Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2001, published 90th ILC session (2002)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Nicaragua (Ratification: 1967)

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s report.

1. The Committee notes the Government’s affirmation confirming the suspension of Act No. 70 of 16 March 1990 on the civil service and administrative careers. The Committee reiterates the importance of applying the policy of equality of opportunity in order to eliminate any discrimination on the basis of race, colour, sex, political opinion, national extraction or social origin in posts in the public sector and requests the Government to take the necessary measures so that the Ministry of Labour establishes rules as soon as possible for the application of Act No. 70 and to keep the Committee informed on any progress in this respect.

2. The Committee notes that since 1997 the Government has supplied no information about programmes and projects designed to bring into practice the policies of elimination of discrimination against women in employment and occupation, developed by the Nicaraguan Institute for Women (INIM). The Committee requests the Government to supply in its next report information on progress made in regard to the strategic objectives which were laid down and, further, to indicate the measures envisaged to fulfil a national policy promoting equality of opportunity and treatment in regard to employment and occupation.

3. The Committee notes the Government’s statement to the effect that the Ministry of Labour has still not published the Labour Code and the Internal Labour Regulations in the languages of the indigenous communities of the Atlantic Coast, in accordance with Act No. 185 of 5 September 1996 which governs the Labour Code. It also notes that collective agreements and other documents which affect the workers of those communities have not been translated either. The Committee trusts that the Ministry of Labour will carry out these translations as soon as possible so as to provide the means of guaranteeing indigenous peoples the right to preserve their identity and culture and to promote in practice equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate the present situation of the process of adopting the Regulations for the Application of Autonomous Status on the Atlantic Coast regions of Nicaragua.

4. The Committee urges the Government once again to indicate the methods by which it is attempting to obtain the cooperation of employers’ and workers’ organizations and other appropriate bodies in promoting the acceptance and implementation of the national policy for the promotion of equality of opportunities and treatment. The Committee recalls the requirement to cooperate actively with such organizations in the preparation and monitoring of the application of measures adopted within the framework of the national policy referred to in Article 2 of the Convention and for the effective application of the principles of the Convention in workplaces (paragraph 185 of the Committee of Experts’ General Survey on equality in employment and occupation, 1988).

5. The Committee also requests the Government to send detailed information on the situation and working conditions of women working in the industrial export processing zones, such as statistics, summaries of reports made by the labour inspectorate.