Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Azerbaijan (Ratification: 1992)

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in September 2011 for the period ending in May 2011. In reply to the direct request of 2010, the Government indicates that the economically active population of Azerbaijan was measured at 4,592,100 as at 1 July 2011, of which 4,336,600 were employed in various sectors of the economy in the country. According to the State Statistics Committee, unemployment stood at 6 per cent in 2009 and 5.6 per cent in 2010. The Government indicates that trade fairs are one of the most popular active measures for boosting employment. In 2010 and in the first half of 2011, 3,157 employers participated in trade fairs; 24,248 vacancies were available; and 8,057 jobs were filled. Furthermore, job centres operate in the cities of Baku, Sumgait, Nakhchivan, Mingachevir and Ganja. The Government reports that there are plans to establish job centres in other cities and districts across the country. As for regional vocational training centres, they were created in the cities of Baku, Goychay and Nakhchivan, and it has been proposed to open such centres in other cities and districts. It further reports that the national employment strategy is implemented with other social and economic government programmes and in coordination with the poverty alleviation and sustainable development programme, the regional development programme, the youth programme, and the vocational education programme. Over the first six months of 2011, 43,790 new jobs were created in Azerbaijan, including 32,461 permanent posts. Of these, 73.4 per cent were in the regions and 96.3 per cent in the non-state sector. According to data from the State Statistics Committee, as a result of measures taken to promote socio-economic development of the country, since 2007 there was a significant decrease in the relative unemployment levels of different regions. The Committee notes that the main aim of the second stage of the Employment Strategy of the Republic of Azerbaijan 2006–15, which covers the period 2011–15, is to launch activities focused on creating a working environment with better job creation which meets international standards, furthering structural reforms, increasing investment and ensuring a high level of development of human capital. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report information on the implementation of an active employment policy, such as the results achieved in the creation of jobs as part of the second stage of the Employment Strategy of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2006–15 and in the reduction of imbalances in the labour market between various regions of the country.

Vulnerable categories of workers. The Government indicates that a persistent concern is the employment of refugees and displaced persons. In order to further the work undertaken with this category of the population, special programmes are carried out on a regular basis to resolve their problems. In the first half of 2011, 11,916 persons were placed in employment by the State Employment Service, including 4,152 women; 1,658 persons benefited from vocational training courses; and 538 were employed on a quota basis. Of those employed on a quota basis, 77 were persons with disabilities. In reply to the previous direct request, the Government indicates that the quota system, established pursuant to the Ministerial Decision of 22 November 2005, is applied to vulnerable categories of workers, such as young people, persons with disabilities, single parents raising children, older workers and displaced persons. A quota is applied to these categories of workers, on the basis of the state of the labour market, but not in excess of 5 per cent of the average listed number of workers in a company. The Government also indicates that efforts are being made in favour of vocational rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide information on the results achieved by the programmes established for the integration of vulnerable categories of workers in the labour market, such as their impact in terms of creating productive and lasting employment opportunities.

Article 2. Compilation and use of employment data. The Government indicates that considerable emphasis is placed on keeping the population informed about the state of the labour market and on improving access to this kind of information. Work is under way to set up a national information system on the labour market and employment. The Government reports on a project which is to install computer networks in regional administrative buildings of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare. The information network will facilitate the exchange of information between users connected to the network. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide more detailed information in its next report on the manner in which employment data is compiled and used for deciding on and reviewing employment policy measures.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners in the formulation and implementation of policies. The Government indicates that, taking into account the importance of social partners in the formulation and implementation of the employment policy, the development of social dialogue is defined as one of the priorities of the national employment policy. It further indicates that the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, with the participation of the social partners, holds seminars and meetings on issues regarding employment services. The Committee requests the Government to supply detailed information in its next report on the manner in which the social partners are consulted within the tripartite committees regarding the formulation and implementation of an active employment policy. It also requests the Government to supply information on measures taken or contemplated to ensure the participation of rural sector and informal economy representatives in consultations regarding these policies.