Observation (CEACR) - adoptée 2006, publiée 96ème session CIT (2007)

Convention (n° 3) sur la protection de la maternité, 1919 - Venezuela (République bolivarienne du) (Ratification: 1944)

Articles 1 and 3(c) of the Convention. In its previous comments, the Committee recalled the need to take all the necessary measures to extend in practice the social security system in relation to maternity benefits, for both medical care and cash benefits, throughout the national territory to ensure that all women workers employed in industrial or commercial enterprises, whether public or private, covered by the scope of application of the Convention, benefit from the protection afforded by this instrument. In practice, the Organic Act on the social security system of 6 December 2002 guarantees the right to social security for all Venezuelan citizens resident on the national territory and all foreign nationals legally resident in the country, although this right will only be implemented progressively following a transition period.

In its last report, the Government provides detailed information on the provision of medical care throughout the country. It indicates that the objective of the action taken by the Government is to provide better maternity protection, not only to women workers, but also to all of the population who were hitherto excluded, including in particular the indigenous population and housewives. Moreover, on 14 December 2004, the National Assembly adopted on first reading a new Bill on health and the national public health system, the objective of which is to organize the excercise of the constitutional right to health and access to health care, without discrimination of any sort, through the institutions of the public health system. With regard to health‑care establishments, the Government refers to the “Barrio Adentro” missions which are intended to establish a health system based, among others, on the principles of free and universal care. Through these missions it has been possible to establish, at the national level, a network of health care providers covering nearly 17 million persons throughout the country in some 8,500 consultations centres, involving around 13,000 doctors and 8,500 nursing auxiliaries. The services provided include pre- and postnatal care. The Government also refers to the establishment of ten people’s clinics, 30 integrated diagnosis centres and 30 integrated rehabilitation units which provide medical care free of charge with the priority objectives, among others, of decreasing maternal and infant mortality. Furthermore, the hospital network throughout the national territory has been strengthened and modernized. In total, there are around 299 hospital centres of various types in the country which will be regrouped in the near future under the title of people’s hospitals. The Government adds that it will provide information on all the changes made to the national legislation once the new social security system is operational following the transition period.

The Committee notes this information with interest and would be grateful if the Government would continue to keep it informed of the development of the health system in general and of care related to maternity in particular. It would also be grateful if the Government would provide statistical information on the implementation of the maternity protection scheme at the national level, with an indication of the parts of the territory in which the provision of medical care and maternity cash benefits could still give rise to difficulties.

Furthermore, as this information has not yet been provided by the Government, the Committee would also be grateful to be provided with: (i) statistical information on the number of women workers employed in public or private industrial or commercial establishments who are covered by comprehensive social security in relation to the total number of such women workers; (ii) statistical information on the payment of maternity cash benefits to women workers employed in public or private industrial or commercial establishments throughout the national territory, and region by region; and (iii) detailed information on the implementation in practice of the Organic Act on the social security system adopted in 2002, and copies of all laws and regulations adopted to give effect to the Act.

The Committee is raising certain other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.