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

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

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that the next report will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous comments.

Repetition

The Committee notes the supplementary information provided by the Government in light of the decision adopted by the Governing Body at its 338th session (June 2020). The Committee therefore examines the application of the Convention on the basis of the supplementary information received from the Government this year, as well as on the basis of the information at its disposal in 2019.

Employment trends and measures to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government refers to the unemployment rates for men (9 per cent) and women (13.7 per cent) in the first quarter of 2020. The labour participation of women is lower than that of men and it has decreased further in 2020. The Government indicates that economic sanctions and the spread of COVID-19 have had a negative impact on its national labour market. The number of persons in employment has been reduced and labour market participation has dropped, as only 41 per cent of the labour force were employed in the first quarter of 2020. In this context, the Committee recalls the comprehensive guidance provided by international labour standards. In particular, it wishes to draw the Government's attention to the Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation, 2017 (No. 205), which provides guidelines for developing and implementing effective responses to the profound socio-economic impacts of the pandemic. The Committee invites the Government to provide updated information in its next report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken to address it in the context of the implementation of the policies and programmes adopted to promote full, productive, freely chosen, and lasting sustainable employment.

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Active employment policy. The Committee previously requested the Government to provide updated information on the impact of the measures taken to promote employment as well as updated statistical data on the labour market situation. The Government indicates that major plans and measures have been developed by the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare (MCLSW) to stimulate the labour market and create job opportunities, especially for target groups such as unemployed, recovered addicts, people with disabilities, people at risk (female heads of household and working children) inmates and their families, university students, trainees and refugees in rural and urban areas. The Committee notes the statistical data provided by the Government on the impact of the implementation of a number of policies and programmes. In particular, it notes that based on the latest report of the Statistical Centre of Iran the unemployment rate decreased from 12.2 per cent in 2018 to 9.8 per cent in 2020. While referring to its comments formulated concerning the implementation of the Worst forms of child labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) by Iran, the Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated detailed information on the impact of labour market measures taken to promote opportunities for decent, productive and sustainable employment, including for those workers in vulnerable situations. In addition, the Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated statistical information on labour market developments in the country, particularly on the labour market situation, levels and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment, disaggregated by sex and age.

Women’s employment. In its previous comments, the Committee had urged the Government to review any provisions in the draft-amended text of the Comprehensive Population and Family Excellence Plan that could negate or impair access to full, productive and freely chosen employment, for both women and men. The Government indicates that the Plan has been submitted to the Parliament for review. The Government has adopted various initiatives, such as the Plan on National Indicators of Gender Justice (which includes indicators on eight grounds, including work and economy) and the Plan on improving women’s status in 31 provinces to improve and to promote women’s employment. The Committee notes the diverse initiatives undertaken by the Government to promote women's self-employment and entrepreneurship in urban and rural areas by creating quotas for the employment of female heads of household in industrial and manufacturing units and by providing microcredits, technical and vocational training (training in technology and network development) as well as assistance for the establishment of cooperatives and rural associations. The Government indicates that, from 2015 to 2018, more than 25,999 women have participated in entrepreneurial training and 271,150 in home-based entrepreneurship courses, which have facilitated the creation of micro-enterprises and home-based businesses, especially in disadvantaged communities and rural areas. The Government further indicates that following the enforcement of the 30 per cent quota for women on management boards, the number of women in management positions increased by 36 per cent in 2017–19. The Committee notes that, over the past two years, an increasing number of women have been appointed to managerial positions in governor's offices and in rural districts (representing a 48 per cent increase). The Committee requests the Government to provide information on any developments concerning the revision of the Comprehensive Population and Family Excellence Plan by the Parliament and to provide a copy once it is adopted. The Committee further requests the Government to provide detailed updated information on the nature and impact of measures aimed at improving access to full, productive and freely chosen employment for women. The Committee also requests the Government to continue to provide up-to-date information, including statistical data disaggregated by economic sector, region and age, on the current situation and trends regarding women's employment, unemployment and underemployment.

Youth employment. The Committee previously requested the Government to provide more specific information, including statistical data disaggregated by age and sex, on the impact of the measures taken by the Government to promote employment for young persons, including new graduates, and assist them in obtaining sustainable, lasting employment. The Government indicates that the Technical and Vocational Training Organization (TVTO) has developed multiple programmes, including apprenticeships and skill training courses in the actual workplace, to promote the employment of young persons, including university graduates. In this regard, the Committee notes that, as of August 2020, the implementation of the Apprenticeship Plan for university students has generated 41,851 apprenticeship agreements and placed 10,485 persons in work. The participation rate of women in apprenticeship programmes in the provinces (71 per cent) has been much higher than that of men (29 per cent). The Committee further notes that from 2017 to 2019, around 4,551 skill-training courses were provided to 132,464 persons in 60 universities. The Government also refers to the development of science and technological parks, whose number has increased from 19,000 in 2012 to 42,043 in 2018, indicating that they have generated employment for 30,778 men and 11,265 women. The Government indicates that from March 2015 to September 2018, some 560,767 persons have participated in Iran’s TVTO skill training programmes. The Committee notes that given the importance of upskilling of the workforce in the industrial and manufacturing sectors, on March 2019, the Secretary-General of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) and the head of the TVTO signed a memorandum of understanding with the aim of conducting skills training programmes in all provinces of the country, in cooperation with the provincial chambers. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information on the impact of the Apprenticeship Plan for university students, the development of science and technology parks and other programmes providing education and vocational training for young persons or supporting the entrepreneurship of young women and men on their access to lasting employment. It further requests the Government to continue to provide statistical information on trends in youth employment, disaggregated by sex and age.

Regional and rural development. The Government indicates that the MCLSW, in collaboration with the executive departments as well as with the private and cooperative sectors, has developed "inclusive employment plans" at national and provincial levels. The Government has also adopted measures such as the Microfinance Plan under Linkage Banking Approach as well as the law on rural and nomadic employment to support the development and creation of sustainable employment in rural and nomadic regions. The Committee notes that up to July 15, 2019, 479,000 projects have been registered in 31 provinces aiming to generate 394,000 jobs. It further notes that according to the statistics provided by the "KARA" system (an internet-based system), around 66,000 plans are already registered under the inclusive employment plans by applicants from private and cooperative sectors in 31 provinces. The Plan aims to generate 120,000 jobs. The Government indicates that, in 2019, a Wage Subsidy Payment Plan was implemented to promote employment in private sectors and cooperatives in less developed provinces, such as Ilam, Kordesan and Sistan and Baluchestan. It further indicates that short-term support through the reduction of recruitment costs has enabled the creation of 7,263 jobs for people in private enterprises and cooperatives. The Government plans to extend the Plan to eight additional provinces. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information on the impact of the inclusive employment plans in the promotion of full, productive and sustainable employment in both urban and rural areas throughout the country.

Afghani nationals and persons belonging to other minority groups. The Committee had requested the Government to provide information on the measures taken to promote the integration of Afghani nationals and other minorities into the labour market, as well as on measures to provide them with the fullest possible opportunity to acquire and use the necessary qualifications, in accordance with Article 1(2)(c) of the Convention. The Government indicates that following the signing of three agreements between the Government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), various skills training for refugees have been organised based on needs assessments. As a result, between 2015 and 2018, around 21,151 refugees have received a wide range of training (49 per cent in the industrial sector, 47 per cent in the services sector and 4 per cent in the agricultural sector) in various provinces. In 2020, 16,500 refugees were enrolled in various university programmes. The Government further indicates that all authorised foreign workers, including Afghani nationals legally residing in the country are subject to the national labour law, including to the minimum wage (Section 41of the labour law). The Government also indicates that measures have been taken to improve health and wellbeing services for refugees and to provide employment to 1,103 female heads of households. The Committee notes that the Government does not provide any information with regard to the employment situation of persons belonging to other minorities, especially religious minorities, in particular the Baha'i. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated information on measures taken or envisaged aimed at increasing the employment rate of minority groups, including Afghan workers and workers belonging to ethnic or religious minorities, as well as detailed information on the impact of such measures, including disaggregated statistical data.

Article 3. Cooperation with the social partners. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government with respect to the different mechanisms through which cooperation with the social partners takes place. The Government also provides information on measures taken by employers’ and workers’ organizations in relation to the implementation of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated detailed information on the content and outcome of consultations held with the social partners on the matters covered by the Convention, including measures taken to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 on employment, as well as on consultations held with representatives of the persons affected by measures to be taken, in accordance with Article 3.

ILO technical assistance. The Committee notes that the Government requests the technical assistance of the ILO in relation to the promotion of employment, notably in light of the most recent flooding in the country, which caused significant damage. The Committee hopes that the technical assistance requested will be provided in the near future, and requests the Government to provide information on any progress achieved in this respect.