Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1993, published 80th ILC session (1993)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Ethiopia (Ratification: 1966)

The Committee notes that the Government's reports contain no reply to its comments and merely state that there have been no significant changes with respect to the application of the Convention, that job placements are fair between men and women and that the new Labour Code - which has been sent to the ILO for comment - will soon be adopted.

The Committee notes that, in the meantime, the new Labour Proclamation No. 42/1993 was adopted on 20 January 1993, repealing Labour Proclamation No. 64 of 1975 which had been the subject of comments for many years.

1. The Committee notes with interest that: (1) section 14(1)(f) declares it unlawful for an employer to "discriminate between workers on the basis of nationality, sex, religion, political outlook or any other conditions"; (2) that section 26(2) lists as unjustified grounds for termination of an employment contract: trade union membership or activities, nationality, sex, religion, political outlook, marital status, race, colour, family responsibility, pregnancy, lineage or social status; (3) that section 87(1) provides that women shall not be discriminated against as regards employment and payment, on the basis of their sex; and (4) that sections 42 and 43 provide redress for unlawful dismissals by the employer.

The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide in its next report any available information on how the new Proclamation is being applied as regards the elimination of discrimination in employment on the grounds listed, and on the promotion of equality of opportunity and treatment in: (a) access to vocational training; (b) access to employment; and (c) terms and conditions of employment.

2. The Committee has noted in earlier comments the establishment of the Institute for the Study of Ethiopian Nationalities, whose function is to study the economic, cultural, social life and stage of development of each nationality and community in pre-nationality formations. The Committee again asks the Government to indicate whether any practical measures have followed from such studies to improve vocational training and employment opportunities for any of the ethnic groups concerned.

3. The Committee has noted the Government's indication that the Land Reform Proclamation of 1975 has made it possible for land to be available for schools as one of the first priorities and the Peasant Associations everywhere willingly contribute additional land on which practical educational activity can take place, and requested the Government to provide full information on the number of schools created as a result of this programme; the communities or persons of underprivileged groups, particular social origins or national extractions served by these schools; the types of training available in each of these schools; the numbers and characteristics of students actually attending them; and any practical measures taken to ensure that all persons are provided equal opportunity in employment and occupation so that they can benefit from this aspect of the Land Reform Proclamation of 1975.

4. The Committee had previously noted that the Government had been pursuing a resettlement policy since 1985, so as to remove certain people from those parts of the country most severely affected by drought conditions to other regions where new employment opportunities may be created, including centres for training in specific skills related to development in local areas, and that resettled peoples of different social origins had equal opportunities with other population groups. The Committee again asks the Government to provide full information on practical measures taken to ensure this equality of opportunity, as well as to indicate measures taken to ensure that resettled peoples of different social origin may have equal opportunity in agricultural or other employment or occupations with other population groups in those areas to which they are resettled.