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

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Uganda (Ratification: 1967)

The Committee notes the Government's report for the period ending June 1992 and the relevant information which it contains in reply to its previous request. It would be grateful if the Government would supply further details in its next report on the following points:

1. The Government states that a structure to collect and analyse labour market statistics has been established, but that it does not have the necessary resources to function efficiently in the context of the budgetary restrictions applied under the structural adjustment programme. Please indicate the extent to which it has been possible to overcome these difficulties, taking into account the recommendations and advice of the ILO advisory mission on this point.

2. The Committee notes the Government's statement that it has recently undertaken to formulate an integrated and dynamic employment policy to address the problems of modern manufacturing, agriculture, the informal sector and vulnerable groups such as women and persons with disabilities. The Government refers in this regard, as it did in its previous report, to the programme document entitled "The way forward III 1991-1995, human resources and employment strategy". Please supply a copy of this document. The Committee hopes that the Government will be able to indicate in its next report the employment objectives established in development plans and programmes which are being implemented or prepared, and that it will describe the mutual relationships between employment policy objectives and other economic and social objectives.

3. The Government states that, despite budgetary constraints, it is endeavouring to reactivate the employment service network. Please supply information on the number, location and activities of the employment services. In this context, the Government may wish to refer for guidance to the ILO instruments on employment services (Convention No. 88 and Recommendation No. 83).

4. The Committee notes with interest the 1989 report of the Education Policy Review Commission. It notes in particular the recommendations relating to strengthening the links and complementarity between school education and vocational training. Please indicate the measures which have been taken or are envisaged as a result of these recommendations. The Government may consider it useful to refer in this respect to the relevant provisions of the Human Resources Development Convention (No. 142) and Recommendation (No. 150), 1975.

5. The Committee notes the dominant role of the informal sector in terms of employment and income, as well as the general features of the Government's policy for the development of the sector. Please indicate the measures which have been taken to achieve the established objectives of increasing employment opportunities in the sector while at the same time encouraging its progressive integration into the national economy. In this respect, see also below.

6. The Government states that representatives of employers and workers participate in the work of the Labour Advisory Board. The Committee notes that workers in the agricultural sector are also represented on the Board, but not workers from the informal sector. The Government states in this respect that it intends to encourage the establishment of associations which can represent persons who work in the informal sector on bodies such as the Labour Advisory Board. The Committee requests the Government to continue supplying information on the manner in which the representatives of all the persons affected are consulted concerning employment policies, in accordance with Article 3 of the Convention.

7. The Committee notes with interest the information supplied on the technical cooperation projects implemented in the context of the public works programme, the evaluation made of the results achieved through these projects and the difficulties which persist. It notes in particular that, in the Government's opinion, for them to be fully effective, the projects should be supported by employment and trade policies which encourage the use of labour-intensive methods and discourage the importation of capital goods. Please continue supplying information on ILO technical cooperation projects in the field of employment policy and the measures taken as a result of these projects.