Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Iran (Islamic Republic of) (Ratification: 1972)

The Committee notes the observations made by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) in October 2014 referring to Bill 315 and its lack of compliance with some provisions of the Convention. The ITUC also referred to the Protection of Wages Convention, 1949 (No. 95), and the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111). The Committee is formulating comments this year on Conventions Nos 95 and 111. In relation with Convention No. 122, the Government was invited to provide a report in 2014 in reply to the direct request adopted in 2013. The Committee therefore invites the Government to provide its comments on the observations made by the ITUC, as well as provide a report containing information on the following matters raised in the 2013 direct request.

Repetition

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Active employment policy. The Committee previously noted information on the 2011–12 “Law to Redevelop the Business Market” designed to remove obstacles to job creation and to reduce the unemployment rate. It also noted the creation of the Council of Dialogue, under the framework of the Fifth Development Plan, established to coordinate policy implementation between the Government and the private sector. The Government indicated that the Supreme Council of Employment had committed banks to provide financial resources to support projects promoting entrepreneurship, small businesses and home jobs. The Government also indicated that it had shifted macro policy planning down to the general governors, who would monitor implementation and submit three-month performance reports to the presidential office. The Committee noted the Prospective Plan of Development of industrial and mines strategy, aimed at increasing the growth rate of value-added products, diversifying the base of industrial exports and increasing the share of products with further processing in exports, forming commercial clusters between related industries and expanding the cooperation between universities and industry. It also noted information provided on the Fund to Support Unemployed Workers, with respect to unemployment insurance payments and the number of persons who had received training stipends. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the procedures and mechanisms established to review and assess the results of its employment policy measures. It also requests the Government to include information on the policies that promote full, productive and lasting employment opportunities to the unemployed in the different regions of the country. Please also continue to provide information on the impact of measures taken under the Fund to Support Unemployed Workers and on the measures taken or envisaged to strengthen labour market institutions.

Labour market information. The Government previously indicated that a website had been launched to provide up-to-date information on changes in the labour market. A “Local Job Placement Services” website was also launched to provide statistics on those seeking jobs through non-governmental job placement. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on any improvements made to its labour market information system.

Women. Youth employment. The Committee previously noted that the Centre for Women and Family Affairs had signed various agreements with organizations to achieve women’s self-employment, focusing on women in both rural and urban regions. The Government enumerated a broad range of activities to promote women’s employment in different provinces of the country. Activities included training, support for revenue-generating projects, empowerment workshops, the establishment of cooperatives, prioritizing female university students for technical and vocational training and harmonizing job skills with the needs of society and family. The Committee also noted the creation of the Foundation of Cooperatives and Development of Entrepreneurship of Women to create 100,000 jobs, with a priority given to women heads of households and university graduates. With respect to youth employment, the Government provided information on a series of programmes aimed at improving the link between education and job orientation, including consultation services and job exams. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures taken to promote productive employment opportunities for women and young persons.

Integration of Afghan workers in the labour market. The Government previously reported that the Foreign Nationals Department of Ministry Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare aimed to systemize the employment of all foreign nationals, improve services to employers who employ foreign workers, institutionalize the participation of the non-governmental sectors and increase the number and supervision of organizations for foreign nationals. The Government indicated that it conducted workplace inspections to identify foreign nationals and grant them temporary work permits. Moreover, the Government indicated that it hoped that this issue could be addressed in collaboration with the Government of Afghanistan and international organizations. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the integration of Afghan workers and other foreign workers in the local labour market, including information on the nature of the jobs available for those workers (see Part X of the Employment Policy (Supplementary Provisions) Recommendation, 1984 (No. 169)).

Article 3. Participation of the social partners. The Government referred to the representation of the workers’ and employers’ organizations in the Supreme Council of Employment. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the manner in which representatives of the social partners are consulted concerning employment policies, on the steps taken to ensure that their views are fully taken into account and how such cooperation is secured for the purposes of formulating and enlisting support for such policies.