Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Madagascar (Ratification: 1966)

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. In its report, the Government indicates that it is aware of the fact that the adoption of a new national employment policy is a matter of urgency and is a priority in the current context of massive underemployment. The Government adds that the National Employment and Vocational Training Policy (PNEFP) is at the stage of awareness raising. The Government observes that the National Plan of Action for Employment and Training (PANEF), drawn up in 2014, is the reference framework for the promotion of employment and vocational training in Madagascar. The Committee hopes that the Government will soon be in a position to report progress in the formulation and implementation of an employment policy. It also hopes that the Government will be in a position to provide information as a basis for assessing how the main components of economic policy, in such areas as monetary, budgetary, trade or regional development policies, contribute “within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy” to the pursuit of the employment objectives set out in the Convention. The Committee also hopes that the Government will provide information on the measures adopted to create lasting employment, reduce underemployment and combat poverty, with an indication of the measures taken to promote employment among specific categories of workers, including women, young people and rural workers.

Coordination of education and training policy with employment policy. The Government indicates that the programme of capacity building for Education for All (EFA) in the field of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) for the promotion of training and education for young people in rural areas who have dropped out of school (Cap.EFA/TVET) have the objective of vocational integration through the acquisition of basic vocational and transversal competencies (simplified management and entrepreneurship). Five ministries have been involved in the Cap.EFA/TVET, which has been initiated in 100 basic territorial communities, distributed in 11 communes in the three pilot regions (namely Amoron’i Mania, Analanjirofo and Antsinanana). In 2014, in the context of the first wave of training initiated in that year, a total of 1,019 young persons from rural areas who had dropped out of school were trained in 13 trades. The region of Menabe was included in the second wave of training initiated in 2015, the objective of which is to train 1,628 young rural persons who have dropped out of school. The Government specifies that as the Cap.EFA/TVET is still being implemented, data on post-training follow-up are not yet available. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the results of the action taken to ensure the coordination of education and vocational training policies with employment policy. Please indicate the results achieved through the implementation of these programmes in terms of the access of young trained persons to lasting employment.

Collection and use of employment data. The Government indicates that state institutions, such as the Malagasy National Statistics Institute (INSTAT), are subject to budgetary restrictions. However, the surveys are conducted as part of the Periodic Household Survey (EPM), particularly on the Consumer Price Index. The Committee requests the Government to communicate the results of the surveys conducted by INSTAT of households when they have been published. It also requests the Government to provide information on the progress achieved in obtaining reliable data for the formulation and implementation of an employment policy, within the meaning of the Convention.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners in the formulation and implementation of policies. The Government indicates that the Ministry of Employment, Technical Education and Vocational Training is responsible for preparing legislation on the national employment policy. The Government adds that the Estates General for Employment and Training, held in July 2014, were organized by the Ministry of Employment with a view to preparing the PANEF. The Madagascar Enterprise Group (GEM) and the Confederation of Malagasy Workers (CTM) participated in the Estates General. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated information on the consultations held with the representatives of the social partners on the subjects covered by the Convention. Please also provide detailed information on the consultations held with the representatives of the most vulnerable categories of the population, and particularly with the representatives of workers in rural areas and the informal economy.