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

Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156) - El Salvador (Ratification: 2000)

1. Article 2 of the Convention. The Committee takes note of the vocational training, technical and financial assistance activities and the promotion of cooperatives aimed at men and women workers in export processing zones as well as indigenous peoples. The Committee notes that there have also been activities conducted by the Salvadorian Institute for the Development of Cooperatives (INSAFOCOOP), the Ministry of Education through its Adult Education Programme, the Ministry of Agriculture through rural development projects, the National Commission for Micro and Small Enterprises (CONAMYPE) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare in coordination with the Salvadorian Institute for the Advancement of Women (ISDEMU), in areas with a high concentration of indigenous people to help them to enter and remain in the labour market, from which workers with family responsibilities have also benefited. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the practical effects of these activities, including statistical information where possible. Please also indicate the measures adopted or envisaged in the interests of temporary workers with family responsibilities as a category of workers covered by the Convention.

2. Article 3, paragraph 1. With regard to the adoption by the Government of a policy to enable persons with family responsibilities to exercise their right to attain and engage in employment without conflict between their family and employment responsibilities, the Committee notes that the Government has taken account of its request for information, and trusts that it will be in a position to provide the information in its next report.

3. Articles 4 and 7. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the National Employment Plan supports the application of the Convention because it involves a variety of actions including the implementation of a National Employment Opportunities Network. The National Employment Opportunities Network provides opportunities for work and training, including through a cooperation agreement with the Association for the Development of Single Mothers and Widows Who are Heads of Family, in communities that have no access to such services because they lack the means or are remote. It also notes the coverage provided by the Salvadorian Social Security Institute (ISSS), in particular for children under 12 years of age, and the coverage target for the next few years, as well as the comprehensive programmes providing services to help workers with family responsibilities to enter, remain in or re-enter the labour market. It also notes the flexibility in the design, timetables and locations of training courses referred to by the Government in its report, for example, the training for work programme (HABIL). The Government is asked to continue to send information on the effect given in practice to the National Employment Plan as it relates to the provisions of the Convention, and on progress in the plan to extend social coverage for children.

4. Article 5. The Committee notes the health programmes and the strategies for vocational training and labour market integration that are being implemented with a view to facilitating the integration of the most vulnerable groups into the workforce. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information in its next report on the measures taken or envisaged to accommodate the needs of workers with family responsibilities in community planning and to develop or promote public and private community services, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention.

5. Article 6. The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government to the effect that various outreach and training campaigns are being organized for employers and workers on equality of opportunity and treatment between men and women workers, and that various promotional materials such as posters, brochures and handbooks on labour rights and obligations are being distributed throughout the country for this purpose. It also notes that according to the Government, the Salvadorian Institute for the Advancement of Women, acknowledging the existence of women heads of household, has been pursuing efforts to raise public awareness about fair gender relations. The Committee asks the Government to provide more detailed information on the activities carried out to promote public awareness, focusing in particular on organizations of workers and employers, regarding the problems encountered by workers with family responsibilities and the need for measures to secure effective equality of opportunity and treatment in the labour market through the reconciliation of family and employment responsibilities. Please provide examples of publications produced for this purpose.

6. Article 8. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed regarding the possibility of promoting or adopting legislative or administrative measures to ensure that effect is given to this provision of the Convention.

7. Article 9. The Committee notes that the Government refers to decisions handed down by Salvadorian courts concerning the applicability of the provisions of the Convention. No copies of the decisions have been received by the Committee and the Committee hopes that they will be sent with the next report.

8. Article 11. The Committee trusts that the Government will be in a position to provide information in its next report on the activities carried out by the Higher Labour Council to give effect to the provisions of the Convention.

9. Part V of the report form. The Committee notes that it is the Government’s intention to promote the inclusion of a special model for the identification and systematization of indicators of workers with family responsibilities in the Multi-purpose Household Survey conducted by the Directorate of Statistics and Censuses of the Ministry of Economy. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would report on the progress in this regard.