Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2006, published 96th ILC session (2007)

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

Discrimination based on race, colour, religion and national extraction.

1. In its previous comments, the Committee referred to serious incidents that had occurred in 2000 in the provinces of Murcia, Alicante and Almería affecting migrant workers of Moroccan extraction and it requested the Government to indicate the measures taken to raise public awareness and promote better understanding and tolerance towards persons belonging to minority groups. It also examined the issue under the Migration for Employment Convention (Revised), 1949 (No. 97), and in 2004 decided to pursue its examination of the matter in the more general framework of the measures to be taken by the Government in the context of Convention No. 111 to eliminate discrimination in employment on the grounds of race, colour, religion and national extraction.

2. The Committee notes the establishment in 2003 of the Spanish Observatory on Race and Xenophobia, which is a new body entrusted with carrying out studies and analyses, with the capacity to make proposals to combat racism and xenophobia. In 2003, the Committee referred to the Council to Promote Equal Treatment and Non-Discrimination with regard to Racial and Ethnic Origin.

3. However, the Committee notes that the Government’s report does not contain the information requested on the activities carried out by the above Council. The Committee hopes that the Government will provide information in its next report on the activities undertaken by the Council to Promote Equal Treatment and Non-Discrimination with regard to Racial and Ethnic Origin and by the Observatory, including the proposals that it has made and the action taken to give effect to them. The Committee also hopes that, in its next report, the Government will indicate in particular:

(a)   the number and nature of complaints for breaches of the provisions of the law dealing with discrimination in employment and occupation, and the outcome of such complaints;

(b)   the programmes and plans of action established to promote equal opportunity and treatment in employment with regard to racial or ethnic origin; and

(c)   any measures adopted in collective agreements in accordance with the law.

4. The Committee once again hopes that the next report will contain information on the awareness-raising and education programmes undertaken to promote among the public, all levels of the competent authorities and at work, a better understanding and greater tolerance towards persons belonging to minority groups, and particularly migrants, nationals of non-European extraction and the Roma.

5. Finally, the Committee asks the Government to provide fuller information in its next report on the application of the Convention in practice and, in particular, to provide information more closely related to the comments made by the Committee.