Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2021, published 110th ILC session (2022)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Senegal (Ratification: 1967)

Articles 1(1)(a) and 2 of the Convention. Discrimination based on sex and equality of opportunity and treatment for men and women. The Committee welcomes the information provided by the Government in its report on all the measures taken and results achieved, particularly with regard to strengthening the vocational skills of women and girls, and the statistical data provided. Further, it notes the Government’s indications concerning the actions carried out, within the framework of the “Digital Senegal 2025” strategy adopted in 2016, in the information and communication technologies (ICT) sector aimed at, inter alia, developing women’s leadership in the ICT sector, financing and supporting women’s start-ups and building girls’ capacities to pursue a career in this sector. With regard to combating gender stereotypes, the Committee also notes the adoption of specific programmes, such as the joint programme for the eradication of gender-based violence and the promotion of human rights, and the introduction of awareness-raising activities in schools as part of combating such violence. The Government also indicates that the second priority action plan for the implementation of the National Strategy for Gender Equity and Equality (SNEEG) highlights the State’s commitment to review this Strategy (SNEEG 2016-2026), which is based on the gender strategy of the West African Economic and Monetary Union. In this regard, the Committee welcomes the adoption of the SNEEG 2016-2026. It notes that this document contains a detailed analysis, with statistics disaggregated by sex, of the situation of women and girls in many areas such as education, vocational training and employment and in various sectors, including the informal economy. This Strategy (the objectives of which comprise the elimination of gender-based disparities in the political, economic and social spheres, guarantee of equitable enjoyment of rights by women and men, and physical and moral protection of women against violence) provides for, inter alia, awareness-raising and advocacy actions, a study to be carried out to identify discrimination in national legislation and the introduction of laws to remedy any discrimination found, and the implementation of actions to promote women’s access to factors of production and financial resources, and strengthen their vocational skills.

With regard to improving women’s access to land, credit, knowledge, technology and equipment, the Government points to the adoption of regulatory provisions by the department responsible for agriculture, aimed at facilitating women’s access to land and land tenure security, financing mechanisms, production factors and outreach services, such as circular No. 0989 of 5 June 2018 on reducing gender inequalities in agricultural activities and establishing a quota system for installations, inputs, equipment and seeds. The Committee notes, however, from the information in the SNEEG 2016 – 2026 that “as they are not farmers, women have fewer opportunities to farm a plot of land and are also less likely to access land through leasing due to lack of resources. Essentially, women’s access to land is limited to smaller, lower quality plots of land that are farther away from their homes, while they must meet their obligations related to domestic tasks. The inequality between men and women in access to land is a severe constraint to the development of profitable productive activities”. The Committee also notes that “for reasons associated with family perceptions and traditions, access to property remains a serious problem in the lives of rural women most involved in the agricultural production chains”. Noting the progress made and the Government's clearly stated commitment, particularly within the framework of the SNEEG 2016–2026, the Committee encourages it to intensify its efforts and continue to address discrimination against women including by ending occupational segregation between men and women and actively combating gender stereotypes and prejudices, and to promote gender equality in practice in all aspects of employment and occupation, particularly with regard to rural women’s access to factors of production. It requests it to provide information on: (i) the implementation of the SNEEG and, in particular, on the results achieved in the areas of education, occupational training and employment, and the results of the study aimed at identifying discrimination in the national legislation; and (ii) the measures taken to promote women’s access to property.

Specialized body. Noting the Government’s indication that the creation of the National Observatory on discrimination at work is under way within the context of the current reform of the Labour Code, the Committee requests it to provide information on the envisaged missions and operation of this body, indicating whether it will be empowered to handle individual complaints, and on its implementation and operation in practice.