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

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Senegal (Ratification: 1967)

Article 2 of the Convention. Equality of opportunity and treatment for men and women. In its previous comments, the Committee referred to the observations of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) of 23 September 2003 and the National Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Senegal (UNSAS) of 16 October 2006, which emphasized the gender segregation in the labour market, the high rate of illiteracy among women and the low school enrolment rate of girls. It also noted the launching of the National Strategy on Gender Equality and Equity (SNEEG) in December 2007. The Committee notes that according to the Government’s brief report, the SNEEG is currently being disseminated to the actors concerned, and particularly to state institutions and civil society. The Government indicates that in the context of the implementation of the SNEEG, the Act on Gender Parity in Electoral Lists was adopted in 2010 and the number of women in the Government rose following the latest Government reshuffle. It also emphasizes that many awareness-raising and training activities on equality, including workshops and conferences, are carried out with the active participation of workers’ and employers’ organizations. The Committee further notes that a plan for the implementation of the SNEEG for 2009–15 was adopted in March 2009 and that it includes a number of measures to increase economic power and autonomy of women (Effect 3), with the particular objectives of: (1) women gaining access to factors of production and financial resources; (2) women obtaining the technical and managerial skills necessary to carry on their economic activities; and (3) women having more time to devote to production activities. Among these measures, the Committee observes that it is first envisaged to draw up an assessment concerning the access of women to resources and production factors, and an evaluation of needs for the reinforcement of the capacities of active women. It also notes that the drafting and implementation is envisaged of a plan and a programme for the reinforcement of facilities to lighten the work of women. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the implementation of the measures under the SNEEG in relation to access to resources and factors of production, including land and vocational training, with an indication of their impact on gender segregation in the labour market. The Committee also requests the Government to provide any available information on the impact of the plan and the programme for the reinforcement of facilities to lighten the work of women on the development of women’s training and employment for women.

Statistics. In its previous comments, the Committee asked the Government to provide statistical data on the activity rates of men and women in the private and public sectors, as well as in the informal economy, and on their participation in vocational training. Noting the Government’s indication that such statistics are not available, the Committee trusts that the Government will soon be in a position to provide such statistical data, and requests it to take the necessary measures for the compilation and analysis of such data on employment and training, which are indispensable to identify any discrimination between men and women and to evaluate the measures adopted to overcome it.

The Committee is raising other points in a request addressed directly to the Government.