Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2008, published 98th ILC session (2009)

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

In reply to the Committee’s previous observation, the Government states that 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, to the absence of a national social security scheme. The Ministry of Labour took the initiative once again to present to the relevant stockholders the importance of an institutionalized national social security scheme and hopes that there will be progress on this matter in the coming years. The comments of the Committee will be taken into consideration during the revision of the labour legislation of Suriname, including the Industrial Accidents Act.

The Committee recalls that benefits under branch (g) (employment injury), for which Suriname has accepted the obligations of this Convention, are not provided abroad and only granted to nationals and non-nationals subject to the condition of residence in Suriname contrary to Articles 4 and 5 of the Convention. The Committee, therefore, once again hopes that, in revising the national labour legislation, the Government would also take care to amend section 6(8) of Decree No. 145 of 1947, so as to give full effect to the abovementioned provisions of the Convention.