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

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Tunisia (Ratification: 1959)

With reference to its previous direct request, the Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its report, and in particular the information on the objectives of the various national bodies responsible for promoting women.

1. The Committee notes with interest the establishment under Act No. 90-78 of 7 August 1990 of a research, documentation and information centre on women, and the creation of a special commission "Women and Development", in the context of the preparation of the VIIIth Economic and Social Development Plan (1992-96) which sets out a strategy for promoting women which is based essentially on strengthening their role in productive activities and improving the quantity and quality of training for women.

The Committee requests the Government to supply full information in its next report on the general methods used for the implementation of this strategy to promote women and on any positive action undertaken in practice to eliminate all forms of discrimination on the grounds set out in the Convention and, in particular, on sex, with regard to: (a) access to vocational training; (b) access to employment and to particular occupations; and (c) terms and conditions of employment. It also requests the Government to continue to supply information on activities in support of women which may be related to the provisions of the Convention and those undertaken by the research centre on women and the special commission "Women and Development", as well as any reports, studies or documents published by these bodies.

2. The Committee notes that new measures were announced by the President of the Republic on the Women and Family Day, 13 August 1992, including, in particular, the introduction of a section in the Labour Code explicitly setting out the principle of non-discrimination between men and women in the field of work; the elimination of provisions in the Code which might be considered discriminatory against women; the ratification of the ILO Protocol of 1990 to the Night Work (Women) Convention (Revised), 1948 (No. 89); and the lifting by the institutions responsible for vocational training of all obstacles to women with a view to permitting them to have access to all opportunities to specialize in the various trades and occupations. The Committee requests the Government to supply information in its next report on any amendments to the Labour Code and on the progress achieved in the implementation of the other measures referred to above which are designed to eliminate any discrimination in employment and occupation on the basis of sex.