Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1998, published 87th ILC session (1999)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Bolivia (Plurinational State of) (Ratification: 1977)

1. The Committee notes the Government's report and the detailed information provided by the Government in respect of the provisions of the Political Constitution of Bolivia, in its revised version of 1994, relating to labour matters. Moreover, the Government states that the Ministry of Labour and Small Enterprises has been requested to formulate employment policies, to give support to the study to evaluate measures to improve the organization of the employment market and to formulate policies to promote and develop small enterprises. In its previous comments, the Committee recalled that it had considered that many aspects of an active employment policy go beyond the immediate competence of the Ministry responsible for labour questions, so that the preparation of a full report on the Convention may require consultation with the other ministerial or government agencies concerned, such as those, for example, who are responsible for planning, economic affairs and statistics. The Committee, therefore, hopes that the Government will provide a detailed report with full information as required by the report form for the Convention and, in particular, the measures adopted to ensure that the objectives of an active employment policy are taken into consideration when determining other economic and social objectives. The Committee trusts that the Government will make every effort to provide, in its next detailed report on the application of the Convention, the statistical data concerning the size and distribution of the labour force and the nature and extent of unemployment, which is an indispensable stage in the formulation and implementation of an active employment policy, as laid down in Articles 1 and 2, of the Convention.

2. Moreover, the Committee hopes that, in its next report, the Government will be able to include data in respect of the results achieved as a consequence of the measures intended to satisfy the needs of the most disadvantaged categories of workers who have difficulty in retaining their employment or in obtaining lasting employment, such as workers who are affected by administrative restructuring or rationalization of industries, women, young people, the disabled or the long-term unemployed. Please indicate the effect achieved by the measures provided for within the framework of regional and local programmes for strengthening small enterprises and other employment programmes.

3. The Committee would also be grateful if the Government would provide information, in its next report, in respect of the measures to coordinate education and vocational training policies with the employment policy, to ensure that each worker shall have the fullest opportunity to qualify for and use his/her skills and endowments in a job for which he/she is well suited.

4. Finally, the Committee again notes that, despite the numerous requests made by the Committee and the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards, the Government has not provided information in respect of the consultations concerning employment policy to discuss the measures to be taken with a view to taking fully into account the experience and views of the persons consulted and, furthermore, in obtaining their full cooperation in the task of formulating and enlisting the necessary support for the implementation of such a policy. The consultations with the representatives of the persons concerned should include representatives of workers' and employers' organizations and also representatives from other sectors of the economically active population such as those working in the rural and informal sectors. The Committee trusts that the Government will include the detailed information required by the report form in respect of Article 3 of the Convention in its next report.