Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1997, published 86th ILC session (1998)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Saudi Arabia (Ratification: 1978)

With reference to its previous direct request concerning the application of Ministerial Order No. 326 of 1993 to determine the hazardous occupations and activities which women may not perform under the Labour Code, the Committee notes from the Government's report that insufficient time has elapsed since the application of the Decree to warrant reconsideration of the occupations specified therein. The Government points out that the Ministry of Labour has not received any information confirming scientific developments relevant to the listed occupations or related means of protection in working conditions, so does not consider it necessary to revise them for the time being. It states that this does not, however, preclude revision of the protective measures if the need arises in the future. Recalling its approach to protective measures set out in Chapter III of its 1988 General Survey on equality in employment and occupation, namely that such measures should be reviewed periodically in the light of advances in scientific knowledge and technology applying to such occupations, the Committee trusts that the Government, if and when revisions take place, will inform it of them in future reports.