Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2021, published 110th ILC session (2022)

Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183) - Mali (Ratification: 2008)

Article 2(1) of the Convention. Application of the Convention to all employed women. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, in Mali, atypical forms of dependent work generally relate to informal work, for example, in craft skills (dyeing, sewing, soap-making) and family enterprises (trade, agriculture, market gardening). The Government also indicates that, in practice, the labour inspectorate rarely intervenes in the informal economy and not at all in family enterprises, given the inadequate material and human resources.

In this regard, the Committee notes that the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), in its concluding observations of 2018, noted with concern that approximately 96 per cent of workers were employed in the informal sector of the economy and were not covered by labour laws or the social protection system (E/C.12/MLI/CO/1, para. 20). The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that women workers in the informal economy employed in atypical forms of dependent work benefit from the protection guaranteed by the Convention, in accordance with its Article 2(1), and to provide information on the measures taken in this regard. With respect to matching human resources and material means with the needs of inspection, the Committee refers to its detailed comments under the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81).

Article 8(1). Employment protection. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that section L.183 of the Labour Code prohibited the dismissal of women while they were on maternity leave, including the period of supplementary leave in case of maternity related sickness and requested the Government to extend the protection provided in this section to the period of pregnancy and nursing.

In its reply, the Government indicates that it will examine this issue in consultation with the most representative organizations of employers and workers at the forthcoming revision of the Labour Code. The Committee once again requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure employment protection against dismissal of women workers not only during maternity leave but for the entire period of pregnancy and a prescribed period after their return to work, in accordance with Article 8(1) of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on any measures taken or envisaged in this regard.

Article 9(1). Non-discrimination. In its previous comment, the Committee requested the Government to envisage incorporating provisions into the Labour Code explicitly recognizing maternity as prohibited grounds of discrimination; imposing the obligation to abide by these provisions on all employers; and establishing effective penalties for any cases of discrimination on the basis of maternity, in order to give full effect to Article 9(1) of the Convention.

In its reply, the Government indicates that it will examine this issue in consultation with the most representative organizations of employers and workers at the forthcoming revision of the Labour Code. The Committee expresses the firm hope that the Government will take the necessary measures to give full effect to Article 9 of the Convention.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.