Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Cameroon (Ratification: 1970)

The Committee notes the observations of the General Union of Workers of Cameroon (UGTC), received on 16 September 2021, concerning the application of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this regard.

Article 1 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy.The Government indicates that, as part of the promotion of self-employment, Framework Act No. 2019/004 of 25 April 2019 governing the social economy in Cameroon has been adopted and the corresponding decree has been signed. The Committee notes the UGTC’s indication that it was not consulted on Act No. 2019/004 of 25 April 2019 and the related decree. Furthermore, the Committee notes the adoption, on 3 January 2020, of Decree No. 2020/0001 on the structuring and functioning of the network of social economy units. With regard to the development and implementation of an active employment policy, the Committee notes that in May 2017, the strategic components of the National Employment Policy (PNE) were developed with the technical and financial support of the ILO and approved by the interministerial committee responsible for monitoring employment in Cameroon. In this context, the UGTC observes that, despite the ILO’s support, Cameroon has not yet adopted an act on employment policy. The Committee notes that, according to the ILO study, “Evaluation des besoins des unités de l’économie sociale et identification des chaines de valeur prioritaires pour la création d’emplois décents au Cameroun” (Assessment of the needs of social economy units and identification of priority value chains for the creation of decent jobs in Cameroon), the Government has embarked on a process of structural reforms and macroeconomic policies, set out in Cameroon's National Development Strategy 2030. This strategy is reflected in Cameroon's development policy documents for the next ten years, namely the National Development Strategy 2020-30 (SND 2020-2030), the Rural Sector Development Strategy/National Agricultural Investment Plan 2020-2030 (SDSR/PNIA 2020-2030), and in the main lines of the National Social Economy Development Programme (PNDES), offering decent and productive employment opportunities to all. While noting the efforts made by the Government in the context of structural reforms and macroeconomic policies, the Committee recalls that the main requirement of the Convention is to declare and pursue a national employment policy for the promotion of employment and decent work, and urges the Government to take the necessary measures to finalize the development of the new national employment policy, in consultation with the social partners and relevant stakeholders. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of the measures taken and progress made in this regard, and to provide a copy of the new policy once it has been adopted.

Article 1(3). Coordination of education and training policy with employment policy. The Government indicates that, as part of the employment strategy, Act No. 2018/010 of 11 July 2018 governing vocational training has been adopted. The Government also indicates that the Act provides for the creation of the National Council for Vocational Guidance and Training, which is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of vocational training policy and strategies. It adds that eight regulatory texts establishing the modalities of application of the Act have already been signed. The Committee notes that, according to the provisions of Act No. 2018/010, in particular section 8(1) and (2), vocational training is governed by the principles of tripartism between the State, the employer and the worker (section 1), and that the State ensures that vocational training meets the needs expressed by socio-occupational groups, in order to minimize the mismatch between training and employment (section 2). It also notes that section 47(5) of the Act stipulates that the State shall ensure the relevance, quality and continuous adaptation of vocational training to national economic and socio-cultural realities, and to the international environment. Noting that the Government has not replied to the points raised previously, the Committee once again requests the Government to indicate how the State ensures consistency in the organization of vocational training as part of national or regional planning, in order to overcome the difficulty of coordinating education and training policy with employment policy. It also requests the Government to provide information on the consultations held with employers' and workers' organizations and to provide, in particular, specific examples of the manner in which the social partners’ views are taken into account in the preparation and implementation of draft legislation, and in any other measures related to the development and implementation of a coordinated education and training policy. The Government is also requested to provide information on the impact of the implementation of the new Act on the occupational integration of categories of workers, particularly young workers, in the labour market.

Informal economy. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its 2021 report under the Termination of Employment Convention, 1982 (No. 158), concerning the introduction of facilitation and support measures for workers in the informal sector. In particular, the Government mentions support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the textile and innovation sectors, social safety net mechanisms with an increase in family allowances to 60 per cent, the waiving of penalties for the late payment of social security contributions, a three-month suspension of checks on the National Social Insurance Fund (CNPS), tax exemptions for informal production units, and the application of tax and customs reforms to lighten the burden on employers. In this regard, the Committee notes that, according to the ILO study, “Etude sur la migration de l’économie informelle vers l’économie formelle : proposition de stratégie pour le groupement inter-patronal du Cameroun” (Study on Migration from the Informal to the Formal Economy: Proposed Strategy for the Network of Employers' Organizations of Cameroon), the Government has implemented initiatives to reduce the size and expansion of the informal sector in Cameroon. In particular, it has created Enterprise Creation Formality Centres (CFCE) and fostered the creation of Approved Management Centres (CGA) to limit barriers to entry into the formal sector. The Committee requests the Government to provide up-to-date information on the impact of measures taken to facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal economy. In addition, it requests the Government to provide detailed information on the manner in which the facilitation and support measures taken contribute to the creation of decent jobs and provide adequate protection to workers in the informal economy.

Article 2. Collection and use of data on employment. The Committee notes that the Government does not provide any information in this regard. Given that data collection allows the results of employment policies to be examined and evaluated, and the monitoring of progress towards full, productive and freely chosen employment, the Committee once again request the Government to specify the active employment policy measures adopted as a result of the establishment of the various bodies responsible for collecting information on employment. It also requests the Government to indicate to what extent and the manner in which labour market information is used as a basis for the establishment of the new employment policy (Article 2).

Article 3. Participation of the social partners in the development and implementation of employment policies. The Committee notes the UGTC's observations that trade union organizations are not part of the National Council for Vocational Guidance and Training. In this regard, it also notes the observations forwarded by the UGTC under the Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144), particularly concerning the lack of representativeness in the sectors of activity and the absence of a forum for inter-union reflection. Recalling the importance of the participation of the social partners and persons concerned in the consultation process with respect to the development and implementation of a national employment policy, the Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the participation of the social partners in the development and implementation of the national employment policy. The Committee also requests the Government to take all the necessary measures to facilitate the consultation of representatives of workers, including rural workers and informal economy workers, in the development and implementation of employment policy, as provided for in Article 3 of the Convention.

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