Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1993, published 80th ILC session (1993)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Sierra Leone (Ratification: 1966)

Referring to its previous direct requests, the Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its report.

1. Referring to its observation, the Committee notes that article 27(1) of the new Constitution of 1991 provides that no law shall make any provision which is discriminatory either of itself or in effect, but that section 27(5) contains an exclusion for laws adopted with respect to, inter alia, qualifications for service as a public officer, for service in a local government authority or a statutory body corporate. The Committee asks the Government to indicate what laws apply to these employees who come within the scope of the Convention.

2. Having previously noted the Government's statement that the terms and conditions of employment collectively agreed by the Trade Group Councils under the provisions of the Regulations of Wages and Industrial Relations Act (No. 18 of 1971) are applied without discrimination to all workers covered by the agreements, but in the absence of further indications on the application of the principle of non-discrimination to workers not covered by such agreements, the Committee again requests the Government to indicate which sectors of employment are still not covered by collective agreements made pursuant to the 1971 legislation (apart from those specifically excluded) and how workers therein are protected against discrimination in employment.

3. As regards the collective agreement for the Public Utilities Employees (Sierra Leone Gazette, Vol. CXIII, No. 16, 16/9/82) providing that "medical facilities shall be extended to families of workers, that is one wife and four children under 18 years of age", the Committee notes the Government's statement that in practice such benefits are extended equally to the family of a woman worker who is employed pursuant to this agreement and similar agreements. It accordingly asks the Government to indicate what measures have been taken or contemplated, for example during the renegotiation of this 1982 collective agreement - to bring that provision into conformity with the practice, thus eliminating discrimination in terms and conditions of employment based on the workers' sex.

4. As regards the Central Employment Exchange's vocational guidance counselling and further provision for technical and vocational training at technical institutes and trade schools under the control of the Ministry of Education, the Committee notes the Government's statement that action is being initiated to collect information on these matters from the relevant ministries. The Committee hopes that the Government will be able to supply this information in its next report, in particular any detailed reports on how equality of opportunity and treatment is being implemented in these areas, including any relevant statistics or publications.

5. As for follow-up action on the recommendations contained in the study on education, training and employment opportunities for women prepared by a research team appointed by the Sierra Leone National Commission for UNESCO, the Government indicates that the necessary action is being taken to get this information from the Ministry of Education. The Committee again expresses the hope that the Government will be able to include this information in its next report.

6. In reply to the Committee's previous direct request, the Government states that the relevant ministries are taking up the matter of positive fulfilment of the requirements under the Convention and that it hopes to provide the information in its next report. In the absence of any data on the practical application of the Convention, the Committee finds itself obliged to reiterate point 4 of its previous direct request, which read as follows:

The Committee would ask the Government to supply in its next report information on all steps taken for the positive fulfilment of the requirements of the Convention and on the results attained to ensure equal treatment irrespective of sex, religion, political opinion and ethnic or social origin with regard to:

(a) access to vocational training;

(b) access to employment and to particular occupations;

(c) terms and conditions of employment. In this connection the Government is more particularly requested to indicate the measures taken to promote equality of opportunity and treatment:

(i) in employment, vocational training and occupational guidance under a national authority;

(ii) through legislation and educational programmes;

(iii) in cooperation with employers' and workers' organizations and other appropriate bodies, in particular with regard to employment in the private sector and matters not settled by collective agreements.