Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Cameroon (Ratification: 1970)

Previous comment

Follow-up to the conclusions of the Committee on the Application of Standards (111th Session of the International Labour Conference, June 2023)

The Committee recalls that the Committee on the Application of Standards, at its session in June 2023, regretted that the Government has taken no steps since 2017 to adopt and implement a comprehensive national employment policy, as required by the Convention. It also urged the Government, in full consultation with the social partners, to: (i) scale up efforts to ensure that the national employment policy is adopted, without further delay; (ii) guarantee participation of social partners and other stakeholders in the development and implementation of future iterations of the national employment policy; (iii) take measures to facilitate the transition of workers from the informal to the formal sector and provide adequate protection to all workers; (iv) promote access to employment for women and youth to reduce unemployment for these categories and to promote their long-term integration into the labour market; (v) ensure that education, training and skills policies are harmonized with employment policies and facilitate the free choice of employment; and (vi) ensure the regular collection of information and statistical data so as to allow the Government to monitor progress and evaluate policies’ implementation. It also invited the Government to avail itself of the technical assistance provided by the ILO. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information on progress achieved concerning the six points raised by the Committee on the Application of Standards in its conclusions, as well as a copy of the national employment policy as soon as it has been adopted.

The Committee notes the observations of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), received on 1 September 2023, and those of the Cameroon Workers’ Trade Union Confederation (CSTC) received on 11 September 2023. The ITUC highlights that in spite of the recently adopted laws and strategies, there are major gaps in the Government’s implementation of the Convention. It also notes that the national employment policy has still not been adopted, even though it is a key requirement of the Convention. The CSTC underscores a lack of significant progress in the implementation of the June 2023 conclusions of the Committee on the Application of Standards. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this regard.

Article 1 of the Convention.Implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report and notes with regret the persistent failure to adopt a national employment policy in conformity with the Convention, in order to pursue the goal of full, productive and freely chosen employment. The Government indicates that this policy is awaiting signature by the prime minister. It clarifies that the national employment policy provides for the creation of a National Employment Council, responsible for the harmonious and coherent implementation of the provisions of the national employment policy by all entities concerned. The draft text was formulated in a tripartite manner and sent for approval. The Committee notes that the national employment policy was elaborated on a tripartite basis and has informed the National Development Strategy, the new road map for the 2020–30 period. The chapter “Employment promotion and economic integration” follows the orientations of the national employment policy and is structured around several aims: employment promotion in public investment projects; improvement of productivity, employment and revenues in rural areas; promotion of the transition from the informal to the formal economy; encouragement to create and preserve jobs in major enterprises of the private formal sector; aligning training and employment, and improving the system of entry into the labour market; and labour market regulation.

The Committee notes that the ILO provides significant support to Cameroon in the field of employment and vocational training with the aim of improving employment opportunities and combatting informality. Through the Decent Work Country Programme 2023–2026, the ILO is collaborating with the Government to strengthen employment policies and social protection, focusing particularly on young entrepreneurs. It also notes the continued ILO support to sustaining Cameroon’s efforts in employment promotion and economic integration, essential pillars of the National Development Strategy 2020–2030. The Committee observes the emphasis placed by the ILO on the importance of adapting the training offer to labour market needs, recognizing that Cameroon has skills at its disposal that are sought after internationally. The Committee trusts that the national employment policy will be adopted, promulgated and implemented as soon as possible in that it constitutes the principal requirement of the Convention. In this regard, it again urges the Government to take all the necessary measures in this regard, in consultation with the social partners and relevant stakeholders. The Committee requests the Government to provide a copy of the new employment policy, once adopted. The Committee requests the Government to provide fuller information on the envisaged establishment of the National Employment Council, indicating its composition, mandate and, if appropriate, on its activities since its establishment.

Article 1(3). Coordination of education and training policy with employment policy. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in respect of coordination of the education and training policy with the employment policy, some of which information was already provided to the Committee on the Application of Standards at its June 2023 session. Regarding vocational training, the Government indicates that it has undertaken a reform process in the sector of vocational training, with a view to addressing gaps observed between vocational training and employment. The objective of this process is to improve the training offer both in quantity and quality so as to align it with the needs of the productive sector and to promote employability. The Government recalls the formulation and promulgation of Act No. 2018/010 of 11 July 2018 on vocational training, and its implementing regulations, was among the reforms undertaken. This Act was drawn up with the participation of the social partners, professional bodies and civil society organizations at all stages, up to its promulgation. Moreover, a Sectoral Education and Training Strategy (SSEF) covering the 2023–30 period was elaborated under the coordination of the technical and financial partners and is currently under revision. One of the main elements of this revision is the design of a supporting strategy for skills development. Under the auspices of the World Bank and the African Development Bank, discussions are under way to establish a vocational training fund, with which the social partners and all sectoral actors will be closely associated. With regard to consultation of the social partners in the formulation and implementation of draft education policies and legislation, the sectoral administrations concerned collaborate with the ministers and public administrations and with the employers’ and workers’ organizations. As examples, the Government mentions the Interministerial Employment Monitoring Committee and the Tripartite Working Group for the National Action Plan on Youth Employment. The Committee requests the Government to provide more information on the impact of the measures taken or envisaged to coordinate the education and training policy with the employment policy, in particular as regards the sustainable integration of the most vulnerable workers in the labour market. It also once again requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the implementation of the Act of 2018 on vocational training on the labour market integration of different categories of workers, in particular young workers.

Informal economy. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government concerning the transition from the informal to the formal economy, which was already communicated to the Committee on the Application of Standards in June 2023. It also notes the observations of the ITUC which highlight the Government’s efforts to facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal sector, because of the prevalence of the informal sector in the national economy. The ITUC refers to ILO statistics which show that the informal sector represents 50 per cent of gross domestic product and employs nearly 90 per cent of the active population. The ITUC encourages the Government to redouble its efforts to generate decent jobs and provide adequate protection to informal economy workers. The measures should adopt a comprehensive approach and be in consonance with the national employment policy. For its part, the CSTC underscores that the voluntary insurance put in place by the Government is not seen to be attractive by informal sector workers, who feel that it does not cover all branches of the social security. The CSTC also adds that the workers’ organizations have joined efforts to raise the awareness of the informal sector workers, through campaigns in markets and aimed at other informal economy workers, while waiting for improvements in measures aimed at promoting membership of the voluntary insurance scheme. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide detailed, updated information on the content and impact of measures taken to facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal economy, as well as details concerning the manner in which these measures contribute to the creation of decent jobs and provide adequate protection to workers in the informal economy. In this regard, the Committee wishes to draw the Government’s attention to the Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy Recommendation, 2015 (No. 204), which sets out the ILO strategic vision in the area and promotes the formulation of integrated policies aimed at facilitating the transition from the informal to the formal economy, by focusing on improving working conditions, social protection and access to fundamental rights at work. The Recommendation encourages States to adopt integrated policies to formalize informal activity, by reducing administrative obstacles, promoting access to finance and reinforcing social protection measures. The Recommendation argues for promoting an enabling environment for enterprises, while guaranteeing job security and protection of vulnerable workers, with a view to guaranteeing inclusive and sustainable development.

Article 2. Collection and use of data on employment. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the National Observatory for Employment and Vocational Training (ONEFOP) and the National Employment Fund (FNE) are responsible for collecting employment data. The ONEFOP carries out a number of activities that foster the provision of employment data: it produces employment and training reports, statistical yearbooks on the labour market and employment conjuncture notes and conducts various specific studies. The FNE, as the main public employment service, also conducts large surveys, including on employment and the informal sector, in collaboration with the National Statistics Institute (INS). The Committee recalls that data collection is essential not only to evaluate the results of employment policies, but also to inform discussions concerning reiterations of employment policies and to measure progress achieved towards full, productive and freely chosen employment. The Committee therefore once again requests the Government to specify the active employment policy measures adopted as a result of the establishment of the various bodies responsible for collecting information on employment. It also requests the Government to indicate to what extent and the manner in which labour market information is used as a basis for the establishment of the new employment policy.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners in the development and implementation of employment policies. The Government indicates that the social partners were consulted during the formulation of the national employment policy. It also indicates that it took account of the Committee’s previous comments, requesting that representatives of rural workers and informal economy workers should be included in the next stages. The Committee notes the observations of the ITUC, emphasizing the persistent deficit of social dialogue in the development and implementation of programmes and strategies related to employment. The ITUC recalls the importance of engaging in meaningful consultations with the social partners concerning the development and implementation of the national employment policy. In view of the above, the Committee requests the Government to provide more detailed information on the modalities of social dialogue and the participation of the social partners in the development and implementation of the national employment policy. It also requests the Government to take all necessary measures to promote both consultation with the workers’ representatives, including rural and independent workers, as well as informal economy workers, in conformity with Article 3 of the Convention.

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