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

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Gabon (Ratification: 2009)

The Committee has taken note of the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention.

Articles 1 and 3 of the Contention. Elaboration and implementation of a national employment policy. Participation of the social partners. The Government states that the objective to promote full and productive employment is contained in the social programme, on the basis of which the President of the Republic was elected. The employment policy, as well as the policy to combat social exclusion and job insecurity are also incorporated in the “Emerging Gabon” development plan 2011–16. The Committee notes the adoption, in September 2010, of an action plan for employment, which contains an overall presentation of the priority areas and expected outcomes. This action plan was discussed with the social partners and received technical assistance from the ILO. The Committee notes that the unemployment rate in Gabon is high, affecting 16.3 per cent of the population (data from 2005). Moreover, unemployment particularly affects young people, with a third of the active working population under 30 years of age being unemployed. Thirty-three per cent of the population are in a precarious working situation, with a higher incidence in the rural areas (45 per cent) than in the urban areas (30 per cent). With a view to reducing the unemployment rate to below 20 per cent, the Government intends on launching an investment programme in labour-intensive sectors of activity such as agriculture, industry and tourism. It also points out that a major public works programme designed to achieve the employment objectives defined in the development plan will be carried out in the construction and public works sectors. The Committee would like to examine in the Government’s next report the measures specifically adopted and implemented within the framework of the employment action plan, in terms of sustainable jobs creation and the reduction of unemployment. Furthermore, the Committee hopes that the Government will be in a position to provide statistics on the situation of and trends in employment, unemployment and underemployment, especially in respect to women and young people. It also requests the Government to include detailed information on consultations held with the representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations, as well as with representatives from workers in rural areas and the informal economy, in order to secure their cooperation in formulating and implementing employment policy programmes and measures (Article 3).

Article 2. Collection and use of employment data. In its report, the Government states that measures have been taken to collect and analyse statistical data on the size and distribution of the labour force, as well as on the nature and extent of unemployment and underemployment. According to the ILO, surveys should be carried out among enterprises in order to better understand the demand for labour and skills, especially sectoral-level analyses with a view to drawing up jobs and skills registers in order to facilitate matching these competences to the demand of the labour market, as well as with the planning on education and vocational training. The Committee stresses that a system of labour market data collection is essential for determining measures to adopt to achieve the objectives of the Convention and review regularly the measures taken in this respect. The Committee asks the Government to provide information in its next report on any progress achieved in this area, as well as statistical data emerging from the economic and demographic surveys that have been carried out.

Coordination of employment policy with poverty reduction. The Committee has taken note of the working paper on the assessment of jobs created within the framework of the Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy Paper (PRGSP) for Gabon, published in 2011 by the ILO’s Employment Sector. According to this working paper, although the GDP per inhabitant in Gabon is one of the highest in Africa, the unemployment and poverty rates testify to many shortcomings in the country, with social indicators below those of countries with comparable incomes. The Committee notes that employment is not explicitly mentioned in the PRGSP. The Committee invites the Government to provide detailed information in its next report on the measures taken to ensure that employment, as a key element in poverty reduction, is at the forefront of its macroeconomic and social policies.

Vulnerable groups. The Government states in its report that about 55 per cent of young people are looking for a first job. The Committee notes that the action plan for employment refers to a possible adjustment of vocational training activities to the needs of young people and envisages setting up a solidarity fund for youth employment. Furthermore, according to data examined by the ILO, some areas of activity employ a majority of women, such as agriculture and trade, where more than half of the labour force is composed of women. Conversely, men make up most of the labour force in other types of activity, such as fishing and livestock farming, forestry, industry and construction. The Committee invites the Government to provide more information in its next report on the measures taken to consolidate the programmes aiming to facilitate the inclusion of young people and women in the labour market.

Promoting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In its report the Government refers to the establishment of a framework that might boost a dynamic private sector, which is a strong growth factor and sustainable generator of employment. The Committee notes that the action plan for employment proposes, as a priority, to promote employment by introducing support measures for SMEs by making available to them advisers on technology to help them modernize their production processes of goods and services. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the measures taken to support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises. It also requests the Government to provide information on the impact of measures taken to reduce the barriers confronted by SMEs when starting their businesses. The Government might find it useful to consult the provisions of the Job Creation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Recommendation, 1998 (No. 189).

Coordination of education policy and training with the employment policy. The Committee notes that the plan envisages taking measures to ensure that the funding of the existing educational and vocational training programmes better meets the challenges facing the country in terms of economic development and social cohesion. Working document No. 80 of the ILO’s Employment Sector suggests that use be made of the data emerging from the employment surveys to provide an input for the guidelines and decisions on employment policy and training. The Committee asks the Government to indicate in its next report the measures taken to ensure that the promotion of vocational training should be better geared towards improving employment for young people.