with men; (f) certain industries are exempt from providing paid maternity leave, there are reports of women being dismissed in the private sector because of pregnancy and there is no paternity leave in the country (document CEDAW/C/FJI/CO/5, paragraph 39). The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed updated information on the nature and the impact of the measures taken to: (i) address obstacles to women’s employment, in particular patriarchal attitudes and gender stereotypes and women’s lack of access to productive resources, and (ii) enhance women’s economic empowerment, promoting promote their access to equal opportunities in formal employment and decision-making positions across all economic sectors.

Persons with disabilities. The Committee refers to its comments concerning the application of the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159), in which it notes that the NEP includes among its key priority areas the adoption of measures to promote the access of persons with disabilities to employment. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed updated information on the nature, scope and impact of measures taken to promote equal access to the open labour market for persons with disabilities.

Rural workers. The Committee notes that, according to the 2017 ILO report, in some of the outer islands of Fiji, the percentage of the population living below the national poverty line is significantly higher than the national average. The Government indicates that the NEP includes among its key intervention areas promoting the creation of more income generating opportunities for those reliant on subsistence activities for their livelihood. Furthermore, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government regarding the impact of the New Zealand Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) and the Australian Seasonal Work Program (SWP), which focus their recruitment activities on rural workers in remote and isolated areas of Fiji. The Government reports that, between 2015 and 2021, 1,266 persons participated in the RSE and 1,836 persons in the SWP. The Government indicates that while the number of participants steadily increased since the beginning of its implementation in 2015, this number decreased between 2020 and 2021 due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of international borders. The Committee notes that the Government does not provide information in relation to the impact on indigenous workers of the employment measures targeting rural workers. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated detailed information, including statistical data disaggregated by age and sex, on the impact of employment measures targeting rural workers, particularly on indigenous workers.

Employment services. The Government indicates that, in accordance with the National Employment Centre Act 2009, the Formal Employment Service (FES) was established with the objective of promoting registered unemployed human resource development and transition into domestic formal employment. The Government reports that FES placed 2,955 unemployed persons (58 per cent of whom were women) into permanent employment between 2017 and 2021. The Government also refers to the implementation of on-the-job training programme (workplace attachments), in which 2,752 persons (52 per cent of whom were women) participated between 2017 and 2021. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated detailed information disaggregated by age and sex, on the nature and the impact of the activities of the employment services, including the number of beneficiaries of these services placed in lasting employment following the completion of their training.

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Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Formulation and implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee notes that, while the economy of Fiji has experienced steady growth in recent years, tropical cyclone Winston, which struck on 20 February 2016, resulted in human, economic, social and environmental losses and has had an impact on the national labour market. According to the Fiji Labour Market Update of April 2016, published by the ILO Office for Pacific Island Countries, improving the quality of jobs is key to ensuring sustainable economic development in Fiji and will require, among other things, intensive infrastructure investments in ongoing reconstruction efforts, supporting micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises to recover lost income and restart their businesses. In response to the Committee’s previous comments, the Government indicates that the National Employment Policy (NEP) has been developed by the Technical Committee established by the National Employment Centre (NEC) to formulate Fiji’s first NEP. The Government reports that the Technical Committee held five meetings and is now reviewing the final draft NEP, after having received feedback from the NEC board. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on progress made with respect to the formulation and adoption of an active employment policy, in consultation with the social partners, as well as on the impact of active employment measures taken to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment. Furthermore, the Committee reiterates its request that the Government provide information on the manner in which employment policy objectives are coordinated with other economic and social objectives and what procedures exist for deciding on employment policy measures and keeping them under review within the framework of an overall economic and social policy.

Labour market trends. The Government refers to the 2014 Annual Employment Survey of the Fiji Bureau of Statistics (FBOS), which indicates that paid employment in registered establishments was 144,150 as at the end of June 2014, 12.5 per cent higher than the count of 131,583 recorded in June 2011, the previous survey year. Of the total, 94,157 (65.3 per cent) were males and 49,993 (34.7 per cent) were females. The Committee further notes that, according to the preliminary findings of the 2015–16 Employment and Unemployment Survey published by the FBOS, Fiji’s unemployment rate declined to 5.5 per cent in 2015–16, down from 7.1 per cent in 2010–11, marking the lowest unemployment rate in Fiji in the last 15 years. According to the FBOS preliminary findings, however, youth unemployment rates remain high, reaching 18 per cent in 2015–16. Furthermore, according to the ILO Fiji Labour Market Update of April 2016, Fiji’s labour force participation rate in 2014 was relatively low, at 59 per cent, being driven down by low female participation, 41.6 per cent compared to a 75.8 per cent rate for men. The Labour Market Update indicates that women are more likely to be in informal employment and engaged in subsistence activities. The Committee also notes that, according to the National Strategic Human Resources Plan 2011–15 provided together with the Government’s report, occupational segregation and gender segregation remain persistent, and available jobs for women have declined sharply, notably with the decline in the garment industry. The Plan also notes that the 2 per cent quota established in the Employment Relations Promulgation of 2007 for the employment of people with disabilities has not been filled. It indicates that mechanisms being set up through the NEC could provide services to match persons with disabilities with job opportunities to improve their access to employment. The Plan stresses the need for improved technical and vocational training to address skills shortages required to attract more private investment and generate sustainable, quality employment. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated information in its next report on trends in the labour market, including on employment and unemployment, disaggregated by age and sex. More specifically, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the employment situation of groups vulnerable to decent work deficits, such as women, young persons, persons with disabilities, older workers, rural workers and those in the informal economy. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on measures taken or contemplated to decrease the gender gap in employment, identify and address skills shortages, improve job creation and increase labour market participation, particularly for women and young people.

Labour market information. The Committee previously requested the Government to provide updated information on the measures taken to improve its labour market information system. In this regard, the Government refers to the draft Development of Labour Market Information System Policy, which establishes the framework within which the Ministry of Employment will work towards the establishment of Labour Market Information for the Government. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated information in its next report on the outcome of measures taken to improve its labour market information system and to indicate how and to what extent the labour market information obtained is used in the formulation and implementation of employment policy measures.

Informal economy. The Committee notes that, according to the ILO Fiji Labour Market Update of April 2016, around 60 per cent of Fiji’s workers were in informal employment in 2010–11. Moreover, the rate of informal employment in rural areas (78.7 per cent) was nearly double that in urban areas. The prevalence of informality was a significant concern, particularly in the agricultural sector, where informal employment was estimated at over 95 per cent. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on programmes and measures implemented to enhance job growth and to facilitate the transition of workers from the informal to the formal economy.

Rural workers. The Committee recalls the Government’s indication in its 2014 report that employment programmes targeting rural workers had been adopted and implemented with the cooperation of indigenous peoples. The Government indicates that the new recruitment strategy for the Seasonal Workers Programme for Australia and New Zealand focuses its recruitment activities on rural workers in remote and isolated areas of Fiji and in areas affected by the tropical cyclone Winston, which are primarily rural villages and remote islands. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide information, including statistical data disaggregated by age and sex, on the impact of employment measures targeting rural workers, including indigenous workers.

Education and training. The Government refers in its report to the National Development Plan, the Green Growth Framework and the Tertiary Education Strategy, indicating that it seeks to attract more private investment to Fiji in order to build an economy which generates sustainable, quality employment. It adds that the Government intends to attract investors in part by producing graduates with skills needed by industry. The Committee requests the Government to provide specific information on the measures taken or envisaged to improve the tertiary education and vocational and technical training system and to enhance its labour market relevance so as to better align the demand and supply of skills. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the manner in which the social partners and other stakeholders concerned are consulted with respect to the development of education and training programmes that meet the needs of the labour market.

Employment services. The Government indicates that it seeks to ensure the growth of local businesses that can contribute to the national economy, noting that the micro-, small and medium-sized businesses represent 10–12 per cent of Fiji’s gross domestic product. Since its inception in 2015, the Micro and Small Business Grant Scheme has assisted 6,622 entrepreneurs in transitioning into the formal economy, in businesses ranging from cash cropping and poultry farming to tailoring and hairdressing. Furthermore, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism continues to provide business development support services to entrepreneurs. The National Centre for Small Business Enterprise offers mentoring and training in the areas of financial management and sound business practices. Most of the recipients of the grants are women who start businesses in tailoring, canteen services, handicrafts, second-hand clothing and farming. The Committee requests the Government to continue to supply information on the activities of the employment services, including the number of beneficiaries of these services placed in lasting employment following their completion of training. It also requests the Government to provide updated information on the outcome of measures taken to promote the development of micro- and small businesses.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners. The Committee notes the examples provided by the Government of the involvement of the social partners in the development of employment policies and programmes. The Secretariat of the NEC conducted consultations on the appointment of the Technical Committee, the final draft of the NEP was presented to the Technical Committee and the Technical Committee members from the civil society, unions and employers representatives unanimously agreed that the draft policy be drafted again by the consultant. Although the Government mentions that the Committee is relooking at the Policy following feedback from the tripartite NEC board, it does not indicate how the social partners are exactly involved. The Committee requests the Government to provide more detailed information indicating the nature and extent of the involvement of the social partners in the development and adoption of the NEP.

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Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention. Formulation and implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee notes the adoption of the Constitution in 2013 which, under section 33(1), establishes that the State must take reasonable measures within its available resources to achieve the progressive realization of the right of every person to work and to a just minimum wage. The Government indicates in its report that a technical subcommittee, established by the National Employment Centre (NEC), has been tasked to formulate the first Fiji National Employment Policy with the assistance of the ILO and the Asian Development Bank. The process of this policy includes a phase for identification of the relevant issues on the basis of broad-based consultations; a formulation phase; a programming and budgeting phase; an implementation phase; and an evaluation phase. The Government indicates that the National Employment Policy is expected to be in place by December 2014. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information on the adoption and implementation of the National Employment Policy in consultation with the social partners. Please also include details on how the employment policy objectives are related to other economic and social objectives and what procedures exist for deciding on employment policy measures and keeping them under review within the framework of an overall economic and social policy.

Rural workers. The Government indicates that employment programmes targeting rural workers have been adopted and implemented with the cooperation of indigenous peoples. It further indicates that the Centre for Appropriate Technology and Development (CATD) assists in improving the technical and entrepreneurial skills of people living in rural areas. The participants of the training programmes offered by the CATD are young people selected from the various youth groups set in provincial councils from all over the country. Such participants are encouraged to develop their own businesses in their communities after completion of the training. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the impact of employment measures targeting rural workers.

Labour market information. The Committee previously invited the Government to provide information on the plans to improve the efficiency of data collection in order to use updated results in the review of employment measures. In this regard, the Government refers to the Fiji Computerized Human Resources Information System which was completed in 2001 with the support of the ILO and UNDP. The Government adds that the labour inspectors collaborate with the Government to capture updated labour market information. The Committee invites the Government to provide updated information on the measures taken to improve its labour market information system and to indicate how the labour market information obtained is used in the formulation and implementation of employment policy measures. Please also include information on the size and distribution of the labour force, as well as the trends of employment and unemployment.

Education and training policies and programmes. The Committee notes the Strategic Development Plan 2012–15 of the Fiji Higher Education Commission (FHEC). This plan is aimed to improve the quality and consistency of education and training in Fiji with the collaboration of the education providers and the industrial sector. It fosters the involvement of employers in the development of national standards and qualifications linked to employment needs through, for example, Industry Standards Advisory Committees. The Government indicates in its report that the social partners and other stakeholders are continually being consulted by the Fiji National Qualification Council on the further development of trades and programmes. The Committee invites the Government to continue to supply information on the impact of its educational and training policies and programmes on the creation of employment opportunities and would welcome examining detailed information on the Government’s educational and training policy in its first report on the Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142), due in 2015.

Employment services. The Government indicates that a Formal Employment Services (FES) has been established with the aim of facilitating the absorption of unemployed persons into the formal employment market. In April 2014, the FES had placed 3,000 candidates in permanent employment. The Government adds that the Self-Employment Service is to be established in 2014 in order to provide assistance to people who want to start their own small or micro enterprises. It adds that, in April 2014, a total of 17,000 unemployed persons have participated in self-employment initiatives operated by government agencies. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing information on the contribution of the employment services in the implementation of active labour measures and in integrating persons in situations of vulnerability, such as women, older workers and persons with disabilities, into the labour market.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners. The Government indicates that the participation of the social partners and other stakeholders in the implementation of national policies pertaining to employment creation takes place within the board of the NEC. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing information on the involvement of the social partners in the formulation and implementation of employment measures, including with respect to the National Employment Policy. Please include examples in which the opinions of the social partners and other stakeholders have been taken into consideration in the development of employment policies and programmes.

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Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Formulation and implementation of a national employment policy. The Committee notes the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention received in May 2012. The Government indicates that the National Employment Centre (NEC) Decree 2009 became effective on 1 January 2010 and section 2 of the Decree states that the objective is to provide quality employment services to the unemployed and also the creation of decent and environmentally sustainable employment to promote productivity, welfare and prosperity of all of Fiji’s people. The Committee notes that the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) for Fiji, 2010–12, mentioned as one specific outcome the adoption and implementation of a national employment policy by 31 December 2011. It further notes that the National Employment Creation Policy Workshop was held in Fiji in November 2012. Representatives of the Government and the social partners participated in the Workshop which concluded with a commitment to pursue the development of an employment policy. The Committee recalls that the Convention creates a basic obligation on States to make an explicit formal pronouncement of their employment policy and it also requires national employment policy to be positioned as a major goal within the national agenda (General Survey concerning employment instruments, 2010, paragraphs 26 and 27). It therefore notes that the requirements of the Convention cannot be completely fulfilled without the adoption and implementation of an employment policy. Furthermore, Article 1(3) of the Convention provides that the national employment policy shall “take due account of the stage and level of economic development and the mutual relationships between employment objectives and other economic and social objectives”. This provision requires the measures of employment policy and other major decisions in the sphere of economic and social policy to be mutually reinforcing (General Survey concerning employment instruments, 2010, paragraph 54). The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the measures taken to develop and adopt an active employment policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment. The Committee would also like to examine detailed information on employment measures targeting vulnerable categories of workers, such as women, young persons and rural workers. Please also indicate what procedures exist for deciding on employment policy measures and keeping them under review within the framework of an overall economic and social policy.

Productive employment. The Government indicates in its report that it is working on a performance and productivity-based wage-setting framework. The process aims to induce higher real incomes and economic growth as productivity improvement necessitates investment in modern machinery and improved working methods. The Committee notes that the Fiji Productivity Charter of 2005 includes the following goals: to raise national competiveness; eradicate poverty and raise standard of living; create economic opportunities by producing more goods and services more efficiently and effectively; advance the promotion of sustainable development and make Fiji the premier place to live and work. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the impact of the Fiji Productivity Charter of 2005 and other measures aimed at promoting productive employment.

Rural employment. The Government indicates that the agricultural sector has development potential given the availability of productive land and natural resources. The Government also suggests that the way forward for the sector is dependent on harmonizing all rural development initiatives to ensure equitable distribution of resources to less developed areas, opening up the possibilities of commercial agriculture in remote areas. The Committee therefore refers to its comments on the application of the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169), and invites the Government to provide, in its next report on Convention No. 122, detailed information on employment programmes adopted and implemented in the context of its rural development initiatives, in consultation with the representatives of the persons affected and indigenous peoples’ organizations.

Collection and use of labour market information. The Government indicates that it conducts its Population Census every ten years and its Employment and Unemployment Surveys every five years. The last population census was conducted in 2007. It further indicates that given the current time intervals between each Census and Survey, data are usually outdated by the time reports are released. The Committee notes that women’s composition in the labour force has dropped from 40 per cent (1996 Census) to 31 per cent (2004–05 Employment and Unemployment Survey). In 2007, as in 1996, female unemployment was still about two times higher than male unemployment. The Government reports that 54 per cent of all working women are unpaid household workers. With regard to young persons, 71 per cent of the unemployed were under 30 years of age in the period covering March 2010 to May 2012. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report detailed information on the manner in which it plans to improve the efficiency of its data collection in order to use updated results in its review of employment measures. Please also supply updated labour market information on the situation, level and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment, disaggregated by age and sex.

Education and training. The Government lists in its report the challenges facing tertiary education institutions which include inadequate funding and facilities, inadequate curriculum and inadequate staffing. With respect to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the Higher Education Commission has been established to administer the Fiji National Qualification Framework in order to improve both the quality of training and recognition both locally and internationally. Furthermore, data collected on labour productivity will be used to determine whether the knowledge, skills and qualifications acquired from the school system are compatible with the needs of workplaces and businesses in Fiji. The Committee invites the Government to provide further information on the measures taken within the Fiji National Qualification Framework to coordinate education and training polices with prospective employment opportunities. Please also indicate the manner in which the social partners and other stakeholders concerned are consulted with respect to the development of education and training programmes that meet the needs of the labour market.

Employment services. The Committee notes that section 2(a) of the NEC Decree 2009 states that the NEC will be a “one-stop shop” to provide quality skills training, human resources development and utilisation services to enhance the employability of unemployed persons for both local and overseas employment markets. The Government reports that between August and December 2010, the NEC processed about 3,700 unemployed people through registration, professional counselling, aptitude tests, life skills training, employment skills training and workplace attachments. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the activities of the NEC and the number of beneficiaries of employment services obtaining lasting employment following training programmes.

Article 3. Consultation with the social partners. In response to the global jobs crisis, the Government adopted employment and social protection policies to drive economic growth and accelerate recovery in consultation with the social partners and other stakeholders. Employers’ and workers’ organizations and civil society organizations were partners with the Government at the Employment Relations Advisory Board (ERAB), in the development of the NEC policy framework and the development of the NEC Decree 2009, both of which were approved by the Cabinet on the advice of the ERAB. The Committee notes that sections 17(1) and 18 of the 2009 Decree provides that the Board’s members include Divisional Commissioners, representatives of employers, workers, youths, vocational training institutions, and others. The functions and powers of the Board are enumerated under section 18 of the Decree and include the following: to establish the National Employment Centres’ targets and strategies; to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of employment creation policies; to search and find innovative ways or secure partnerships to significantly create and boost employment opportunities for the unemployed. The Committee invites the Government to include detailed information on consultations held with the representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations with respect to the development, implementation and review of employment policies and programmes.