Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1998, published 87th ILC session (1999)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Sudan (Ratification: 1970)

1. The Committee draws the Government's attention to sections 19 and 20 (1-2) of the 1997 Labour Code on the prohibition of women's employment in "occupations which are hazardous, arduous or harmful to their health, such as carrying weights or assigning women to perform jobs underground or under water or jobs which may expose them to poisonous material or to temperatures exceeding the normal limits borne by women", and the restrictions on night work. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the practical application of these provisions, including a list of industries, occupations and jobs prohibited to women on the basis of the above-mentioned sections. The Committee further notes sections 20(3) and 43, et seq. of the Labour Code allowing overtime to be optional for women and daily periods of rest to be longer for women than men. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether, in light of its commitment to promote equality between men and women in employment, it has any intention of extending these conditions of work to men as well as women.

2. In light of the sexual segregation in public regulated under the Public Order Act of 1996, the Committee requests the Government to supply, in its next report, information on any measures taken or envisaged to ensure equal access of men and women to occupations of their own choice.

3. The Committee further notes that the Government's report on this Convention contains no reply to paragraphs 1, 3 and 4 of the previous direct request and must therefore return to its previous comments, which read in relevant part as follows:

1. The Committee notes the Government's statement in its report that very few cases on racial discrimination in employment have been presented to the courts and that such cases, where they occur, concern conditions of employment. It asks the Government to provide information on the issues which arose in these cases, and to continue in its future reports to keep the Committee informed of cases involving discrimination in employment on the basis of race.

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3. The Committee notes the Government's statement that although the Passports and Immigration Act, 1970, requires approval of the husband and guardian in case of travel, this measure does not affect women's access to education, training and employment where it falls within the scope of the National Training Act of 1976 and the Training Regulations, which define government-sponsored trainees as being any public official, regardless of sex, and entitles a government-sponsored female trainee to the same rights as those of men. However, noting that the legislation refers only to training, and only in the public sector, the Committee requests the Government to indicate how the provisions in the 1970 Act affect access to education, vocational training or employment which might require foreign travel for women in the private sector, and, likewise, access to employment requiring travel in the public sector. Please supply copies of the relevant legislative provisions.

4. Noting the Government's statement that no measures of any kind have been taken against persons disobeying the instructions issued requiring women in public posts to wear apparel in conformity with the Shari'a, the Committee nevertheless repeats its request for a copy of the instructions in question.

4. The Committee thanks the Government for providing a copy of the Public Service Act of 1994, but repeats its request that the Government supply a copy of the Public Service Regulations, 1995.