Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1994, published 81st ILC session (1994)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Somalia (Ratification: 1961)

The Committee notes with regret that the Government's report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

1. In its previous comments the Committee had requested detailed information on positive steps taken to ensure effective promotion of equality of opportunity and treatment, as required by Article 2 of the Convention. The Committee notes from the Government's latest report that in certain circumstances, such as through the activities of the Industrial Vocational Training Centre (IUTC) run by the Ministry of Labour, Sports and Social Affairs, women are encouraged to apply for training opportunities without any prior conditions being laid down for admission, but that women are reluctant to participate in the training programme offered by the only vocational institute in the country which mainly teaches the skills of general automechanics, electronics, carpentry, etc.

The Committee requests the Government to provide with its next report (a) information as to the measures taken to encourage women to apply for the training opportunities referred to above; (b) information with respect to requirements for admission to the training referred to above and any differences which may exist between those required for men and those required for women; (c) information on any other vocational training institutes which may exist in the country; (d) a list of courses offered at these training institutes; and (e) the total number of men and the total number of women enrolled in the country's vocational institutes during a recent relevant period such as the last academic year and what types of courses they were enrolled in.

2. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the revision of an inspection report form in 1985 which would enable the Government to determine the numbers of male and female workers in undertakings as well as the type of jobs women are doing. The revised form also was to enable the collection of additional statistics relevant to the application of the Convention.

The Committee notes from the Government's report that Somali women constitute approximately 25 per cent of the total workforce and that they are mostly employed in the civil service, though they are also employed in the private sector. The Committee also notes the Government's indication that women do almost all kinds of jobs, though they are mostly employed as school teachers, doctors, nurses, clerks, bank tellers, etc. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information concerning the statistics gathered through the use of the revised form, including statistical information concerning the position of women or of social, religious and national groups in employment in Somalia.

3. The Committee notes from the Government's report that it is, in collaboration with employers' and workers' organizations, increasing the educational and informational programmes designed to improve awareness of features of discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity and treatment. The Committee asks the Government to provide in its next report further information on the educational and informational programmes referred to above, including a list of those carried out and information on the means used for disseminating them.

4. The Committee notes the information provided to the 40th (1988) Session of the Sub-commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights alleging a government policy discriminating against members of the Issaq Clan in Northern Somalia. According to these allegations (see Summary Record, UN document E/CN.4/Sub.2/1988/SR.32), the Government was preparing discriminatory measures including economic and financial reprisals against merchants, traders and businessmen of this clan; recruiting non-Issaqs to sensitive posts in the army, police and prison service; and purging Issaqs from government posts; there had been fights, in 1988, between an armed opposition front mainly supported by Issaqs and government troops; and there had been reports of forcible recruitment of refugees into the Somalian army, including between 5,000 and 7,000 refugees from Ethiopia who had been forcibly recruited during September and October 1987, apparently to replace Issaqs soldiers. The Committee notes that the representative of Somalia denied these allegations, indicating among other things that there are no minorities in Somalia as the country possesses a single culture, religion, language and ethnic group (UN document E/CN.4/Sub.2/1988/SR.33).

The Committee requests the Government to provide information in its next report on any measures which may affect the application of the Convention by limiting equality of opportunity and/or treatment in employment and training in the private and public (including military and paramilitary) sectors for the Issaq Clan or other clans. It notes in this respect that discrimination against a clan, or grouping of families, would in the circumstances described be covered by the Convention's prohibition of discrimination on the basis of, inter alia, social origin and political opinion, especially when based on support for a political opposition.