Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Rwanda (Ratification: 2010)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that the next report will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous comments.

Repetition

Article 1 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee notes the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention received in May 2013. The Government indicates that the National Employment Policy, adopted in 2007, provides guidelines for employment generation and employment productivity. The Committee notes that the Ministry in charge of employment is considered as the institution responsible for national coordination of all actions and programmes concerning employment promotion. The National Employment Policy also provides for the establishment of a National Employment Agency (NEA) to increase employment opportunities by matching jobseekers and employers and a tripartite National Labour Council (NLC) headed by the Minister in charge of employment and composed equally of employers’ and workers’ representatives. The Committee invites the Government to describe the developments with respect to the implementation of the National Employment Policy, as well as the activities of the National Employment Agency and the National Labour Council on the matters covered by the Convention.

Article 3. Consultation with the social partners. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that all employment policies are communicated to the representatives of the employers’ and workers’ organizations through the NLC. The Ministry of Public Service and Labour organizes consultation meetings to communicate employment-related measures with the affected persons. Moreover, the National Employment Policy provides for the promotion and strengthening of social dialogue, through the establishment of a permanent concerted action framework with social partners and civil society organizations. The Committee invites the Government to provide detailed information on the activities of the existing consultation mechanisms with respect to the development, implementation and review of employment policies and programmes. Please also provide information on the consultations held with the representatives of rural workers and workers in the informal economy.

Collection and analysis of statistics. The Government indicates in its report that a labour market information system was established in 2008 to compile and present accurate and timely data on labour market supply and demand. Labour market information is compiled by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) in the Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (or Enquête Intégrale sur les Conditions de Vie des Ménages – EICV). The last survey (EICV3) covered the period January-December 2011. The Committee further notes that, according to the information provided by the Government, employed persons represented some 84.2 per cent of 5.88 million persons in the country in 2011. The Committee invites the Government to communicate in its next report updated information on the situation, level and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment, disaggregated by age and sex. The Committee also wishes to examine information on the manner in which employment data is used for deciding on and reviewing employment measures, in cooperation with the social partners (Articles 2 and 3).

Youth employment. The Government indicates that an internship programme was launched in 2010 to enable graduates to gain work experience. The Committee also notes that a Five-Year Action Plan for Youth Employment Promotion was adopted in 2007. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures taken for young persons, enabling them to obtain lasting employment.

Informal sector. The Government highlights in its report the initiative taken under “Kuremera”, a programme established to provide start-up capital to youth and vulnerable groups, including women street vendors to acquire decent workplace premises in public markets. The Hanga Umrimo programme provides entrepreneurship skills and links eligible beneficiaries to financial institutions. Furthermore, the Business Development Fund established in 2009 provides loan guarantees to young men and women. In paragraph 697 of the General Survey of 2010 concerning employment instruments, the Committee noted the importance of including assistance to the informal economy as part of policies to achieve full and productive employment and to reduce poverty. Such action towards the informal economy should include efforts to extend access to justice, property rights, labour rights and business rights to the informal economy workers and business. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the impact of the programmes and measures implemented to enhance job growth and to facilitate the transition of workers from the informal to the formal economy.

Coordination of education and training policies with employment. The Committee notes that the Workforce Development Authority (WDA) was created in 2008, with the mission to promote, facilitate, and guide the development and upgrading of skills and competencies of the national workforce in order to enhance competitiveness and employability, through the Technical and Vocational Education and Training System. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the activities carried out by the Workforce Development Authority and their results in terms of coordination of the education and vocational training measures with the prospective employment opportunities. Please also provide information on the impact of the various training and income-generating activities and funding programmes in Rwanda, including data on the number of women and men who have benefited from these programmes.