Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Afghanistan (Ratification: 1969)

Equal access of men and women to vocational training and education. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that vocational training and skills development have become a top priority and that efforts are being made to provide vocational training especially to unemployed and unskilled women and men. The Government also indicates that the percentage of women benefitting from vocational training programmes significantly increased and that 51.73 per cent of graduates were women (13,342 out of 25,793 graduates) during 2010. The Committee notes from the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) that the ILO provides technical assistance in a range of areas, including in vocational training, employment services and career guidance and counselling (Decent Work Country Programme 2010–15, p. 8). The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it would like to have ILO technical assistance to expand the vocational training centres. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide statistics on the percentage of trainees and graduates benefitting from vocational training programmes, and to provide information on the number of women and men enrolled in the particular courses. The Committee also asks the Government to provide specific information on measures taken to encourage girls’ and women’s access to education at all levels, and to enhance their participation in a wide range of training programmes, including those in which men have traditionally predominated. Please provide information on any progress made with respect to the design and implementation of the affirmative action policy in education envisaged by the National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan (NAPWA).

Articles 2 and 3. Equality of opportunity and treatment of men and women. Public service. The Committee notes that the Government has organized training sessions for gender units established in all ministries in order to raise their awareness on labour related issues. The Government indicates that the Civil Service Commission, in all its vacancy announcements, invites women to apply and “always gives priority to women”. In broad terms, the Government repeats that in all ministries, women hold high ranking positions, giving a few specific examples. The Committee asks the Government to provide further information on the role and activities of the gender units in the ministries, in particular how they to promote equal opportunities for men and women within the public sector. The Committee also asks the Government to provide specific information on how the priority given to women in vacancies announced by the Civil Service Commission, is reflected in women’s representation in the public service, including in management positions.

Private sector. With respect to the private sector, the Committee recalls its previous comments in which it noted that one of the main objectives of the NAPWA and the DWCP was to promote the access of women to employment, including self-employment, and expressed the hope that, in cooperation with the social partners, the ILO and other relevant UN agencies, programmes and measures to this end would be implemented. The Committee asks the Government to provide specific information on any measures or programmes implemented under the NAPWA or the DWCP aimed at promoting women’s access to employment, and to self-employment.

Awareness raising. The Committee notes that publicity material on non-discrimination has been developed and distributed in the capital and provinces in order to raise awareness. The Committee also notes that awareness raising activities conducted by the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled, in order to raise awareness on the Labour Law, women’s rights and international labour standards amongst government officials, workers, employers, judges and civil society have continued. The Committee asks the Government to provide the following information:

• (i) examples of the activities organized and materials distributed to raise awareness and promote the principles of the Convention;
• (ii) specific information on the content of the training programmes organized in order to raise awareness amongst government officials, workers, employers, judges and the number of participants, as it relates to the Convention.

Statistics. The Committee welcomes the Government’s intention to undertake the first nationwide Labour Force Survey and Labour Market Needs Survey in the beginning of 2012. The Committee also notes that the Labour Market Information and Analysis Unit and employment service centres are in the process of being re-established. The Committee asks the Government to indicate the changes foreseen to the Labour Market Information and Analysis Unit and the Employment Service Centres. The Committee reiterates its request for any recent data available on the employment of men and women both in the private and public sectors.