Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Madagascar (Ratification: 1966)

1. Coordination of employment policy with poverty reduction. In reply to the direct request of 2003, the Government indicates in the report received in October 2004 that a framework document on the national employment policy has been formulated and approved. It also reports the creation of the Malagasy Employment and Vocational Training Observatory, a public establishment under the authority of the Minister of Employment and Vocational Training, the objective of which is to develop and coordinate the implementation of programmes and policies in the field of employment and vocational training. The Government indicates that the major difficulty encountered in achieving its employment objectives is one of finance. The Committee requests the Government to indicate in its next report the measures taken within the framework of the implementation of its poverty reduction strategy in order to promote the objectives of full and productive employment, as defined by the Convention. To this end, the Committee emphasizes the importance of having available statistical information on the size and distribution of the labour force and the nature and extent of unemployment as an essential means of pursuing an active employment policy within the meaning of Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Please provide statistical data on the labour market, in particular with regard to the most vulnerable groups (women, unemployed graduates, unskilled young people), as well as indications on the implementation of the national employment policy (the labour information system and the systems to facilitate access to employment and to finance employment measures).

2. The Committee recalls that the poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP) envisaged stimulating the private sector and those sectors with a high capacity for employment, such as export processing zones. On this last point, the Committee is aware of the studies carried out by the Office in 2004 on improving productivity through the promotion of decent work in export processing enterprises in Madagascar. These studies suggest that job creation and the increased competitivity of enterprises are the main results expected of the action plan for the development of export processing enterprises envisaged in the PRSP, in particular through an increase in the investment rate and the diversification of export processing enterprises. The Committee requests the Government to continue to supply, in its next report, indications on the manner in which export processing enterprises contribute to the creation of productive and sustainable employment.

3. Participation of the social partners in the formulation and implementation of policies. In reply to its previous comments requesting information on cases of consultation with the representatives of the social partners, the Government reports the participation of the members of the National Employment Council in the formulation and validation of the framework document on the national employment policy. The Government indicates that, before being transmitted to the competent authorities for adoption, the texts on the national employment policy must be discussed by the National Employment Council. The Committee hopes that the Government will continue to inform it of the manner in which the representatives of the persons affected are consulted on the implementation of the national employment policy. Please also supply information on the manner in which consultations on the employment policy are carried out with rural workers and those working in the informal economy (Article 3 of the Convention).

4. ILO technical cooperation. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the technical assistance project on employment policy undertaken in collaboration with the ILO. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply, in its next report, information on the action taken as a result of the ILO’s technical assistance in the field of employment policy (Part V of the report form).