Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) - Eswatini (Ratification: 1992)

Noting the partial information received in reply to its previous direct request, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide the ILO with further information concerning the following points.

Article 2 of the Convention. The Committee asks the Government to send information on the application of the latest international standards and specify, for each Article of the Convention for which the obligations were accepted (i.e. Articles 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15), which standards and guidelines are followed.

Article 7. According to the Government’s report, the Statistical Unit established under the Department of Labour was preparing the update of relevant statistical series, which should be submitted to the ILO. The Committee notes, however, that the ILO has not received any new series up to now. The only limited data available are those on employment collected from the population census 1997; establishment survey 1996 and on unemployment derived from the household income and expenditure survey 1995. The Committee is accordingly bound to ask, again, the Government to communicate data regularly to the ILO (in accordance with Article 5).

Article 8. While the Government did not provide the requested information, the Committee notes, however, from the information available on the relevant UN web site, that the latest population census was conducted in 2007 and it is expected that the final 2007 census data and methodological information will be supplied to the ILO for publication. The Committee notes that no information has been provided as for the timing of the next population census. The Committee asks the Government to fulfil its obligation to communicate this data (in accordance with Article 5), as well as detailed descriptions of the sources, concepts, definitions and methodology used in collecting and compiling statistics in pursuance of the Convention (Article 6) regularly to the ILO.

Article 10. The report indicates that statistics of wage and hours of work structure by main components and the distribution of employees by levels of earnings and hours of work have not been compiled yet. It adds that future developments will be communicated. Keeping in mind that this Article is accepted, the Committee takes notes of the above and would appreciate that information on future developments be provided to the ILO with regard to its application.

Article 12. The Committee requests the Government to provide information regarding which international standards were taken into account for the construction of Consumer Price Indices (CPI) (Article 3).

The Committee notes that a new series had been compiled (series base April 2007=100) for which regular data and complete information concerning the coverage and weighting pattern should be communicated to the ILO in pursuance of the Convention (Article 6). The Committee asks the Government to communicate to the ILO up to date figures of consumer price indices regarding all items and food groups (according to Article 5) as well as the title and reference of the publication which contains the detailed methodological description of the new abovementioned series of CPI, and also this methodological description itself (according to Article 6). Finally, the Committee may wish to remind the Government of its obligation to reply to the ILO Yearbook questionnaire and supply regularly all items and food group indices to the ILO. Alternatively, the Government should indicate, if available, the web site where the CPI data are disseminated.

Article 13. The ILO has received no information about any new survey conducted since 1995 as no response has been received to: (i) the ILO questionnaire on household income and expenditure statistics 2005; and (ii) the ILO methodological questionnaire on HIES, and that the web site of the Central Statistical Office of Swaziland is not accessible. The Committee asks the Government to inform the ILO of any survey conducted since 1995 and, where appropriate, to communicate its data and metadata to the ILO.

Article 14. According to the Government, some statistics on occupational injuries are published in an annual report of the Department of Labour, and measures are being taken to start compiling the data in compliance with the requirements of the Convention. However, the Committee notes that such report has not been made available to the ILO. The most recent data received refer to 1996 and were published in the ILO Yearbook of Labour Statistics 1998. The Committee hopes that the Government will not fail to fulfil its obligation, in accordance with Articles 1, 5, 6 and 14, to:

(i)    compile and publish statistics on occupational injuries and, as far as possible, or cases of occupational diseases; and

(ii)   communicate the published statistics to the ILO as well as detailed descriptions of the sources, concepts, definitions and methodology used in their collection and compilation.

Article 15. Noting that no information relating to the application of this provision was provided, the Committee hopes that the Government will communicate the relevant data to the ILO (in accordance with Article 5) and the detailed description of the sources, concepts, definitions and methodology used in collecting and compiling statistics in pursuance of the Convention (Article 6).

Article 16. The Committee would welcome any information relating to future developments with regard to Articles 9.2 and 11. With regard to Article 9.1, it encourages the Government to communicate any information available on average monthly wages by economic activity, as soon as practicable (Articles 9 and 11).