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

Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) - Iran (Islamic Republic of) (Ratification: 2007)

Article 1(1)–(4) of the Convention. Policies and programmes. The Committee notes the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention, received in October 2010. The Government indicates the national vocational education and training system mainly consists of technical and vocational education courses offered by educational institutions and non-formal short-term trainings primarily provided by the Technical and Vocational Training Organization (TVTO). The Committee invites the Government to describe in its next report the policies and programmes on vocational guidance and vocational training developed by the TVTO, clarifying in what manner account has been taken of the factors provided in Article 1(2) and (4) of the Convention. It would also welcome receiving extracts of reports, studies and inquiries, and statistical data regarding training policies and programmes relating to particular areas or branches of economic activity and to specific groups of the population indicated below (Part VI of the report form).

Link between education and training policies and employment. The Government indicates that the link between technical and vocational training and employment is underscored in the Constitution and various strategic documents. It recalls that, in its 2010 comments on the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), it noted that TVTO policies were revisited in 2008 and 2009 to improve the organization’s efficiency and market sensitivity. The Committee invites the Government to include information in its next report on Convention No. 142 on the manner in which the policies and programmes implemented by the TVTO and other agencies are linked with employment and the public employment services (Article 1(1)).

Coordinating bodies. The Government indicates that the Coordination Headquarter for Technical and Vocational Trainings was established in 2005 to coordinate formal and non-formal technical and vocational training policies. The TVTO plays a leading role in coordinating representatives of various ministries, organizations and workers’ and employers’ organizations concerning non-formal technical and vocational training. The Committee notes that in January 2010 the establishment of the National Organization of Skills was approved to unify the management of technical and vocational training. In this regard, the Government plans to detach the University of Applied Science and Technology and the technical and vocational training centres managed by the Ministry of Education and integrate them into the TVTO, which would remain affiliated to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the outcome of the coordination efforts in order to better manage vocational guidance and vocational training.

Article 1(5). Coverage by the vocational training system of specific categories of persons. The Government refers in its report to section 108 of the Labour Code establishing training centres for various categories of persons, such as unskilled workers and persons with disabilities. In its 2010 General Survey concerning employment instruments, the Committee stressed that human resources development is an important tool in combating discrimination by providing opportunities for the most vulnerable groups. Training and vocational guidance are of paramount importance in that they determine the possibilities of gaining access to employment (paragraph 127). The Committee recalls that the Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2004 (No. 195), provides that Members should promote equal opportunities for women and men in education, training and lifelong learning (Paragraph 5(g)), as well as promote access to education, training and lifelong learning for persons with nationally identified special needs relevant for the country (Paragraph 5(h)). In this regard, the Committee raises the following points:

• (a) –Women. The Committee recalls that gender equality in the Islamic Republic of Iran is a longstanding concern of the ILO supervisory bodies. In its 2010 comments on the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), the Committee noted that notwithstanding the fact that women represented the majority in a number of training courses in non-traditional fields, progress achieved in education and training was not being translated into women’s increased economic participation. In its 2010 comments on Convention No. 122, the Committee also noted data showing a marked disparity between female and male economic participation rates, with the former merely at 16.6 per cent and the latter at 40.6 per cent. It further highlighted that 67 per cent of the TVTO’s trainees were women but regretted the lack of data on the training of young persons disaggregated by gender. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated data on the number of women obtaining lasting employment following their participation in vocational guidance and vocational training programmes. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate the measures taken to promote equal opportunities for women in education, training and lifelong learning.
• (b) –Youth. In its 2010 comments on Convention No. 122, the Committee noted data showing a high youth unemployment rate of 23.3 per cent. It also noted the Government’s Plan for University Graduates, which financed vocational training in executive departments for persons with university qualifications. In this regard, agreements were signed with various ministries for the employment of almost 15,000 graduate trainees. The Committee recalls the importance of vocational and technical training and entrepreneurial skills development, especially for the unemployed youth. It requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures adopted to ensure access to education and training for young persons.
• (c) –Migrant workers. The Committee refers to its 2010 comments on Convention No. 122, in which it observed that temporary work permits were issued to Afghan workers and requested the Government to provide information on their integration in the local labour market. It requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken to facilitate access to education and training for migrant workers.
• (d) –Religious minorities. The Committee recalls its 2010 comments on Convention No. 111, in which it noted with deep regret that the Government did not take action to address the very serious situation of discrimination against religious minorities, in particular the Baha’i, in terms of access to education, universities, and to particular occupations in the public sector. It requests the Government to indicate the measures taken to promote access to education and training for religious minorities, in particular the Baha’i.
• (e) –Ethnic minority groups. In its 2010 comments on Convention No. 111, the Committee noted that regional ethnic groups (Balochs, Southern Azerbaijanis, Ahwaz, Turkmen and Kurds) were poorer, less educated, less represented in decision-making, and had a lower employment rate. It also noted that the failure to provide all ethnic groups with access to quality education resulted in discrimination in accessing decent jobs. It requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken to promote access to education and training for ethnic minority groups present in the country.
• (f) –Other categories of people with nationally identified needs (Paragraph 5(h) of Recommendation No. 195). Please also provide information on the measures taken to promote access to education and training for older workers, the socially excluded, workers in small and medium-sized enterprises, in the informal economy, in the rural sector and in self-employment.

Article 3. Extension of the vocational guidance system. The Government indicates that the TVTO provides services of consultation and guidance before, during and after training is completed. These services include providing information on the labour market situation, the relevant provisions of the labour law, occupational safety and health, entrepreneurship, vocational ethics, jobs related with training courses, and jobs and career service websites. The Committee invites the Government to include information on any extension of its vocational guidance system undertaken during the period covered by the next report.

Article 4. Lifelong training. The Government refers to training provided by different training centres, including training centres within workplaces and private training centres. New economic activities needing training are identified through provincial research projects and feasibility studies on training requirements in the industry, services and agriculture sectors. Information from the Iran Statistical Centre and periodical feasibility studies are used for planning training courses for these economic activities. The Committee invites the Government to indicate whether in the period covered by its next report any training courses have been planned which cover fields of economic activity not previously within the scope of the vocational training system. Please also supply information on the adoption of any lifelong learning measures.

Article 5. Cooperation with employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Government indicates that employers’ representatives are consulted on training programmes organized within workplaces. The TVTO is in charge of creating links with employers and guilds in order to take into account their views on various issues. In its 2010 General Survey, the Committee indicated that the representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations and those of other groups who are affected by policies and programmes in the field of education and training, including workers in rural areas and in the informal economy, are key actors in ensuring the effective implementation of human resources development policies and programmes (paragraph 167). The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the cooperation with workers’ and employers’ organizations and other interested bodies in the formulation and implementation of vocational guidance and vocational training policies and programmes.