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

Maternity Protection Convention, 1919 (No. 3) - Panama (Ratification: 1958)

The Committee recalls that section 55 of Act No. 25 of 30 November 1992, which lays down a special, comprehensive and simplified system for the establishment and operation of export processing zones, provides that the conditions of employment in export processing zones shall be subject to the common standards contained in the Labour Code, in Act No. 1 of 17 March 1986 and the special laws which are in conformity with the provisions of the above Act No. 25 of 1992.

The Committee noted that, in this respect, the Government's response to its previous comments stated that women employed in export processing zones are covered without exception by the maternity benefit provisions of the Social Security Fund (Legislative Decree No. 14 of 1954). The Committee hopes therefore that, on the forthcoming occasion, for example, of the revision of Act No. 25 of 30 November 1992, a direct reference to Legislative Decree No. 14 of 1954 will be included under section 55 of the said Act. In the meantime, the Committee would request the Government to provide information on the application in practice of the provisions respecting maternity protection (maternity leave, nursing breaks and protection against dismissal) provided for under the Labour Code and the provisions respecting maternity benefits provided for under the Organic Law of the Social Security Fund and its Regulation in respect of women employed in export processing zones by providing, for example, extracts of inspection reports or other official documents, statistics on the number of inspections carried out in export processing zones as well as the violations observed. Please also provide statistics in respect of the number of women employed in export processing zones who have received maternity benefits as well as the amount of these benefits during the period covered by the report.