Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1992, published 79th ILC session (1992)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Syrian Arab Republic (Ratification: 1960)

The Committee notes the Government's report and the information that it contains in reply to its previous comments.

1. In particular, the Committee notes the statistical table on the Ministry of Culture's 1988-89 literacy plan. However, the information that it contains are of a general nature; the Committee therefore requests the Government to supply more details on the aspects of the above programme that relate to women.

2. With regard to the participation of women in vocational training programmes, the Committee notes that, according to the statistical tables on the number of students and graduates by sex in vocational training institutes and centres, as supplied by the Government, women participate in these programmes. The Committee notes that, between 1984 and 1989, the number of women students in training institutes increased more rapidly than the number of male students, but that in training centres their participation increased at approximately the same rate as that of men. The Committee nevertheless notes that the number of women students remains lower than that of men. It therefore hopes that the Government will endeavour to encourage the participation of women and that it will supply in its next report detailed information on any progress achieved in the fields of the vocational training, education and the literacy of women.

3. The Committee also notes the tables supplied by the Government concerning the distribution on 1 January 1989 of state employees in public bodies, according to the sex of the employee and the nature of the work. It notes that in all departments, with the exception of education and health, the number of women employed varies between 4 and 64 per cent, with an average of 25 per cent, that is well below that of men. The Committee therefore requests the Government to indicate the measures that it envisages taking to promote the employment of women in the public sector within the framework of a national policy designed to promote equality of opportunity and treatment, as set out in Article 2 of the Convention. The Committee also requests the Government to continue supplying information on the participation of women in employment in the private sector, including statistics on the distribution of women by category and type of work.

4. In its previous direct request, the Committee requested the Government to indicate the participation rates of women in vocational training programmes run by public bodies, in accordance with sections 24 to 34 of the conditions of service of workers in the employment of the State (Decision No. 3803, of 20 November 1985, to issue model rules for public bodies). The Committee once again requests the Government to supply this information in its next report.

5. With regard to Ministerial Order No. 856/b of 1985, which defines the "shameful acts", convictions for which prevent employment in the public administration or in state bodies or establishments, the Committee notes the Government's statement that the judicial record of applicants is checked in the event of all recruitment in the public sector. The Committee recalls that under the terms of this Order the acts referred to include, inter alia, those perpetrated against the security of the State, in accordance with the Penal Code. The Committee once again requests the Government to supply a number of examples of the application of this Order, particularly as regards the acts referred to in sections 287, 288, 307 and 308 of the Penal Code (section 1 of the Order), in order to enable the Committee to determine whether such measures affect the application of the Convention in respect of the elimination of any discrimination on the basis of political opinion.

6. The Committee recalls its previous comments relating to section 65(i) of Act No. 1 of 2 January 1985, which prohibits workers in the employment of the State, on pain of dismissal, from belonging to an association or group pursuing illegal aims threatening the interests of the State or exposing the State to danger. It once again requests the Government to indicate the channels of appeal which are available to the persons covered by the above provisions and to supply, by way of illustration, copies of administrative or judicial decisions concerning them.

7. With regard to section 138(i) of the above Act (the possibility of dismissing an employee of the State by decree), the Committee once again requests the Government to supply details in its next report on the manner in which the provisions of the above Act and of Circulars Nos. 57/6-1983/15, of 29 April 1979, and 79/6-3501/15, of 3 July 1983, are applied in practice. It also requests the Government to supply copies of decrees that have been issued for dismissal on the grounds of failing the dignity of the function or bringing into question the integrity of employees, since in these cases, in accordance with the above circulars, no appeal is admitted.

The Committee also requests the Government to supply copies of the two decisions of the Council of State to which it referred in its report that was transmitted by letter AD/3/36 for 1987, in support of its explanations on the effect given to section 138(i) above.

8. The Committee reminds the Government that, in accordance with Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention, measures shall be taken by the national authorities to pursue, following consultations, a national policy designed to promote equality of opportunity and treatment in respect of employment and occupation and to eliminate any discrimination made on the basis of sex, race, colour, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin.

The Committee therefore requests the Government to supply detailed information on the measures that have been taken in this respect, and in particular as regards: (a) access to vocational training; (b) access to employment and the various occupations; and (c) terms and conditions of employment. Furthermore, it requests the Government to supply information on the role and activities in this field of the advisory committees provided for in section 15 of the Labour Code and of the central committees and subcommittees referred to in section 23 of Act No. 1 of 1985 to issue the conditions of service of state employees.