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

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

The Committee thanks the Government for the explanations contained in its report which answers its previous direct requests concerning Article 4 of the Convention and which clarify the procedures available to persons who might be refused employment under Civil Service Act No. 1 of 1985, for having belonged to a group pursuing illegal aims threatening the interests of the State.

1. With regard to the participation of women and girls in education and vocational training programmes, the Committee notes the information and data in the Government's report and the reports attached to it which show that the number of women receiving training through the Office of Vocational Training continues to increase, albeit in courses such as tailoring, knitting, typing, flower arranging, hairdressing and embroidering. Recalling paragraphs 82 and 97 of its 1988 General Survey on Equality in Employment and Occupation where it indicated that archaic attitudes and stereotypes in training can lead to the channelling of men and women into, respectively, "typically male" or "typically female" trades and occupations, the Committee asks the Government, in its future reports, to inform it of the activities of the various educational and training institutions with a view to offering to women and girls more varied types of courses and to encouraging them to consider a wider choice of trades and professions. Please supply a copy of the annual report of the Office of Vocational Training.

2. As for the participation of women in public and private employment, the Committee notes the Government's statement that it has no difficulty in applying the Convention because in practice there are no problems or incidents of discrimination on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion or for being a member of a minority and that there is therefore no need to establish a policy to achieve equality in employment since the national legislation already gives all individuals the chance to work without any discrimination whatsoever. It draws the Government's attention to paragraphs 240 and 241 of the above-mentioned General Survey where it stated that it is difficult to accept statements to the effect that the application of the Convention gives rise to no difficulties or that it is fully applied especially when no other details are given on the contents and methods of implementing the national policy. It hopes that the Government's next report will indicate the measures taken or envisaged to promote equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupations since "once a rigorous action gets under way and new measures are adopted to implement the principle of equality of opportunity and treatment, the existence of problems will in practice be brought to the surface, thus requiring further progress" (paragraph 240).

3. Regarding the role and activities of the advisory committees and central committees and subcommittees provided for in section 23 of Act No. 1 of 1985 in relation to implementing the principle of the Convention, the Committee notes the establishment, by Act No. 1214 of 30 October 1995 of a tripartite committee for consultation and dialogue aimed at ensuring collaboration between the Government and the workers' and employers' organizations, as well as the creation, by Order No. 1333 of 10 November 1996, of a technical and legal committee to be chaired by the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs. According to the Government, the creation of these two committees responds to the need to study the compatibility of the national legislation with those of the international Conventions to which the Syrian Arab Republic is a party and to propose amendments to laws which might be found to be incompatible with the provisions of international labour Conventions. The Committee requests the Government, in its future reports, to provide information on the activities of these bodies in so far as they relate to the application of the Convention.