Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

Unemployment Convention, 1919 (No. 2) - Sudan (Ratification: 1957)

Article 1 of the Convention. Measures to combat unemployment. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in November 2009. The Government indicates that it has adopted a National Jobs Pact based on the Global Jobs Pact. Furthermore, the economic crisis has led to an increase in the unemployment rate, especially because of the return en masse of Sudanese workers installed abroad. The Government also mentions consultations with the Federation of Sudanese Employers and the General Federation of Trade Unions on the functioning of private employment agencies and on the recruitment of foreign workers and migrant workers. The Committee requests the Government to supply up-to-date statistics in its next report on unemployment and the impact of measures taken in the country to combat unemployment, especially those which have been the subject of consultations with committees required by Article 2(1) of the Convention. It also requests the Government to refer to its comments on the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122).

Article 2(2). Coordination of the activities of public and private employment agencies. The Government indicates that private employment agencies can only operate with authorization, valid for a limited period, from the Ministry of Labour, which inspects such agencies in order to ensure that they are operating in compliance with the legislation. The agencies facilitate the recruitment of foreign workers subject to the consent of the department in charge of these matters at the Ministry of Labour. In cases involving the placement of Sudanese workers abroad, a request must be made to the competent department of the Ministry of Labour in order to proceed with verification of the employment contracts. The agencies complete the other verification formalities as necessary. The Government states that private employment agencies work in coordination with public employment agencies through the units attached to the employers’ and workers’ representatives and to the competent administration within the Ministry of Labour. In its contribution to the General Survey of 2010, the Government also stated that there were no major obstacles to the ratification of the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181). The Committee hopes that the Government and the social partners will make progress towards the ratification of Convention No. 181. It also requests the Government to indicate in its next report how effective coordination is ensured between the respective operations of public and private employment agencies.