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

Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) - Benin (Ratification: 2000)

The Committee notes the detailed information provided by the Government in reply to its previous request concerning statistics of household income and expenditure (Article 13 of the Convention). The Committee also notes that the Government is requesting the technical and financial assistance of the ILO for the formal establishment of a reliable and continuous labour statistics database.

Articles 7 and 8. Statistics of the active population, employment and unemployment. Statistics of the structure and distribution of the population. In its report, the Government refers to an integrated modular survey of the living conditions of households (EMICoV) conducted in 2007, a follow-up survey on the indicators of the EMICoV organized in 2010, and a second edition of the EMICoV conducted in 2011–12 using the same methodology and with the same principal modules as in 2007. The Committee notes that statistics of the active population, employment and unemployment have been supplied to the ILO Department of Statistics, but notes that statistics of employment by occupation and unemployment by occupation and economic activity have not yet been received. The Committee requests the Government to provide the ILO with statistics of employment and unemployment. Please also include information on any developments towards the implementation of the Resolution concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization (Resolution I), adopted by the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (October 2013).

Article 12. Consumer price indices. The Government provides information on the harmonized consumer price index (IHPC) covering the city of Cotonou and indicates that, in addition to the IHPC, in 2014 the country introduced a harmonized national consumer price index (INHPC) covering all the departments in the country. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether the IHPC is based on weights and the prices observed representing the whole of the country, or only the capital.

Article 14. Statistics of occupational diseases and injuries. The Government indicates that statistics of occupational diseases are compiled each year and that they cover the whole of the country. The Government however refers to under-reporting of occupational diseases (due to the fact that many enterprises do not have an occupational physician and that the diseases concerned are not known to the workers). The Committee observes that the Government has not provided information on the methodology used for the collection and compilation of statistics of occupational diseases. The Committee requests the Government to provide the available statistics of occupational diseases to the ILO, and detailed descriptions of the sources, concepts, definitions and methodologies used for the compilation of statistics of occupational diseases. Please also provide the ILO with statistics of occupational injuries as soon as they become available.

Article 15. Statistics of industrial disputes. The Government indicates that statistics of industrial disputes cover the whole of the territory and all branches of economic activity covered by the Labour Code. The Committee requests the Government to provide a description of the methodology and definitions used for the compilation of statistics of industrial disputes, as well as updated statistics of strikes and lock-outs, including a description of the scope, the definition of the principal concepts and the methodology used for their compilation.

Articles 9–11. Statistics of hours of work and wages. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the matters covered by Articles 9–11 of the Convention, of which it has not accepted the obligations. The Government indicates that statistics of hours of work can be calculated from the EMICoV databases. The Government adds that statistics of wages are not reliable. The Committee requests the Government to keep the ILO informed of any developments relating to the compilation and dissemination of the statistics referred to above. The Committee draws the Government’s attention to the Resolution concerning the measurement of working time, adopted by the 18th International Conference of Labour Statisticians in December 2008, which contains detailed definitions of concepts and measures.