Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Mozambique (Ratification: 1977)

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Articles 1 to 5 of the Convention. Contribution of the employment service to employment promotion. Cooperation with the social partners. In its report dated August 2022, the Government indicates that, between 2005 and 2014, the Government implemented several programs for the promotion of employment including: (i) the development of a Labour Market Observatory to support the digitalization of the nominal register and the implementation of the migrant labour information system; (ii) the development of Pre-Professional Traineeships; and (iii) the implementation of the Employment and Vocational Training Strategy. In terms of statistical data, the Government indicates that, in the same period 2005-2014: (i) 17,035 individuals benefited from pre-professional traineeships; (ii) twenty National Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (INEFP) employment offices were established in the 11 provinces of Mozambique; (iii) 2,444,434 jobs were “created” (including 531,620 for women); and (iv) 163,806 “job vacancies were recorded” at the INEFP employment offices, all of which were filled. The Committee notes that, aside from a plan of action approved in 2018 and revised in 2021 at the fourth session of the Council of Ministers, the Government essentially provides information for the period 2005–14. Moreover, the Government fails to provide any data on the number of applications for employment received. The Committee therefore requests the Government to provide updated detailed information on the activities carried out by public employment services with a view to promoting full employment. It also requests the Government to provide complete updated statistical data on the number of applications for employment received, the number of vacancies notified, the number of persons placed in employment by public employment offices, and the number of such offices. The Committee further requests the Government to provide updated detailed information on: (i) the powers and functions of the national authority responsible for the direction of the national system of employment offices; and (ii) the consultations held with the employers’ and workers’ organizations with a view to securing their cooperation in the organization and functioning of the public employment service.

Articles 7 and 8. Measures for particular categories of jobseekers. The Government indicates that the following measures have been taken to improve the services provided by employment services to young people and other particular categories of jobseekers: (i) the Decree No. 35/2013 on Pre-professional Traineeships; (ii) the Act No. 12/2009 on the Protection of Workers Living with HIV/AIDS were adopted; (iii) the PROJOVEM programme; and (iv) the Youth Initiative Support Fund (FAIJ) were introduced. The Government specifies that these measures had the following impact: (i) the pre-professional traineeships benefited 17,035 individuals; (ii) through the PROJOVEM program, 260 individuals received training on entrepreneurial spirit and the basic tools to develop a business plan, 92 projects were funded, corresponding to 450 job positions created; and (iii) through the FAIJ, 13,359 young entrepreneurs received financing, contributing to the creation of jobs, self-employment and income-generating initiatives. With regard to the implementation of the Employment and Vocational Training Strategy, the Government indicates that, in the period 2005–14, (i) 633,971 citizens benefited from vocational training interventions; (ii) vocational training centres were constructed in several provinces of Mozambique; and (iii) nine mobile units were acquired. Moreover, between 2006 and 2015, over 50,000 students graduated from vocational technical education courses (including 15,103 women) and 431 students graduated from courses in labour economics. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated information on the measures that have been taken between 2015 and 2022 to meet the needs of young people, persons with disabilities and other particular categories of jobseekers, as well as updated information on their impact.

Article 9. Staff of the employment service.The Committee requests the Government to provide updated information on the status, conditions of service, methods of recruitment, selection and training of staff of the employment service.

Article 10. Encouraging full use of employment service facilities. According to the Government, visits have been organized to encourage private companies to have recourse to public employment services to recruit workers and to provide information on fields where there is a high demand for workers. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing updated information on the measures adopted, in collaboration with the employers’ and workers’ organizations, to encourage full use of the employment service by employers and workers on a voluntary basis, as well as information on the impact of such measures.

Article 11. Cooperation with private employment agencies. The Committee notes with interest that following the adoption of the Decree No. 6/2018 of 23 April, which amended Decree No. 36/2016 of 31 August: (i) entities that intend to operate as private employment agencies must file an application with the Ministry of Labour, together with a report of inspection from a public employment office; (ii) every three months, the registered private employment agencies must provide “provincial employment authorities” with data on the jobs created; and (iii) employment officers regularly visit private employment agencies to monitor their activities and issue reports with recommendations for improvement, if needed. The Government specifies that, in the period 2019–21, 12 private employment agencies obtained licenses. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing detailed information on the measures taken to ensure effective cooperation between the public employment service and private employment agencies, as well as information on the implementation and impact of such measures.

Furthermore, noting that private employment agencies can, in collaboration with a well-functioning public employment service, play a critical role in improving labour market efficiency, the Committee wishes to draw attention to the ILO Campaign to promote the joint ratification of Convention No. 88 and the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181). The Committee therefore invites the Government to consider ratifying also Convention No. 181, as it represents the most up-to-date instrument in the area of private employment services which recognizes the role of these agencies to complement and contribute to achieving the effective implementation of the objectives of Convention No. 88.