Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Guatemala (Ratification: 1960)

1. Gender-based discrimination. With regard to the “Plan of action for the full participation of Guatemalan women, 2002–12”, the Committee requests the Government to continue supplying information on the action taken under the Plan relating to equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation.

2. Legislation. The Committee notes that the National Office for Women (ONAM) is implementing the component entitled “Situational analysis of legislative amendments in favour of women” (funded by the Canadian cooperation programme), which identifies seven draft laws and amendments to discriminatory provisions of various laws. The analysis will identify obstacles to approval of the aforementioned drafts and propose strategies for promoting them. The Committee invites the Government to continue its efforts to promote the approval of the aforementioned legislation and keep it informed in this respect.

3. Statistics. The Committee notes that statistical indicators disaggregated by sex are being produced and that it is hoped that the proposal can be approved by the end of 2007. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of the progress made on these indicators.

4. Discrimination based on race. Complaints. The Committee notes that the Presidential Commission against Discrimination and Racism has received 67 complaints and that 90 per cent thereof were for discrimination on grounds of gender and language. It notes that the case monitoring system of the Ministry of Public Affairs has not supplied any detailed statistics on types and forms of discrimination but that the focus at present is on a new, more comprehensive database. The Committee hopes that the Government will be able to supply further details in its next report on the number and nature of complaints of discrimination, particularly based on race, and on any follow-up action taken.

5. Educational reform: bilingual education and gender mainstreaming in education. The Committee notes that, according to the report, the use of the mother tongue in schools is important and enables students to be more efficient. It notes that bilingual cultural education has become institutionalized since 1984 but that in 1999, only 22 per cent of Mayan-speaking children between 7 and 12 years of age were receiving bilingual education, with the other 78 per cent attending schools where classes were given only in Spanish. The Committee requests the Government to continue its efforts in the area of bilingual cultural education and to keep it informed in this respect. It also notes that the Ministry of Education drew up a report describing in detail gender mainstreaming in primary education and requests the Government to continue supplying information in this regard. The Committee also requests the Government to continue providing information on the access of women, especially indigenous women, to vocational training.