Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1999, published 88th ILC session (2000)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Rwanda (Ratification: 1981)

1. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that the Bill to amend the Act of 28 February 1967 issuing the Labour Code contained no provision prohibiting discrimination in employment on all of the seven grounds provided for in the Convention. In its report, the Government states that the current draft Labour Code fully incorporates in section 14 the wording of Article 1, paragraph 1(a), of Convention No. 111 and merely adds ethnic origin among the grounds of discrimination which are prohibited by the legislation. The Government adds that the draft text is currently being examined by the Transitional National Assembly. The Committee notes this information and would be grateful if the Government would keep it informed of the progress achieved in adopting the new Labour Code and if it would provide a copy of the final text.

2. The Committee notes that the Government has not provided any information on the actual situation of underprivileged ethnic groups, particularly the Batwa (Pygmies) and that it makes no mention of the study that it had envisaged undertaking on this matter. The Committee would therefore be grateful if the Government would indicate whether such a study has actually been carried out and, if so, its conclusions and recommendations, as well as the measures which have been taken or are contemplated to ensure that these minorities enjoy the equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation guaranteed by both the Convention and article 16 of the Constitution of Rwanda. If the study has not been carried out, the Committee would be grateful to be provided with information on the measures taken or envisaged by the Government to guarantee underprivileged ethnic groups, including the Batwa, the equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation laid down by the Convention.

3. The Committee notes that the Government makes no reference in its report to any effect that the liberalization of recruitment procedures since 1993 may have had on the application of the national policy for the promotion of equality of opportunity and treatment in access to employment. The Committee therefore once again requests the Government to indicate the measures which have been taken or are envisaged to ensure the right of all jobseekers to have their applications for employment considered equitably, that is, without discrimination on grounds of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin.