Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

Unemployment Convention, 1919 (No. 2) - Myanmar (Ratification: 1921)

Measures taken to combat unemployment. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in August 2014 indicating that the Employment and Skill Development Law was enacted in August 2013 and that its rules are being drafted and will be issued in the near future. The Government further indicates that the Department of Labour is implementing the necessary measures for the labour market and workforce skill development to generate employment. In 2013, 1,115,405 jobseekers were registered in township labour exchange offices, which are free public employment offices; 417,951 job offers were notified by employers; and 417,678 jobseekers obtained employment through the public employment offices. Mobile teams also provide services to jobseekers living in areas not serviced by the employment offices, and 45,012 jobseekers obtained employment through such services. Moreover, an online Employment Exchange Management System is being established and will be launched to provide jobseekers with online access to employment opportunities. The Committee notes that there are 51 licenced private employment agencies in Myanmar. The Government indicates that these agencies cooperate with the public employment offices to reduce unemployment in the country. In 2013, 235,815 jobseekers obtained employment in private employment agencies. With respect to migrant workers, the Government indicates that the Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Federation was created in 2013 to assist Myanmar migrant workers and protect their rights. In reply to the previous observation, the Government indicates that about 103,292 Myanmar migrant workers have been dispatched to Thailand according to the Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries from 11 March 2010 to 31 July 2014, and more than 1.7 million Myanmar documented migrant workers are now working in Thailand. Moreover, labour attaches have been appointed in the Republic of Korea, Malaysia and Thailand to handle and monitor the deployment of Myanmar migrant workers. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures taken to combat unemployment in the country, such as the bilateral employment agreements with other neighbouring countries (Article 1 of the Convention). It also invites the Government to describe the steps taken to coordinate the operation of public and private employment services (Article 2(2)). The Committee also refers to the 2010 General Survey concerning employment instruments and invites the Government and the social partners to contemplate ratifying more recent Conventions regarding the issues covered by Convention No. 2, that is, the Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88), the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), and the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181).