Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2006, published 96th ILC session (2007)

Equality of Treatment (Social Security) Convention, 1962 (No. 118) - Suriname (Ratification: 1976)

In the comments that it has been making for 30 years concerning branch (g) – employment injury benefit, for which Suriname has accepted the obligations of this Convention, the Committee has noted that the benefits granted to nationals and non-nationals were subjected to the condition of residence, contrary to Article 4 of the Convention, that there was no payment of benefits abroad, contrary to Article 5, and none of the social security benefits were applicable to refugees and stateless persons, contrary to Article 10. The Government states that in the five-year period covered by its report no changes have occurred in legislation and practice affecting the application of the Convention and that some of its principles are still not fully applied due, in particular, as was previously pointed out by the Government, to the absence of a national social security scheme. It adds, however, that a total revision of the labour legislation of Suriname is in the final stage and that the Ministry of Labour together with the Ministry of Planning are now elaborating the terms of reference and seeking financial aid to finalize the revision, which would bring the legislation more in line with the provisions of the Convention.

The Committee notes in this respect that, during the 1990s, the Government had already received technical assistance in the social security field provided by the ILO and UNDP with a view to revising the labour legislation and instituting a national social security scheme, but that the introduction of the scheme was later set on hold due to other problems in the social sector, which were considered more urgent by the Government. The Committee notes that the present report prepared by the Ministry of Labour makes no mention of the question concerning the establishment of the national social security scheme, which enters into the competence of the Ministry of Social Affairs, and the cooperation between the two ministries necessary to modify and develop social security legislation. As the absence of a national social security scheme was consistently considered by the Government to be the principal reason preventing the full application of the Convention, it is asked to clarify its current position on this subject. In the meanwhile, the Committee would like the Government to make sure that the terms of reference for the total revision of the labour legislation to be finalized by the Ministries of Labour and of Planning do not fail to include the revision of the social security legislation in question and, in particular, section 6(8) of Decree No. 145 of 1947, so as to give full effect to the above provisions of the Convention. Finally, the Committee once again wishes to draw the Government’s attention to the possibility of having further recourse to the technical assistance of the ILO in this area, if need be.

[The Government is asked to reply in detail to the present comments in 2008.]