Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2002, published 91st ILC session (2003)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (Ratification: 1971)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report.

1. The Committee notes that, according to the most recent data available to the Office, women accounted for only 35.35 per cent of the labour force in 1998. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the measures adopted to promote the direct access of women to employment, vocational guidance and specific occupations, with a view to achieving greater equality between men and women workers in employment and occupation. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the activities that are being undertaken by the National Institute for Women for the promotion of equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation.

2. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on any complaints submitted to the National Attorney for the Defence of Women’s Rights and the remedial action and conciliation measures that have been taken. The Committee would be grateful for information on any measures that are being taken to guarantee the full exercise of the rights of women workers in the informal sector and to women providing personal services, as set out in section 54 of the Act on equal opportunities for women of 25 October 1999.

3. The Committee notes the statistics provided by the Government on inspection activities for 1999, but observes that none of the information refers to inspections undertaken directly in relation to discrimination in employment and occupation. The Committee therefore once again requests the Government to provide information on the activities of the labour inspection services with a view to promoting and guaranteeing the application of the principle laid down in the Convention, including the number of inspections carried out in relation to discrimination in employment, the number of contraventions reported, the penalties imposed and copies of any relevant court decisions.